Whole Foods Market Southern Pacific Region
Demo Program Overview and Criteria
Gain customers, product exposure, brand awareness and sales by conducting product demonstrations in Whole Foods Market stores throughout southern California, Arizona, southern Nevada and Hawai’i.
With 47 stores in the Southern Pacific Region, by demoing in our stores, you can gain access to over
700,000 customers per week.
The following overview will assist you in coordinating demos in our region. Our customers deserve and expect to be provided with the safest, highest quality products during in-store demos, and this document is meant to help ensure the safety of our customers, the products, product demonstrators, and our Team Members, and most of all, help you conduct successful demos. We understand that from time to time demonstrators will require access to facilities (kitchens, restrooms, hand washing sinks, etc.) or demo kits delivered to the store. If you require the use of any of these facilities or advanced delivery of your sample product, you must coordinate this with the Marketing Supervisor and product team you are demoing for in advance.
Before scheduling a demo in our stores, read through this document carefully – we’ve included several updates for 2014 – primarily the implementation of the EXIGIS program to host COIs we introduced
last year.
Required Paperwork:
***NEW PROCESS FOR ALL VENDORS & DEMONSTRATORS*** Certificate of Liability Insurance (COI) -
Whole Foods Market requires that all vendors and independent demonstrators provide proof of
Commercial General Liability Insurance, including coverage for bodily injury (including wrongful death) and property damage for all premises and products/completed operations and contractual liability, auto liability, worker’s compensation and possibly umbrella insurance coverage. A current COI and related additional insured endorsement must be on file. (See attached Regional Insurance Guidelines for minimum requirements.)
***All persons conducting demos in our stores are required to complete the Demonstration Release
and Indemnity Agreement, regardless of whether you have insurance. This is required and if your form is not on file in EXIGIS you will not be able to conduct the demo in our stores.
To ease and expedite the process of submitting COIs for Whole Foods Market and our Demonstrator
Partners, we have partnered with EXIGIS, LLC, an independent national services company, to verify
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your insurance status. Vendors and demo companies will be required to register in EXIGIS to conduce demos starting in our Fiscal Year 2014 (9/30/13 – 9/28/14). Follow these simple steps to get started:
1.
Enter the following address in your web browser http://Wholefoodsmarket.Exigis.com
2.
Provide your company’s contact details
3.
Select what you are providing to WFM as well as to which region(s). Be sure to also select
‘demo’ if you are conducting demos in addition to ‘products’
4.
Enter your Broker or Insurance Provider’s contact information
Once you have provided the requested information, EXIGIS will contact your insurance broker and arrange for the transfer of documentation to Whole Foods Market. If your COI is not compliant your approval will be ‘on hold’ until your broker can update the information. You will not be able to conduct demos until your COI is approved.
NOTE: When scheduling demos store marketers will verify in EXIGIS if your current COI information is compliant.
***If you have any problems with the registration process contact EXIGIS Customer Support at 888-
808-0872 or support@exigis.com
1.
For Demos in Los Angeles County we require: a.
A Health Department Demo Permit. Contact the Bureau of Specialized Surveillance &
Enforcement, Food and Milk Inspection Program, 5050 Commerce Drive Baldwin Park, CA
91706, Phone: (626) 430-5400 Fax: (626) 813-3017 i.
New guidelines for LA County are incorporated in the new food demonstrator application. See “draft” application cover form for pending changes. All vendors must inquire with Elise Yin on the need for a public health permit until a final draft is available due to the fact that the term “potentially hazardous foods” is not clearly defined in the “draft” document and there may be some confusion as to whether or not the vendor’s food product is exempt from a food demonstrator permit. ii.
Anyone who applies for a demonstrator license (e.g. a manufacturer or a demonstration company) will be issued one license for that company that is valid for multiple store locations within one market chain as long as the demonstrations are not running concurrently during the same day and hour. If the company plans to demonstrate concurrently, you may be subject to obtaining additional licenses. The food demonstrator license is valid for one fiscal year from July 1, through June 30.
The annual fee is $379.00 and is prorated depending on the effective start date. The
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application and any documents may be submitted via email or fax. After the application process is complete and you have been notified that the application has been approved, the food demonstrator license must be signed for and paid for in person at the Food and Milk Headquarters located at 5050 Commerce Dr., Baldwin
Park, CA 91706. The Health Department requires 10 business days to review your
application, and will not expedite requests. iii.
Demo personnel must have a copy of the permit on them when they demo. iv.
For questions about the permit contact Elise Yin at fmdemoteam@ph.lacounty.gov
or 626-430-5396 a. For Whole Body Demos: Health permits are only required for supplement and tea vendors, not body care. Even if a vendor is handing the customer a sealed sample, such as a tea bag stapled to literature or a sealed container of vitamins, herbs, protein powder, food supplement powder, etc., LA County requires that they have a Health Department demo permit.
2.
For Demos in Orange County a.
A Health Permit is not required
3.
For Demos in San Diego County a.
Demonstrators are required to get a Food Demo Permit (SA 61). Vendors should contact the
SD Health Department to submit their application and fee. Applications are available online at www.sdcdeh.org
or available at the SD Department of Health office. All samples must be portioned or prepared on-site at Whole Foods Market. Daily and Annual permits are available. Contact the SD Health Department for more details or by calling 858-505-6900. If a signature from Whole Foods Market is required speak with the marketing supervisor at the store where you are scheduling your demo.
4.
For Demos in Las Vegas: a.
Any item that is consumed during the demo requires a health card (i.e. beverages, food items, breath mints, etc). Any packaged item not physically tasted or consumed on the sales floor does not require the Health Card. b.
Demonstrators must obtain a valid Southern Nevada Health District Food Handlers Health
Card. For more information go to http://www.cchd.org/health-cards
5.
For Demos in Arizona:
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a.
Phoenix Metro: All demonstrators are required to have a copy of the Maricopa County Food
Handlers Card. You can take the test for the Food Handlers Card online at http://www.maricopa.gov/envsvc/envhealth/specprog/foodworker/testschedule.aspx
b.
Tucson Metro: The Pima County Health Department does not require additional paperwork at this time.
6.
For Demos in Hawai’i: a.
Maui: All demonstrators are required to have a Maui County Temporary Food Permit b.
Oahu: If a demo involves cooking a Temporary Food Establishment Permit is required.
7. Supplier Partner & Demonstration Company Demo Guidelines: All product demonstrators are required to follow the guidelines outlined in the Supplier Partner & Demonstration Company Demo
Guidelines for safe handling of foods.
TO SCHEDULE A DEMO
1.
Make contact by email to schedule a date and time for the demo: Contact the Marketing
Supervisor at the store and the department that carries your product in the store at least 2 weeks prior to the date of the demo. Marketing will verify that your paperwork is on file and that you have a demo id. The marketer will make sure there is no scheduling conflict and that there is space available. Vendors showing up without prior setup and agreement from Whole
Foods Market will be asked to leave. a.
All demo scheduling will be done via email only. Our Marketing Supervisors NEVER schedule demos over the phone. You can call a store to get the email contact for the store. b.
Some stores may schedule demos through the department team so if it is your first time setting up a demo contact the Marketing Supervisor.
2.
Before you are to demo, contact the Team Leader or Associate to make sure there is enough product on hand or product is ordered and in stock for the time of your demo. We sell through product very fast and do not keep volumes of back stock. So be sure to check ahead to be sure there is enough product to support your demo.
3.
Demo Sample: Sample product must be provided by the vendor and cannot be taken from the shelf! If product can’t be brought or sent in advance, have the demo rep bring money to purchase product at the register (before the demo begins) and keep the receipt to then be reimbursed by vendor. Whole Foods Market does not reimburse vendor for product used in the demo.
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a.
Food sampled must have been prepared in a Health Department Certified Kitchen; this means food prepared in your personal kitchen is not acceptable.
4.
Bring product POP materials.
5.
Vendors are to demo only products that meet our Quality Standards and are sold at Whole
Foods Market stores.
6.
Demo Supplies: We recommend that you use compostable/recyclable demo supplies. If you can demo your product with just a napkin and toothpick – great! If you need to demo your product in a cup or a plate you can order supplies from Be Green Packaging , who supply our stores with compostable containers and sample cups. If you require a spoon you can order compostable spoons from EcoTensil .
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WHEN YOU ARRIVE AT THE STORE
1.
Parking - You may park in our lot while unloading, but please move your car out of the lot
immediately afterwards; parking is available on the street or in surrounding neighborhood.
2.
Arrive ½ hour before their demo so they have ample time to prepare and set-up
3.
Bring their own table (size not to exceed 3’ x 2 ½ ’), tablecloths (tablecloths are mandatory), and demo supplies such as sample cups, spoons, toothpicks, etc. *Do not use plastic demo supplies.
4.
Demonstrators must provide all cookware needed for the demo including food thermometer, extension cords, cutting boards, knives, grills, burners, pots, pans, spatulas, etc. If a special circumstance is required contact the Marketing Supervisor and Team Leader in advance.
5.
Check in at the Customer Service booth, and ask to speak with Marketing or a Front End
Supervisor
FLOOR RULES
Whole Foods Market asks that all vendors uphold the same policies as our Team Members when in our store. This includes dress code.
 No inappropriate dress (no bare midriffs, no short skirts, etc.).
 Person may NOT wear any Whole Foods Market items including, but not limited to, hats, aprons, name badge etc. if they are working for another company.
 No open-toed shoes or sandals, or elevated heels. Non-slip shoes must be worn at all times.
 Hair must be pulled back when doing food demos and/or a hat must be worn.
 Apron must be worn.
 Wash hands prior to the demo, after using the bathroom, and whenever they become contaminated
 Gloves must be worn throughout the demo.
 Refrigeration issues and food temperature requirements must be maintained throughout the entire demo.
 Foods must be presented using clean and sanitized containers
 Keep HOT foods HOT! Hold hot cooked foods between 140°F and 165°F until serving time.
Harmful bacteria can grow rapidly below 140°F.When food is cooked to temperatures of 165°F to 212°F, most foodborne illness causing bacteria are killed. The higher the heat, the less time it takes to kill bacteria.
 Keep COLD foods COLD! Cold food should be held at 41°F or below. Harmful bacteria can multiply quickly above 40°F. Cold temperatures keep most harmful bacteria from growing and multiplying. Freezing at 0°F prevents additional bacteria growth.
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 Follow the 2-Hour Rule - The absolute maximum time for leaving prepared foods at room temperature is 2 hours—including time for preparation, serving and eating. Discard any perishable foods left at room temperature longer than 2 hours. If you are eating outdoors at a picnic or cookout where temperatures are over 90°F, discard foods after 1 hour.
 Ingredient statements or product packaging must be available for all multi-ingredient food products
 ***Allergen statements must be present at all demos. If your demo staff does not have an allergen statement sign posted will be asked to end their demo. The potential risk of a customer eating an allergen is a liability to Whole Foods Market and the brand demoing. All products contain potential allergens, whether as an ingredient in the product or from being prepared in a facility that also processes allergens. The Allergen Statement Sign must include the following:

Please be aware that this product may contain one or more of the following allergens:
Peanuts, Tree Nuts, Milk, Soy, Wheat, Fish, Shellfish, Eggs, Gluten. It is the taster’s responsibility to review the allergen and ingredient list before tasting.
*Note: this list is not all-inclusive, so if your product potentially includes another known allergen it must be added to the sign.
 Vendor must not leave the demo station unattended, especially if there are hot items or
sharp knives. A team member may be able to stand at the station if you need a break.
 No inappropriate language.
 No food or drink on or around demo table.
 Cell phones must be turned off before demos and kept off while performing demos.
Demonstrators seen talking on the phone will be asked to stop.
AFTER YOUR DEMO
 Thorough clean up is required (including all trash). The Marketing Specialist or Department
Team Leader must check out vendor before leaving.
Note: If a demonstrator is caught with items from our stores without a receipt we will consider this stealing, and will prohibit this person from doing demos in our stores indefinitely. Legal action may be taken.
Store personnel are empowered to request that the demo person stop his/her demo and leave the store if these guidelines are not being met. We are responsible for the safety of our customers and the good name of our company!
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Demo Checklist
Below is a checklist of the Top 5 requirements for all individuals conducting product demonstrations in our stores. Before you demo, review this checklist to you are practicing safe handling procedures for food products.
 Obtain proper Health Permit or Food Handlers Permit as defined by state and county. Health
Permits should be carried by product demonstrators at all times when conducting a demo in our stores. o If conducting a demo in LA County of non-potentially hazardous foods you are exempt from needing a Health Permit. An email confirmation from Elise Yin at the LA County
Health Department is required as proof.
 Product demonstrators must wear a hat or have hair tied back at all times during a product demonstration.
 Product demonstrators must wear gloves at all times o Hands must be washed anytime gloves are changed.
 Confirm access to a hand-washing sink prior to demo.
 Product demonstrators must wear proper foot wear (slip resistant shoes) – NO open toe shoes or sandals, No elevated heels.
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Demo Companies by State
Here are the names of demo companies our vendors have worked with in the past. These are not recommendations, but a compilation of contacts that may be useful to you.
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA:
Natural Selection Promotions
Heather Fier
800-301-8337 heather@naturalselectionpromotions.com
www.nspromo.net
Irene Georgerian
IreneMarie@mail2infinity.com
310.701.9115
Ilona Paley ilonamp@yahoo.com
310-422-792
The deMOOing group
818/720-0748 carrie@demooing.com
steph@demooing.com
www.demooing.com
Turn-Key Marketing and Promotions, Inc
Kirstin Everard
805-886-4373 mailto:keverard@tkpromotions.com
Gourmet Demonstration Services op@gourmetdemo.com
3D Cuisine
Denise Forlizzi
818 521-0458 threedcuisine@pacbell.net
Home Grown Results
Alesha Englund
916-934-3734 aleshaenglund@homegrownresults.com
www.homegrownresults.com
DEMO DELUXE
Teresa Lopez
888-783-3366 www.demodeluxe.com
Top Shelf Demo Group www.TopShelfDemo.com
310-774-6771
800-986-4307 info@topshelfdemo.com
Demos with Style
Sam and Carrie Hemmati
714 281-9504 demoswithstyle@msn.com
X Marketing
Dilara Esengil dilara@xmktg.com
310.242.1277
Wendy Nash
{Front and Center Marketing} wendy.nash2012@gmail.com
626-794-5512
Karena Mediate thechameleonsco@yahoo.com
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LAS VEGAS:
Natural Selection Promotions
Heather Fier heather@naturalselectionpromotions.com
Demo-It
Gwenlyn Giguere demoitservices@yahoo.com
Char Betken charbetken@earthlink.net
ARIZONA:
Helen Tinsley
Helen@sbmarketing.com
Gourmet Demonstration
Services op@gourmetdemo.com
Home Grown Results
Alesha Englund
916-934-3734
www.homegrownresults.com
Home Grown Results
Alesha Englund
916-934-3734 aleshaenglund@homegrownresults.com
aleshaenglund@homegrownresults.com
www.homegrownresults.com
Gourmet Demonstration Services op@gourmetdemo.com
HAWAI’I:
Darlene Reynon - independent darreynon@yahoo.com
Updated May 2014