Flagship case study · B2B foodservice · Arabia & Maldives
From ingredient supplier to industry voice: building the owned-channel system for Unilever Food Solutions
Two markets. One brand idea. A content, CRM and engagement system designed to keep chefs learning, returning and connected — and a strategy that now shapes the brand's long-term plans.
- Role
- Owned-channel growth strategy lead
- Markets
- Arabia and Maldives
- Scope
- Brand system, organic social, CRM, email, WhatsApp, UFS Academy, Future Menus, operator strategy
- Paid media
- Handled within Unilever's global ecosystem
Context
A B2B brand that wins through expertise, not the hard sell
Unilever Food Solutions supports chefs, restaurants, hotels and caterers with training, inspiration and know-how. Its portfolio includes kitchen staples such as Knorr Professional and Hellmann's.
The ambition in Arabia and the Maldives was bigger than presence. UFS wanted to be seen as a partner that helps operators handle today's pressures and prepare for tomorrow — and to build systems that compound that value over time.
Challenge
Strong assets. No connecting thread.
Fragmented content
Good global material, uneven local execution, and product-led posts that built little emotional connection.
A positioning gap
Operators saw a supplier, not a strategic partner.
A disconnected journey
Social, web, email, Academy and messaging each ran on their own. Chefs engaged once, then drifted.
Two markets, two realities
Arabia needed leadership in a mature, competitive market. The Maldives needed trust, education and a premium introduction.
Role
Owning everything around the media
Paid media sat within Unilever's global setup. My mandate was the rest of the journey: making sure attention turned into engagement, learning and loyalty. I acted as the connector between brand vision, creative execution, operator engagement and long-term planning.
Brand system
One idea, clear pillars
Every piece of communication was re-anchored to the UFS brand idea,
“Made for Today, Prepped for Tomorrow”
Ad-hoc posting gave way to purpose-led storytelling built on content pillars:
- Industry trends and Future Menus
- Chef education and UFS Academy
- Real kitchen challenges and practical solutions
- Community, culture and purpose
The result was consistency in tone, visuals and message across both markets and every platform.
Social growth
Organic growth built on value, not volume
I led organic social across both markets: calendars, copy direction and visual guidance. The value-led approach delivered steady organic follower growth and, more importantly, better-quality engagement from working chefs and operators.
Arabia
Leadership · Innovation · Scale
In a mature market, UFS needed to lead the conversation. Content leaned into trend authority, innovation and the scale of the region's foodservice industry — positioning the brand as the one operators look to first.
Maldives
Craft · Sustainability · Inspiration
In a resort-led market, the task was to build trust and introduce the brand as premium. Content focused on craftsmanship, sustainability and inspiration suited to high-end hospitality kitchens.
Future Menus
Turning a global report into regional intelligence
Future Menus insights were localised and positioned as ongoing industry intelligence, not a one-off download. The rollout ran in phases — awareness, education, download, continued learning — across social, email and web.
- Awareness
- Education
- Download
- Continued learning
CRM
Reactivation that respects the inbox
I designed reactivation journeys for chefs who had gone quiet, with engagement-based segmentation separating highly engaged users from regular ones. Cadence was deliberately controlled and every email led with value.
A more personal line to the kitchen
WhatsApp was introduced as a direct engagement channel for recipe updates, training reminders and campaign highlights — faster and more personal than email alone.
UFS Academy
Academy as the long-term value engine
UFS Academy was positioned as the reason to stay, not a promotion. Academy touchpoints were woven into content and email, linking trends and recipes to real skill-building.
Long-term strategy
From channel plan to operator strategy
UFS asked for input on its next wave of operator activations. I led the Future Menus operator activation strategy, with distinct programmes for hotels and five-star operators, casual dining and local quick-service restaurants — connecting training, productivity, culture and recognition.
Building on that, I contributed to a long-term roadmap to the end of the decade: how UFS builds brand fame, repeatable operator engagement, and a stronger voice in the future of foodservice.
- Hotels and five-star operators
- Casual dining
- Local quick-service restaurants
Impact
What changed
- A single brand system replacing fragmented content across two markets
- Organic growth and stronger engagement quality on social
- Social, web, email, WhatsApp and Academy working as one journey
- Future Menus adopted as regional industry intelligence
- UFS Academy established as a core engagement pillar
- Operator strategy and long-term roadmap approved by regional and global stakeholders
Work delivered with Unilever Food Solutions teams and agency partners; paid media sat outside this scope.
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