Jeanine Bribosia
Everyone, this is Jeanine Bribosia. Jeanine this is everyone. Jeanine is the founder of The Cru, a media and communications agency servicing the premium food, wine and hospitality industry. Pepe has been working with Jeanine and The Cru on the upcoming launch of Pepe Saya’s Last Supper Pop-Up and wanted to introduce you;
The Cru’s reputation is hard to beat when it comes to food PR in Australia. Normally we take charge of our own media strategy, but with The Last Supper we decided we needed a professional voice to represent us to in the media. I am really impressed so far, especially with the professional way they conduct business. – Pepe Saya, Urban Butter Maker Recently Bliss, Pepe Saya’s writer monkey, picked Jeanine’s brains about food, media strategy and trends in Aussie food: You’re a mover and shaker in the food scene. Do you have any spots for fabulous food and/or produce that you can share with us?
At the moment I am loving Sunrise Asian in Elizabeth Bay- they supply produce to some of Sydney's best chefs and their first retail store sells the most beautiful, unusual produce, especially Asian ingredients, as well as home made sauces and takeaway. It should be on every food-lover's radar! And owner Fiat is a fantastic baker too.
What restaurants are on your foodie bucket list?
Well now that we have been working closely with Noma Australia I am dying to go to Noma Copenhagen. Also Osteria Francescana in Modena, and places like Burnt Ends in Singapore. Closer to home I am yet to get to Franklin in Hobart and Magill Estate in Adelaide. They are on my list for this year.
What trends can you see developing in the Australian food/hospitality industry?
I think it's never been a more exciting time in food in Australia, and there's room for absolutely everything in terms of dining. We are seeing so much more of high/low dining with some of our best chef's making their food accessible and doing affordable food well, not compromising on using quality ingredients. Also, the focus on minimising waste, using every part of an animal and vegetable and being far more innovative and disruptive in the process.
What do you think an agency like Cru Media can offer small producers like Pepe Saya?
We like to think we become part of the team for our clients. We get to know their brands so well that we can help steer their direction, the conversations they participate in, and awareness about what they are doing. It might sound cliché, but we can help them tell their stories across many different audiences and bring out the most compelling parts of their brand.
What should the long-term objective of using an agency like yours be?
In the long-term? Brand building and brand maintenance. Becoming part of the conversations that reach your target audience, and staying part of those conversations.
Do you have any tips for small food businesses about how to effectively using their media budget?
It's just about being targeted and consolidating your budget at a key time for your brand to maximise the cut through. A small budget won't go very far if you have a scattergun approach and try to eke it out over a long period of time. It's best to be really focused, to know the result you want, and to go hard over a specific period of time.
The margin on food is not large. How do you suggest your clients offset their media spends?
It's a long game. You need to invest to keep your brand strong and understand that it will pay off in the long run. You need to factor in a small percentage for PR and marketing each year, rather than waiting for sales to plateau or drop and see it as a 'quick fix'. By that stage, it's usually too late.
The Cru represent a number of hatted chefs and restaurants, as well as boutique producers like Pepe Saya and more recently they are responsible for launching NOMA Australia. To find out more about them and the incredible work they do see http://thecrumedia.com.