Tyson Teams With ‘Toons to Target Tyke Market

In the poultry giant’s largest “integrated commercial” ever, Tyson Foods Inc. has joined forces with Warner Bros. Inc. to promote the animated movie “Quest for Camelot” on 11 million packages of Tyson’s frozen breaded boneless chicken products, which are popular with young consumers.

The movie was released May 15, a week after several Tyson executives attended a premiere screening in Los Angeles.

Officials hope the multi-million dollar marketing campaign will be a profitable venture for both Tyson and Warner Bros., says Steve Mason, Tyson product manager for the frozen breaded boneless line.

“It’s a consumer promotion, tying in a very kid-focused movie like ‘Quest for Camelot,'” says Mason. The movie centers around the theft of Excalibur, King Arthur’s legendary sword.

“This is, without a doubt, the biggest promotion ever launched by Tyson FBBC,” says Jeff Sandore, vice president of marketing for Tyson Retail.

In addition to being emblazoned with cartoon characters and the words “See the movie,” packages of Tyson chicken patties, chunks, tenders and fillets will also contain “Quest for Camelot” instant-win game cards and merchandise offers. The packages began appearing in grocery stores in mid-April. Product packages will also deliver a $4 discount coupon for Six Flags Theme Parks.

The partnership is being advertised via free-standing newspaper inserts, retailer in-ads, point-of-sale materials and discount coupons. A 30-second promotional ad will air on the Cartoon Network. The movie will also be promoted in Warner Bros. stores and at Six Flags Theme Parks.

Five Tyson plants

closed during first quarter

Tyson Foods Inc. had more processing plants temporarily closed by the Agriculture Department during the first quarter of 1998 than any other meat or poultry company in the country.

“That’s because we have more plants than anybody else,” says Tyson spokesman Ed Nicholson.

The USDA temporarily shut down some or all operations at 34 meat or poultry plants in the first three months of the year because of contaminated food, or dirty or unsafe conditions. Five of Tyson’s 44 plants were closed temporarily by the USDA during that time period. Those plants were in Waldron, New Holland, Pa., Cummings, Ga., and in the Texas cities of Carthage and Center.

Nicholson says Tyson won an appeal of the closure of the Cummings, Ga., plant. Appeals are also pending concerning the two plant closures in Texas.

Nicholson says the closures were related to federal HACCP regulations that were implemented Jan. 26. HACCP, which stands for hazard analysis critical control points, is a food-handling program originally developed by NASA in the 1960s to ensure sterile food for astronauts. The system tracks food from the farm to the consumer by frequently monitoring for safety and testing for salmonella and E. coli bacteria. Nicholson says some 300 plants in the United States now operate under HACCP guidelines.

The USDA changed other regulations last year that now allow inspectors to close plants that are believed to be in violation. Previously, the agency could close a plant only after proving that products were contaminated, and that sometimes took years.

USDA officials say they aren’t targeting Tyson Foods because of the company’s ties to former Agriculture Secretary Mike Espy.

Simmons breaks ground

on Van Buren facility

Simmons Foods Inc. of Siloam Springs broke ground in April on a 62,000-SF, $15 million further processing facility in Van Buren. The plant, which should be completed by fall, will provide 80 to 85 new jobs, says Doug Siemens, a spokesman for the company.

“We are continuing to improve our product mix for our customers,” says Gary Murphy, Simmons’ president of poultry operations. “With this new facility and its state-of-the-art equipment, we will enhance our ability to provide the highest-quality cooked products available.”

The building will contain areas for cooking, freezing and shipping as well as office space. As many as 250 jobs could be created with possible future expansion of the facility.

The project’s engineers are Hathaway/Symonds and Associates P.L.L.C. of Fort Smith. The building contractor is Nabholz Construction Co. of Conway. Mechanical construction will be done by Malone Mechanical Co. of Van Buren. Preston Refrigeration of Van Buren will install the refrigeration equipment. Arkansas Electrical Contractors of Farmington will provide electrical installation. n

Bill Bowden can be reached via e-mail at [email protected].