On-trade intelligence,
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Foodservice has always been a difficult market to read. Its fragmented structure, the diversity of outlets and the variety of consumption moments have always made it less standardised than retail. But over the past decade, this complexity seems to have changed in nature. The market is not only larger or more competitive. It has become more fluid, more hybrid and harder to interpret through traditional frameworks. The boundaries between channels are becoming blurred, consumpti

In the away-from-home market, brands have long sought to better understand consumers. They analyse trends, survey customers, monitor feedback from the field and observe how their categories are evolving to identify shifts in purchasing behaviour. These approaches remain essential, as they help understand expectations, motivations and perceptions. But they do not always capture what happens at the exact moment when the consumption decision is made. In an outlet, the final choi

Foodservice manufacturers have access to more and more data. They track volumes, analyze distributor performance, collect field feedback, conduct market studies, and measure their campaigns with greater precision than before. Yet despite this growing accumulation of information, some questions remain difficult to answer with confidence. This paradox lies at the heart of the foodservice industry. The market generates many signals, but these signals are often fragmented, incons

Measuring the out-of-home foodservice market is a complex exercise, because this market is unlike more standardized distribution channels. It brings together a wide range of outlets, formats, consumption occasions and purchasing behaviors, which can vary significantly from one country to another, from one region to another, and sometimes even from one street to the next. For brands, this fragmentation creates a major challenge: how can they gain a reliable view of the market

During a World Cup, out-of-home consumption shifts into a different rhythm. Bars fill up, screens light up, terraces take on a new dimension, groups gather around matches, and certain product categories can see their role evolve in just a few hours. For brands, these major events are strategic moments. They create visibility, focus consumer attention, and generate particularly strong consumption occasions. They also provide an opportunity to roll out activations, strengthen f

Foodservice market plays a strategic role for brands. It is a market where trends emerge, where products are discovered across a wide range of consumption contexts, and where experience plays a decisive role in shaping brand perception. Yet despite its importance, it remains one of the most difficult markets to analyse accurately. This difficulty does not stem from a lack of interest in data. Brands know that foodservice is a key lever for understanding consumer behaviour, me

In the on-trade world, an activation is never won only at launch. It begins much earlier, with outlet selection, field preparation, sales team alignment, promotional mechanics, and the promise made to the brand. But its real value is often revealed afterwards, when teams need to understand what actually happened in the outlets. This is exactly where many Trade Marketing and Activation teams face a major challenge: they invest time, budget, and energy into field initiatives, b

In the commercial management of an FMCG brand in on-trade, a product’s performance can change very quickly. A launch may see immediate success, an established product may gradually lose momentum, or an activation may generate a short-term impact that quickly fades. For Antoine, On-Trade Sales Director, the challenge is not only to track the overall performance of his portfolio. He also needs to be able to detect the first signs of declining performance before they become visi

When managing the commercial performance of an FMCG brand in the on-trade channel, a product’s performance can change very quickly. A new launch may gain immediate traction, an established product may gradually lose momentum, or an activation may create a temporary uplift that fades just as fast. For Antoine, On-Trade Sales Director, the challenge is not only to track the overall performance of his portfolio. He also needs to detect the early on-trade signs of a drop in perfo

In the restaurant industry, marketing campaigns have become an essential lever to drive traffic, launch new products, or boost sales over a given period. Yet, once a campaign is live, one question almost always comes up among marketing teams: how can you tell if the activation actually worked? Between natural fluctuations in activity, changes in customer behavior, and the many external factors that influence restaurant traffic, measuring the true impact of a campaign can qui

In the sales teams of FMCG brands, sell-out has become an essential indicator. Knowing what actually sells at the point of sale allows you to understand the performance of a product, identify growth opportunities and adjust sales actions. For Pierre, On-Trade Sales Director at a beverage brand, this information is essential for managing his business. The field teams visit hundreds of establishments every week, negotiate listings, and implement activations to develop the brand

In the foodservice industry, marketing activations often require considerable organization. A product launch, a tasting tour, or a promotional campaign mobilizes field teams, equipment, partners, and significant budgets. For Thomas, Trade Marketing Manager at an FMCG brand, each campaign represents a strategic investment. The objective is clear: to increase brand visibility and boost sales in partner establishments. However, once the operation is complete, one question often

In the insights and category management teams of FMCG brands, the objective is clear: to understand market trends and transform data into strategic decisions. However, in everyday reality, a large part of the time is not spent on analysis. It is absorbed by a much less valuable step: data consolidation . For Marie, Insights Manager at a foodservice brand, the week often starts the same way. Exports arrive from various sources; the files must be cleaned, harmonized, and assem

When your internal credibility depends on the quality of your data As an Insights Manager or Category Manager, you are at the heart of strategic decision-making. Your analyses shape activation plans, influence budget allocations, and structure recommendations for sales and marketing teams. Yet in many organizations, one issue persists: the data is questioned before the insight is even heard. An insight is only powerful if the data is beyond dispute A strong insight is built o

In a fast-casual restaurant, launching marketing campaigns is part of the daily routine. Teams regularly test new strategies to generate foot traffic, boost sales, or highlight a specific product. Julie, marketing manager for a fast-casual restaurant chain, oversees these types of initiatives every month. She might launch a promotion on a menu item, highlight a drink for a few weeks, or support a special offer with a digital campaign. The goal is always the same: to attract

In many restaurant groups, management still relies on a fragile model: figures sent by the institutions, consolidated manually, then analyzed afterwards. On paper, that seems sufficient. In reality, this system creates a strong dependence on feedback from the field… and limits the ability to make quick and sound decisions. Replacing manual reporting with reliable indicators is not a “data” issue. This is a matter of governance and performance . The problem with manual report

The true cost of slow data for a Trade Marketing Manager You have negotiated your locations, mobilized your field teams and invested in an ambitious promotional strategy with a clear objective: to maximize the impact at the point of sale. Activation has begun. Three weeks later, you receive the consolidated report. At this stage, the issue is no longer analysis. The issue is timing. For a Trade Marketing or Activation Manager in the foodservice industry, slow data delivery i

For a Data, Digital or CRM Manager in the foodservice industry, on-trade represents a unique challenge. It's a strategic channel for brands, a trend laboratory, and a major driver of profitability. Yet, from a data perspective, it remains one of the most complex environments to leverage. The problem isn't a lack of information. Cash registers process millions of transactions every day. The real obstacle lies in the fragmented market, the heterogeneity of systems, and the ab

For a long time, panels acted as a compass for Insights teams. They helped structure how markets were read, establish a shared language across teams , and provide reference points considered reliable for managing categories, tracking their evolution, and securing strategic decisions. And yet, a feeling persists among many analysts and decision-makers: something is slipping through the analysis, as if part of reality were hiding behind the indicators. It’s not that foodservice

Optimizing Your Restaurant Menu For many independent restaurant owners, it’s an idea that comes up often… but gets postponed. Out of fear of turning everything upside down. Lack of time. Or simply because they don’t know where to start. The good news is that optimizing your menu doesn’t mean rebuilding it from scratch. In most establishments, 80% of the impact comes from 20% of the actions . So here are 3 simple, priority levers to improve your menu’s performance—without com