For FrieslandCampina, we investigated the growth opportunities for desserts and cream in the Spanish food service market, the largest in Europe. Through a combination of qualitative and quantitative research, we gained in-depth insight into the behavior and motivations of chefs and decision-makers. The result: clear buyer profiles, promising product-market combinations, and a concrete action list for the Spanish team to continue building growth in a targeted manner.

The challenge

The Spanish market is large, fragmented, and traditional. Although FrieslandCampina saw growth potential, it lacked sufficient insight to formulate a well-founded growth strategy. As a regular research partner, with several international projects for FrieslandCampina to our name, we were asked to provide clarity.

The solution

In order to gain both in-depth insights and broader accountability, we opted for a combination of qualitative and quantitative research. We took on the entire project management, from preparation to delivery.

The approach consisted of:

• developing the interview guide and the online questionnaire
• The (partial) recruitment and scheduling of respondents
• Conducting personal interviews
• Setting up and following up on the online survey
• Writing a clear report with insights and recommendations

The result

The research yielded a wealth of information about the market for desserts and cream in Spain. We gained clear insight into the behavior of the target group, their motivations, and the most important product-market combinations. Based on this, we drew up clear buyer profiles and formulated concrete follow-up steps.

During a joint workshop with the Spanish sales and marketing team, we shared our findings and facilitated a brainstorming session. This resulted in a practical action list that the team could immediately put into practice.

Olena Kharchenko (Marketing Lead for Foodservice and Bakery Europe at FrieslandCampina) described the project as “highly professional and insightful.” She emphasized GROUP7’s in-depth knowledge of the Spanish foodservice market and appreciated the way in which complex insights were made practical and directly applicable for the team. The strong commitment and ownership throughout the process exceeded her expectations, and the action list from the workshop is already guiding concrete activation plans.

“Working with the GROUP7 team was a seamless and energetic experience. Their structured approach, strategic mindset, and ability to translate complex market dynamics into clear, actionable insights really made a difference. I especially appreciated their ownership of the process and focus on collaboration throughout.” – Olena Kharchenko, Marketing Lead for Hospitality and Bakery Europe