Minute Rice gives shoppers wins during the week

Shoppers might be working for the weekend, but that doesn’t mean they don’t deserve a win during the week.

Minute Rice is repositioning itself as a product that’s just as healthy and tasty as it is convenient. The Catelli Foods brand has launched new websites in English and French Canada using the tagline “You’re 1/3 of the way there.”

The inspiration behind the campaign is that one serving of Minute Rice, vegetables and protein makes for a nutritious, wholesome meal, and helps shoppers achieve a “weekday win.”

The new websites will act as content hubs, and contain a number of recipes to help inspire Canadians to cook during the week.

According to Norma D’Onofrio, senior brand manager with Minute Rice, this isn’t the first online hub Minute Rice has developed, but it's much more expansive and content-rich than past online initiatives. The concept came to light after Minute Rice conducted a survey with Environics Communications that found that while 90% of Canadians feel satisfied when they eat healthy dinners, only 25% were doing so regularly.

“Our goal with this online destination is to give all Canadians tips and tricks they can use to make dinners at home during the week, and feel like a winner when they do,” she says. She adds that Canadians often think of Minute Rice as being only one type of rice, but the brand is trying to overcome this perception by promoting their Jasmine, basmati and ready-to-serve options as well.

The “Weekday Win” campaign will feature a robust PR campaign that includes a GTA-based media tour with food bloggers Ceri Marsh and Laura Keogh of Sweet Potato Chronicles.  Minute Rice has also built a network of its own food influencers who will showcase their recipe creations on various blogs and social media channels.

Minute Rice has partnered with Loblaw Cooking School to co-host classes at 50 different Loblaw locations that will teach Canadians how to cook meals with Minute Rice.

In store, all point of of purchase material and display will leverage the “1/3 of the way there” communication and visuals.