Case Study

Case Study: Brand Assessment & White Space Analysis for a Leading Foodservice Provider

Context: 
‍A major U.S.-based foodservice provider, supplying a diverse range of private label and national brands to restaurants nationwide, aimed to solidify its market position. This client sought to understand their brand landscape more deeply to uncover (a) brand strengths, (b) weaknesses, and (c) untapped “white space” for new or enhanced offerings. With ambitions to sharpen their R&D, packaging, and brand strategies, they partnered with Strop to unlock powerful insights that would guide investments and build a stronger foundation for growth.

Engagement:
‍Strop designed a three-phase exploration project, combining qualitative and quantitative methods to capture the brand’s complete landscape. By gathering perspectives from various key stakeholders, we aimed to build a strategic brand blueprint that would inform cross-functional decisions and unlock sustainable growth. Each phase focused on a unique group, providing layered insights and critical depth to shape an impactful, forward-looking strategy.

Methodology:

Phase 1: Frontline Insights from Sales Personnel
Our first phase brought us to the frontlines—working closely with the sales teams who bridge the gap between brands and restaurant clients. Through 20 in-depth, one-on-one interviews with sales representatives across diverse U.S. regions, we gained unfiltered insights into how the brand was perceived, where it excelled, and where improvements were needed. This sample included top-performing “gunners” and regional representatives to ensure a panoramic view of customer sentiment. These interviews sparked valuable hypotheses and laid a strong foundation for our next phases.

Phase 2: Survey of Restaurant Buyers and Decision-Makers
In Phase 2, we turned our focus to the restaurant buyers and owners, the decision-makers behind large-scale purchasing. Using a robust blend of client-provided customer lists, national restaurant panels, and targeted digital outreach, we surveyed hundreds of buyers to gauge product performance, brand loyalty, and pain points. The survey data allowed us to identify key themes and outliers, creating a detailed profile of each brand’s strengths and weaknesses in the market.

Phase 3: Real-World Observations in Restaurant Environments
The final phase brought our team into the heart of the action. Equipped with aprons and gloves, we observed back-of-house operations firsthand to understand how brands performed in the realities of a busy kitchen. We watched as chefs and staff interacted with products, noting packaging efficiency, quality perceptions, and moments where the brand’s promises shone—or fell short. This hands-on phase added a tactile layer of insight, unearthing opportunities to align product features with operational needs.

Results:
Across these three research phases, we identified several critical insights that guided our client’s path forward:

• Brand Performance: We mapped clear performance tiers within the brand portfolio, spotlighting high performers as well as areas needing improvement—such as quality, packaging, and value perception.
• White Space Opportunities: Our analysis revealed precise gaps in the market that R&D could target for differentiation, helping the brand meet diverse needs across the foodservice landscape.
• Best Practices: Through benchmark comparisons, we distilled best practices from high-performing brands within the portfolio, creating templates for underperforming segments to emulate.

Impact:
This comprehensive study provided actionable insights that reverberated across the organization, aligning cross-functional teams toward shared objectives:

• Operations: Insights from on-site observations led to immediate packaging improvements, refining product handling standards and reducing operational bottlenecks.
• Marketing and Brand Strategy: With a sharper grasp of customer perceptions and brand performance, the marketing team crafted precise, impactful campaigns that resonated with key customer segments.
• R&D and Product Development: Armed with white space insights, the R&D team could prioritize new product development in areas of untapped demand, driving product innovation where it mattered most.