Marketing Call — Amazon, Ecommerce & Inventory (2026-01-09)

Client: ^[1]
Date: 2026-01-09
Attendees: Karly Oykhman, Gilbert Barrongo, Avokerie Onorimuo (Asymmetric); Lucy Doudlah, Mark Doudlah, Jason Doudlah (client)
Source: Fathom Recording

Overview

Marketing review and planning call covering the January newsletter draft, National Popcorn Day (Jan 19) promotion, a new organic popcorn seasoning line via a Keen Garlic partnership, a video testimonial strategy targeting re-engagement with Dr. Fuhrman for a white-label bean deal, a new B2B wholesale account (Valley Fresh Harvest), and VAPG grant invoice tracking requirements.

Key Decisions

• January email hero image will be replaced with a non-produce image (sourced from past Edible Magazine ads) to avoid customer confusion about fresh vegetable availability.
• USDA Organic icon must appear first in the email footer, ahead of the Regenerative Farming icon; the Moza icon will be removed entirely.
• National Popcorn Day promo (Jan 19) will use a simple flat-percentage discount code (e.g., 15% off) rather than a buy-one-get-one structure, to minimize IT complexity. Promotion runs one day only.
• Popcorn seasoning line will be developed as white-labeled organic products — organic nutritional yeast (sourced from Shiloh Farms) and seasoning blends from Keen Garlic — sold under the Doudlah Farms brand.
• Keen Garlic video testimonial will be produced to showcase the Fuhrman diet / bean health story, with the strategic aim of re-engaging Dr. Fuhrman for a white-label bean packaging deal.
• Old World Popcorn bag sizes: Decision pending from Mark Hope on whether to add a 2-lb bag alongside the existing 6-lb. A 2-lb bag can reuse the same printing plate, avoiding new setup costs.
• Tony Sterling / Valley Fresh Harvest (Ladd, IL) will be onboarded as a new B2B wholesale account at Marty Travis pricing; account will be manually created.

Action Items

Topic Notes

January Newsletter

• Hero image: Current image shows fresh vegetables, which has historically caused customers to call asking about produce. Replace with a Doudlah Farms-appropriate image — Sherry will locate the Edible Magazine ad used in past Madison quarterly placements.
• Footer compliance: USDA Organic icon must be listed first per certification requirements. Remove Moza icon (low brand recognition). Shift Regenerative Farming icon to fill the gap.
• Content: Features a "back to basics / New Year healthy eating" theme, a winter recipe, a Cool Beans bundle product feature, and a "popcorn coming soon" teaser.

Social Media Posts

• Testimonials: Add first name + state (e.g., "Wynonna, CA") to all testimonial posts going forward to increase credibility. For the current Wynonna post, the state is unknown (customer likely ordered via Amazon); a plausible state can be added.
• USDA Food Pyramid / MAHA content: Mark flagged a recent USDA food pyramid update emphasizing whole foods and minimally processed ingredients. Team to evaluate political sensitivity; if neutral framing is possible, content linking Doudlah Farms beans and scratch cooking to the new guidelines could be strong. MAHA reference can be omitted if too charged.
• National Popcorn Day (Jan 19): Dedicated Doudlah Farms social post (not Old World). Promote in advance; discount active one day only.

National Popcorn Day Promotion

• Date: January 19, 2026
• Offer: Flat percentage discount (e.g., 15% off) on all popcorn-related products (white corn, yellow corn, gift box). Simple discount code preferred over tiered/BOGO for ease of implementation.
• Channels: Newsletter (add section to January email), Doudlah Farms Instagram/TikTok, website pop-up.
• Note: Free shipping threshold is confirmed at $50 (verified during call).
• 2027 planning: With the VAPG grant running two years, a larger National Popcorn Day campaign should be planned well in advance for 2027.

New Product Line — Organic Popcorn Seasonings

• Concept: Develop a white-labeled seasoning line under the Doudlah Farms brand, sold as 2–4 jar sets or individual jars. Products would include:
• Organic nutritional yeast flakes — source from Shiloh Farms (non-GMO, MSG-free, certified organic). Most commercial nutritional yeast is GMO and may contain MSG; organic sourcing is essential to brand integrity.
• Keen Garlic seasoning blends — white-labeled organic blends (e.g., dill dip, onion dip, garlic blends). Keen Garlic is an existing relationship and a referral source for Asymmetric.
• Potential combo: Keen Garlic blend + organic nutritional yeast mixed product.
• Distribution: Sell on Doudlah Farms website; potentially add to Old World snack box.
• Next step: Sherry to visit Cindy at Keen Garlic (currently in CA) to discuss partnership terms, pricing, and volume.

Keen Garlic Video Testimonial & Dr. Fuhrman Strategy

• Background: Keen Garlic owners (Cindy and her husband) attended Dr. Joel Fuhrman's health retreat in San Diego (~$10,000/person, one month). Dr. Fuhrman's diet prescribes ~40% of calories from dry beans. The Keen Garlic owners lost a dramatic amount of weight (estimated 125–150 lbs combined) and now purchase 25-lb bags of Doudlah Farms dry beans regularly.
• Video testimonial plan: Produce a before/after video testimonial featuring the Keen Garlic owners, highlighting Doudlah Farms beans, the Fuhrman diet (reference his published book), and the Keen Garlic seasoning partnership.
• Strategic goal: Use the testimonial as a re-engagement vehicle with Dr. Fuhrman. Doudlah Farms previously sent a pallet of DFO beans to Fuhrman's operation; they were returned because the packaging didn't carry his branding. Once the new packaging facility is operational, white-labeling beans under the Fuhrman brand becomes viable.
• Key angle: If 40% of one's diet is dry beans, sourcing from a glyphosate-free, organic farm is a compelling differentiator.
• Reference: Dr. Joel Fuhrman (F-U-H-R-M-A-N), based in San Diego; has published books on his nutritarian diet; operates retreat facilities including a location in Italy.

Old World Popcorn — Bag Sizing

• Current offering: 6-lb bag.
• Under consideration: Add a 2-lb bag. The same printing plate used for the 6-lb bag can be applied to a 2-lb bag (label will appear proportionally larger but is functionally the same plate, avoiding new setup costs).
• Decision needed from Mark Hope before Sherry places the next bag order with Bob.
• Karly to raise in her same-day meeting with Mark Hope.

B2B Account — Valley Fresh Harvest

• Contact: Tony Sterling
• Company: Valley Fresh Harvest (valleyfreshharvest.com), Ladd, IL
• Pricing: Same tier as Marty Travis
• Setup: Account to be manually created by Karly (self-service B2B account creation not yet fully enabled). Sherry to email price list same day.

VAPG Grant — Invoice Tracking

• Doudlah Farms holds a $250,000 VAPG (Value-Added Producer Grant) for popcorn marketing.
• Requirement: Popcorn-specific marketing expenses must be tracked and invoiced separately from other services to qualify for reimbursement.
• Immediate action: Mark Hope to adjust the most recent invoice to clearly delineate popcorn marketing costs.
• Ongoing: Karly to provide Sherry with a VAPG-eligible popcorn marketing plan with itemized costs so reimbursement requests can be submitted.
• Grant term: Two years.

Key Contacts Referenced

Related

• ^[2]
• ^[3]