The desire for growth in new sectors is a common them we're hearing from many companies looking to get into foodservice. A normal planning process might have you aligning on initiatives for the next year in September, and finalizing these new goals and objectives in October. If foodservice growth is in your sights for 2023, do you have all of the aspects of a sound strategy in place?
Many companies work to grow within foodservice, however they often can’t seem to unlock the kind of growth and relationships they really deserve for the products that they offer. This can be is due to a lack of insights in this unique sector of the industry, as well as the correct process and approach to providing the right presentation to the customer showcasing your unique value and why it is they should work with you!
Without a well thought out strategy and plant it's easy to end up discouraged and have success in foodservice remain elusive. So what approach may be more successful?
Your products very well might have the value to earn the right to be on menus at large chains. However, what most people don’t take the time to do is really understand the what that dream customer wants, how they operate, and why they should even care about your product! Most companies can’t succinctly describe why they belong on the menu, from the customer’s point of view.
To succeed you need to develop a foodservice strategy and roadmap. To see if you're set up for 2023 in foodservice, your strategic approach should cover off on the items below as a starting point:
Q: What is our unique value proposition and why should they buy from us?
Q: What do we do better than anyone else?
Q: Who do we target across the top 200 chains and why?
Q: What are the customer expectations of world class suppliers at the highest levels?
Q: Do I understand how products get to market and at which points in the process I should be providing help?
Q: What are the unique needs of the foodservice industry and how is that different from the markets I currently serve? Will the same approach really work?
Q: Do we act like a finished goods supplier or ingredient supplier?
Q: What innovation products and manufacturing solutions might we need to get this done?
Q: How do we leverage existing capabilities and programs to accelerate success?
Q: What resource gaps might we have that we’ll need for a relevant interaction
Q: How do we accelerate to get some quick wins
Q: How do we do our homework the right way on these customers?
Q: Do we have the right applications support?
Q: How do we tie this up into a comprehensive and simple report we can share internally to get leadership and the team on the same page?
Great companies know exactly who they are and they bring value. They understand their customers. They have world class salespeople. The product applications are stellar. They visit their customer targets and understand the operations. They are easy to work with!
These are fundamentals. They’re simple, but hard to do consistently well. Take a look at the questions above and really challenge yourself to know if you’re doing all the right things to unlock success at your dream accounts. Improving your performance in these areas help you create a path for success in foodservice. If you’d like to talk further about this please reach out directly!
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