Research Confirms Criteria for Successful Foodservice Web Sites
Survey Shows 97% of MenuRice.com Users
Say Content Meets/Exceeds Expectations
Say Content Meets/Exceeds Expectations
Arlington, VA, January 31, 2008 – Recent survey results reveal what foodservice audiences want most in a web site and that USA Rice Federation’s new foodservice site meets those needs.
Prior to developing its foodservice site www.MenuRice.com, the USA Rice Federation conducted proprietary research to determine the top reasons chefs/operators use the Internet for work-related purposes:
- recipes/menu solutions
- product information
- trend articles/news, and
- segment-specific insights
One year after launching www.MenuRice.com, web tracking statistics confirm these are the most visited site areas and a recent online survey found:
- 97% reported the site content met or exceeded expectations
- 95% said the site positively influenced them to menu/use U.S.-grown rice
- 92% agreed the site is user-friendly
- 90% said it is helpful to have direct access to U.S. rice suppliers through the site
- 77% have added or plan to add new rice dishes to their menu based on the site’s content & recipes
MenuRice.com experienced a 12 fold increase in number of visits from the previous foodservice site. Plus specific interactive elements, such as chef training videos made in collaboration with The Culinary Institute of America, and a Chef’s Corner feature are creating a peer-to-peer forum which is shown to positively influence menuing decisions. With new content regularly added, length of time on the site also continues to steadily increase.
Top areas receiving the most traffic on www.MenuRice.com are:
- Recipes & Culinary Center – most frequently visited section allows users to search recipes by meal/day part, cuisine type, rice variety, industry segment or keyword as well as view, save, print or share recipes in foodservice or standard format; users can also watch educational videos and download brochures
- All About Rice – specific U.S. rice product information, including rice varieties, benefits of using rice in foodservice, how rice is grown and preparation tips
- Trend Watch – custom content and on-trend articles from content partner Ideal Media, publisher of Restaurant Business and FoodService Director
- Industry Segments – relevant recipes and articles for Restaurants, Schools/K-12, Business & Industry, College & University, Healthcare & Retirement, Supermarket/Deli, Hotels & Convention
The USA Rice Federation received an ADDY award in 2007 from the American Advertising Federation recognizing www.MenuRice.com as a leading business-to-business industry web site.
For more information or to get a personal tour of www.MenuRice.com, please contact us directly. Downloadable rice recipes, brochures, photos and foodservice information & news are available 24x7 on the site.
The USA Rice Federation is the national advocate for all segments of the rice industry, conducting programs to increase worldwide demand for U.S. rice. The U.S. produces an abundant quantity of long, medium and short grain rice and specialty rice including U.S. jasmine, basmati, arborio, red aromatic and black japonica.