McCain, a global producer renowned for fries and other potato products, holds a significant presence in the foodservice sector, operating across virtually all European markets.
The promotion of ‘foodservice solutions’ traditionally relied on a robust sales team and participation in trade fairs. However, the COVID-19 pandemic restricted customer visits and led to the cancellation of events. Hence, starting in 2020, McCain, with the assistance of GROUP7, committed to a comprehensive digital transformation in marketing and sales.
Following an initial period of project-based management of this shift, McCain aimed to integrate the digital transformation of commerce into its organizational structure. Collaborating with McCain, GROUP7 developed and implemented the new organizational model.
The challenge
Digital transformation is not a project with a set end date but rather an ongoing journey. For McCain, it represents a new way of working, evolving step by step. Achieving this necessitates a structural integration into the organization.
Moreover, McCain aimed to build its own expertise in digital marketing and sales to avoid dependency on external consultants. GROUP7 viewed this as a commendable starting point.
The solution
Building a robust ‘digital team’ requires diverse expertise, including digital marketing, marketing automation, e-commerce, CRM, change management, data analysis, and technology.
This involves team members from various functional areas, such as marketing, sales, and IT, as was the case with McCain.
GROUP7, in collaboration with McCain, designed an organizational model based on the principles of a ‘center of excellence’. This model brings together diverse experts within a team, allowing for the consolidation of knowledge. The experts in the team reinforce and complement each other, facilitating the achievement of the team’s common goal more efficiently and effectively.
Notably, the experts in this model remain connected to their respective departments.
GROUP7 designed the organizational model, formulated job and competency profiles, and guided the organizational change.
The result
The ‘Digital Center of Excellence’ (DCE) has been operational within McCain for over a year. The combination of expertise enables a holistic approach to changes. For instance, lead generation incorporates sales follow-up, and consideration is given to the CRM technology (Salesforce Salescloud) supporting these processes.
McCain successfully accelerated the change program and internalized ownership within its organization.
Dick Mol, Marketing Director Foodservice Continental Europe, expressed his satisfaction with GROUP7’s involvement in the transformation, stating: “Because GROUP7 has experience with the organizational change we underwent, they were a valuable and substantive partner for us in this transformation. It’s reassuring that we received advice not only in marketing and sales but also devoted much attention to organizational and change management aspects.”
Want to know more?
Do you want to know more about digital transformation and how it works? We are organizing a webinar on this topic on February 1. View more information and register via our agenda