The Schwan Food Company is a multi-billion dollar private company, and one of the largest marketers of branded frozen food in the world, selling products in more than 50 countries.

The company markets its brands to consumers in their homes from its traditional delivery trucks, as well as in grocery stores and online. It is also a business-to-business marketer of its brands to the foodservice industry.

To accelerate and sustain profitable organic growth, we were engaged in 2006 by their Corporate Brand Council to develop a customer focused brand-building culture, including tools, common processes and language, across all Schwan’s businesses.

From 2006-2009 we worked with their leadership team and agency to create the Strategic Vision and Brand Strategy for Schwan’s Home Service. Following this, we worked with the leadership teams and agencies of Schwan’s Consumer Brands and Schwan’s Food Service to create Brand Strategies for the following brands: Red Baron, Tony’s, Freschetta, LiveSmart, Mrs. Smith’s, Edwards, Asian Sensations, Mihn, Big Daddy’s and Larry’s, many of which cross over from retail grocery to food service.

In building these Brand Strategies, we worked to discover insights into key consumer/customer segments and created emotionally based Brand Promises that were believable, compelling and distinct. We also guided plans for internal implementation, and helped manage creative development.

In 2008 we assisted the interim CEO, who then assumed the permanent position, in finalizing the Corporate Strategy.

In 2012-13 we guided Food Service management in setting Brand Visions that would fuel profitable growth for the Tony’s, Big Daddy’s, Freschetta and Villa Prima brands.

Engaged with:

• Greg Flack, CEO, President and COO
• Lenny Pippin, former Vice Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer
• John Beadle, Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer
• Dave Bunnell, Senior Executive Vice President
• Larry Oberkfell, President, Global Home Service
• Brian Nau, Senior Vice President, Marketing and Supply Chain, Home Service
• Malcolm Simmonds, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Food Service
• John DeVos, Senior Vice President, Product Strategy, Food Service
• Mark Jansen, Vice President, Product Strategy, Consumer Brands
• Kristy Griffin, Senior Vice President, Product and Market Strategy
• Scott Benne, Senior Director, Category Marketing, Food Service
• Sean Trygestad, Category Marketing Manager, Food Service