ORIENT EXPRESS TO LONDON
Juan Pablo Carnevale
Developing business though an efficient commercial organisation and operations.
I took over the UK market in FEB 2020. The starting point was 10% Weighted Distribution and 0.7% value market share.
?All consulted British experts (top execs or ex execs of the major retail chains) agreed: there was no room for Mutti in the UK - too premium, too expensive. The tomato offerings they had in the UK (private label, Napolina and Cirio) were sufficient to cover all consumers’ needs, and they did not see any space for a higher-level tomato brand. It simply could not work. Consumers would not pay the price.
?I refused to believe that British consumers would not know the difference, that they could not appreciate a better / fresher / more intense tomato taste. I couldn’t believe they would not appreciate good farming and business practices, more sustainable products, and would not be willing to pay a small difference. Especially when they had significant disposable income. In other words, I could not believe the British would be so different from all the rest of us. They couldn’t be.
In my experience, I have learned that consumers do not desire what they don’t know. I was certain that if they had the chance to try Mutti, they would appreciate the difference and would be willing to pay a bit more. We only needed a chance; we only needed to generate some awareness and trial.
I immediately started working with Jessica Bartkowiak at RH Amar to re-define the product range strategy, the distribution strategy, the pricing strategy, and the promotional strategy:
- In May, we had a listing in Waitrose.
- In September, we had a listing confirmation in Sainsburys (through @ Atlante, following a small test).
- In Q4 we had our first localized marketing campaign.
- In December Dhiresh Hirani joined the team, as Country Manager.
- In March 2021, we had a listing in ASDA (first premium tomato brand to be stocked in ASDA, as until then their offering was only PL and the local mainstream brand).
- Zsuzsa Gosztola and Kirsty Beckman joined the team, and we had some of the most outstanding Marketing campaigns, starting from the end of 2021 and then the beginning of 2022.
- In January 2022 we had a listing in Morrisons.
It was a fantastic job carried out by everyone involved.
- In AMAR we worked hard with Jessica Bartkowiak , Justin Burbage, Paul Read , Dan Richards, Karen Jones, Nick Ash and their teams, to develop the category in the whole market, to change the paradigm and premiumize.
- In Atlante srl we worked hard with Giancarlo Pisacane?and then with Philip Durham and Bharat Sisodiya, to develop the category in Sainsburys. ?
领英推è
We went from strength to strength. We have grown in terms of rotations, width of range, depth of distribution, NPD. We made the category exciting again!
- In 2023 we had a listing confirmation in COOP
- This year we had a listing in Costco and finally in TESCO in May, thus completing distribution in the Modern Trade.
THE RESULTS:
In the last 4 and a half years, Mutti contributed with 40% of all the category growth in the UK (excl. discounters).
Over this period, the leading brand has lost 10 points of value market share, Private Label has gained 2, and Mutti has gained 8 (adding value and premiumizing the category).
In the last 6 months, we have reached 60% weighted distribution and nearly 10% value share!
This was done with limited distribution, going from 10% WD up to 60% now, but we have only entered TESCO in May 2024. So lots of development is still to be seen, following the latest distribution gains. ?
To support this growth, we have opened MUTTI UK. Since JAN 2024, to closer manage and further pursue this important opportunity., we have built a team by welcoming Ian Hossack, Claire Thomas and Graham Phelan , who joined ?MUTTI UK, led by Dhiresh.
WHAT A RIDE!
Now, I am getting off the train at this station, but the train isn’t stopping. I am certain that Dhiresh and the UK team will continue full speed ahead to the final destination: UK leadership. The railroad has been laid. ?
As for me, I am hopping on the next train / adventure – direction East!
Feeling grateful to Mutti and to everyone involved in this project, as I have learned from everyone and everyone has contributed to the final result. This was one of the most remarkable projects I have worked on so far, and wishing the best for its future.
------ in the photo, the product in Waitrose in one of the first promos in 2020. ----
Group Production Planning Manager
7 个月good job !!!! grande JP
Managing Director UK&I - Mutti
7 个月We are on this journey in the UK to bring quality for the shoppers/consumers and to add volume and value growth to the categories we operate in. Juan Pablo Carnevale, you have helped lay a strong foundation for Mutti in the UK. Through some of the most challenging times over the last 3 years with unprecedented inflation, you have helped navigate these challenges whilst winning the hearts and minds of consumers, shoppers, retailers and our distribution parters to elevate Mutti to being the No.2 brand in ambient tomato category today. I thank you for all the support over the last 3+ years. You will always be part of the UK team! ??????
Industry & Retail Sales Manager at Provil S.A.
7 个月Congratulations Juan !! So simple and clear are the action plan you described but so difficult as well. We have to focus and target our new market in order to overcome the obstacles!!
Commercial Development Director at Valeo Foods
7 个月Congrats JP, great success story????
Congratulations and what a journey it has been. It’s been our pleasure to work alongside you and the wider team to help make this come to fruition and deliver such exciting and engaging marketing at every stage. So much more to come for the UK with this fantastic foundation as we Make it Mutti. Wishing you lots more success and see you soon. Neil and the jellybean team.