Ewood Foods Case Study - Channel Studios

Ewood Foods

Ewood Foods is an independent family owned business and one of the North West’s leading food service suppliers.

Since its beginnings, in 1977, the business has gone from strength to strength, building an excellent and enviable reputation for customer care, innovation and flexibility.

Its diverse customer base includes hospitals, schools, colleges, nursing homes, sandwich bars, restaurants, licensed trade and coffee shops, hotels, golf clubs, garden centres, play centres, outside caterers and industrial caterers.

The Challenge

Managing director Stephen Sutcliffe was keen to embrace a range of marketing activities that would continue to build on the company’s well respected position in an increasingly competitive sector.

A more integrated approach to product marketing was being sought. One that would enable the sales team to own, lead and deliver a regular programme of product promotions, offers and news campaigns, using both direct mail and email, which would be supported by the main catalogue and website.

The catalogue and website were both in need of updating, and Stephen was looking to modernise the whole look and feel of the Ewood Foods brand. He also wanted to future proof the catalogue publishing process, introducing more cost effective production methods that would bring year on year benefits.

Additionally, the library of product images was out of date. With more than 200 suppliers to liaise with, getting hold of thousands of up-to-date product images in the correct format for the catalogue had become an increasingly difficult task and an unwelcome distraction for the Ewood Foods sales team.

The Solution

Although a PIM system wasn’t required – product information is managed within the Ewood Foods back-office system, and then flowed to the catalogue pages from Excel data exports – there was the need for a more robust method of gathering, storing and managing the suppliers’ images for use in print and email. Channel Studios delivered the following:

The gathering of images from many and varied suppliers was carried out using a bespoke online CRM-style data management tool, providing live and current information throughout the process.
The implementation of a digital asset management (DAM) system, making it possible for the Ewood Foods sales team to view, download and upload images from their suppliers.
Impartial and invaluable advice about print production, allowing Ewood Foods to make a knowledgeable and informed choice about paper type and weight, cover finishes, binding and the appropriate printer for the job.

Product marketing solutions for Ewood Foods

The Implementation

Ewood Foods’ visual identity was updated for the new catalogue and website, and subsequently applied across the full range of marketing collateral.

An online CRM-style database was set up which could be viewed and edited ‘live’ by both Ewood Foods and Channel Studios. This shared database gave the Ewood Foods team full visibility at all times of the contact status with each supplier, and the images which had been supplied or were awaiting receipt.

All images received into Channel Studios were uploaded onto the DAM system for viewing, and for use in the production of various marketing collateral.

Design and artwork for the new catalogue pages was created in conjunction with the DAM system.

A new Ewood Foods website was designed and developed, as well as a quick and easy templated process for future product promotions for both direct mail and email campaigns.

The Results

The image database provides the Ewood Foods sales team with instant access to their supplier images, enabling them to select images for their campaigns. Channel Studios hosts and manages the image database on an ongoing basis.

Ewood Food sales team is now able to easily plan new product promotions and campaigns and to produce printed or email promotional material. This increased market activity and responsiveness to opportunity is driving revenue and market growth.

Our new look catalogue and website have moved us forward in how we present ourselves, and in our ability to respond quickly to market conditions through mail and email campaigns. We’re seeing a real difference.

With the support we continue to receive from Channel Studios our sales teams can focus their time on developing the valuable relationships we have with our customers.