Top Foodservice Marketing Questions, Answered – Part 2: Getting Tactical

You’ve identified foodservice as a key growth strategy. How do you ensure strong performance in relevant segments? We’ve gathered the most frequent questions we hear from our clients so you can move from the “what” to the “how” with confidence.

Should we be advertising?

Likely yes, depending on your growth goals and your ability to meet increased demand. When starting with a solid strategic foundation (unique brand positioning, intentional messaging, optimized digital presence, etc.), advertising is scalable and can still deliver the highest level of returns.

Should our foodservice campaign align with our retail efforts?

That depends on the following.

• Positioning – How similar (or different) is the gist of what your brand solves for a consumer compared to a foodservice operator?
• Campaign logistics – Where are your ads sending viewers, and is that property telling a focused message?
• Potential pitfalls – Would a foodservice campaign cannibalize retail efforts if not fully distinct? Consider paid search, for example.

Should we be marketing in new platforms like TikTok?

Short-form video formats are proving hugely popular for organic content and video ads tend to deliver better results than static images across various ad platforms. Consider platforms like TikTok as part of the overall brand experience plan, assuming there’s a strong relevance with your target buyer.

Do I need to work with a distributor to drive demand for our brand(s)?

More often than not it will be on the brand to drive demand. Distributor relationships are critical for achieving, well, distribution at scale, but those direct sales efforts should be supported and amplified by a brand’s own lead generation strategy. Regardless of how you get there, operators need to know where/how to buy. Incentivize the distributor to stock and sell your product by landing a large customer such as a university or large national chain account.

Does our brand need its own website for foodservice marketing?

For any brand committed to driving foodservice-specific growth strategies, we highly recommend a dedicated website to deliver a clear, focused message to your ideal buyer.

Did you miss part one? Catch up here