The IFMA Consumer Planning Program (CPP) conducts research on topics chosen annually by program members. They just released a new research report, Product Brand Visibility at Foodservice Operations.
CPP is a paid subscription program open to all IFMA manufacturer members. The program works to understand consumer and operator behavior and what manufacturers can do to influence decision-making.
Brand usage in the business-to-business marketplace is frustratingly complex. Many operators devalue brands since their patrons rarely see them. Others rely on recognizable brands to deliver a sense of comfort and trust. Knowing when and where to lead with brands is key. Information revealed in this CPP research is valuable to both companies with big consumer brands and those that are more focused on distributor or proprietary brands.
In the report, several elements of effective brand use are identified. For example, it turns out that no matter the brand type (national, specialty, or distributor), operators personal use of a brand impacts their operational use. While national brands win front-of-house, they need to better compete in back-of-house where distributor brands and specialty brands are more successful.
To see the full Brand Visibility report and learn a lot more about leveraging brands, IFMA members may subscribe to CPP.