A P R I L 2 0 1 7 16 POTATO GROWER Turning Back The Clock A Look Back 25 Years Ago at Excerpts from The April 1992 Issue of The Valley Potato Grower Magazine Let’s Talk Promotion! Tony Bennett belted out a famous tune quite a few years ago, “I left my heart in San Francisco.” He crooned about the little cable cars that climb half way to the stars and the romance of the city on the Bay and the Pacific Ocean. And it is also the city famous for the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz. Well this year it was “A Golden Gateway” for all who attended the 55th Snack Food Annual Exhibit and Conference, SNAXPO, as it is known to those in the industry. SNAXPO ‘92 was staged in the enchanting city of San Francisco. According to sources, it has been named the 2nd best city in the world to visit, right behind Paris. I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to represent the Red River Valley Potato Growers Association at what has been regarded as one of the biggest ever. There was 50,000 feet of exhibit space with over 170 exhibitors dis- playing the finest in products, serv- ices, and technology for the snack food industry. Of course the role the Valley plays in the total picture is promoting our “specialty” high specific gravity chipping potatoes. I think they’re “valley gold” to all who use them in processing of pota- to chips. Along with several Red River Valley growers and their spouses, there were four staff members at the exhi- bition site. With myself were Lloyd Schmidt, Stan Erickson, and Diane Peycke. Besides promoting potatoes, we provided fun and games for every- one and served chocolate covered potato chips to boot. We tested the athletic and dexterity potential to anyone who was willing to play our basketball game. The hitch was then instead of trying to dunk a ball, the object was a sponge. According to most people, the aero- dynamics of the lightweight sponge made it a real challenge to lob it into the bucket. We literally had a bucket instead of a basket mounted on a buckboard that carried through on a fun filled theme we took to the convention... “I’m No Soak.” The reference is to the color- ful ad we featured in the Snack World magazine which read, “Wouldn’t You Rather Soak Up The Profits.” We sent out a direct mail to some individuals indicating that we would literally give them the shirt off our back. We had colorful T- shirts and caps imprinted with a graphic impression of a sponge and the caption, “I’m No Soak.” We also handed out caps and giant pins “bearing the words, World Famous Chipping Potatoes...We’re #1.” In addition, we served up a whopping number of pounds of chocolate covered potato chips. We invited people to our booth and also created a lot of interest, from the crowded hall, many of the attendees wanting to try their luck at our sponge toss game. Thanks to all of our growers and their wives for their help, we hope we did a good job in keeping the Valley where it belongs in the minds of the chipping industy... In The Limelight!