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What does your company stand for? Customers want to know

Susie Fogelson, the former senior vice president of marketing and brand strategy at Food Network and Cooking Channel, has made a career of helping food brands develop their stories under her consultancy, F&Co. She shared her insights last week during the Restaurant Franchising & Innovation Summit in Louisville.

Susie Fogelson encourages foodservice companies to embrace a cause. Photo by Willie Lawless.

March 18, 2019 by Elliot Maras — Editor, Kiosk Marketplace & Vending Times

What does your company stand for? If you haven't thought about it, it's about time you did, according to one of the nation's top food marketing experts — Susie Fogelson.The former senior vice president of marketing and brand strategy at Food Network and Cooking Channel has made a career of helping food brands develop their stories under her consultancy, F&Co. She shared her insights last week during the Restaurant Franchising & Innovation Summit in Louisville.

One of the biggest challenges for foodservice companies today is differentiating themselves in a crowded marketplace, which is why food brands are recognizing the importance of defining their purposes.

Social causes gain traction
Fogelson spent most of her session giving examples of companies that have embraced positive social change. Why? "Because of the rise of the conscious consumer," said Fogelson, whose session was titled, "The flattening restaurant industry and the rise of the conscious consumer."

Research has indicated that 64 percent of consumers choose or switch brands based on their stands on social issues, she said.

Amazon and Etsy, while not specifically focused on food, are committed to reducing carbon emissions as e-commerce retailers, she said.

Chipotle Mexican Grill has made a mission out of improving the world with a focus on the future of food.

Danone has committed itself to healthy innovation by joining the B Corp movement, which according to its website, is a mark of trust that a company does business in a way that meets standards of social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability.

Fogelson said food offers unique opportunities to support causes such as transparency in the food supply chain, food safety, menu development, locally sourced ingredients, waste recycling and employee benefits.

The bottom line: does it pay?
Having a cause and profiting from it are two different things, Fogelson acknowledged. "How do we do well by doing good?" she asked.

One major corporation, Unilever, gives some insight by pointing out that a $1.2 trillion opportunity exists for brands that make their sustainability credentials clear to consumers, Fogelson said.

Subaru has launched a marketing campaign called "share the love," in which all of its 630 dealers actively support charities, she said, generating $118 million in a 10-year period.

This Bar Saves Lives, a snack bar brand, has donated 12 million peanut butter packets to children in developing countries.

Denny's revamped 70 percent of its menu in the last five years to provide healthier food, Fogelson said. In addition, the company is a national partner of the "No Kid Hungry" campaign, in which the company invites people to donate. The restaurant"s initiative donated $5 million to the campaign, she said.

Greyston Bakery, which makes brownies for Ben & Jerry's, has supported programs to help the unhirable and has helped employees earn $65 million in wages affecting 20,000 families.

Where to begin?
So given all the possibilities, how does a company identify the right cause? Fogelson said the goal is to align the brand with consumer values in some way, but it is not necessary to "boil the ocean." Company members should discuss it and come up with an idea that everyone supports.

Achieving agreement among team members can take time, as Fogelson learned during her tenure at Food Network. When some members wanted to focus on addressing hunger, the president didn't go along with it, a situation that didn't"t change until a new president came along five years later.

"Find what you truly feel is available to invest in personally, professionally and with your employees," she said.

While some may see taking on a cause as akin to boasting, "the truth is consumers want to know what you stand for," Fogelson said. "It's so hard to know what your company stands for. Not to do cause marketing doesn't help you."

About Elliot Maras

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Elliot Maras is the editor of Kiosk Marketplace and Vending Times. He brings three decades covering unattended retail and commercial foodservice.