Do you know the impressive story of the German Food Brand FROSTA?
Over 20 years ago, FROSTA CEO Felix Ahlers asked himself why his employees were not eating their own products.
Quality had become a problem in the context of cost minimisation and price reduction.
He revolutionised his company:
From cost thinking to quality thinking in order to achieve 100% natural products.
Sounds simple, but it's not.
"We mill our own rock salt to avoid release agents, stir the cream ourselves to banish stabilisers and even mix our own curries by hand."
In the first year of the changeover, FROSTA recorded such a sharp drop in sales that it almost went bankrupt with a loss of €8 million.*
Customers did not believe FROSTA's new quality and did not accept the price increase of 30 cents/bag.
FROSTA remains consistent and becomes a pioneer in transparency and naturalness.
With its "Purity Command", it created an unmistakable USP, which is reflected in its remarkable financial performance:
Company earnings from € -8 million (2003) to € +34 million (2022)
What are the key success factors for a USP?
👉System revolution
20 years ago, the focus was on additives rather than naturalness and transparency. Frosta became/is a game changer and a benchmark in the food market.
👉 Target group relevance
Convenience food and healthy food to-go are among the top nutrition trends in 2023.** Almost 60% of Germans pay attention to ingredients and additives when buying food, especially millennials (62%).***
👉 Consistent, clear brand language
The packaging is as clean as the meals are produced. The design language reflects the brand language and strategy. Clear, authentic and without gimmicks.
👉 Long-term, consistent corporate management
The company is majority family-owned. This has enabled the revolution to continue despite setbacks.
👉 Defence capability
The reorganisation was a major intervention in processes and production and makes copying difficult.
The OMR Podcast with Philipp Westermeyer #640 tells the story.
So what is this one, all-important aspect that sets the brand apart and makes it relevant?
Frosta has found a clear answer through the Purity Command.
What do you think of the Purity Command and the Frosta story?
What other strong brands with clear USPs can you think of?
Are you still dissatisfied with your USP or its communication?
In a design sprint, brand topics can be challenged in a results-orientated way.
*OMR-Pod Dirk and Felix Ahlers
**Nutrition Trend Report 2023: BZ Nutrition
***Almond Board of California study
Author: Christina Rüter
Blog article: 02.12.23