The Challenge
A market‐leading meal kit brand needed to drive growth in the category by unpacking the cultural drivers behind meal occasions. The brand faced multiple challenges: determining food requirements for daily life, understanding local food lifestyles and habits, identifying unmet needs, assessing perceptions of the meal kit concept and uncovering the barriers to adoption in each market.
Our Approach
Bryter’s semiotics experts conducted an in‐depth exploration of food customs, traditions and symbolism across Norway, Italy and Spain. They discerned overarching cultural desires, principles and societal frameworks influencing the relationship between communities and food. This research was bolstered by a review of 21 academic papers, which provided deeper cultural and historical context to food consumption. The analysis examined daily food requirements, key lifestyles and significant pain points, while also identifying states of food need that could be tapped for innovation.
The Outcome
The study revealed that although rational, emotional and anthropological benefits of food were universal, local and regional food “boundaries” defined what was considered “good” and “tasty”. By understanding the culturally specific binary oppositions between food and the individual versus the community, the brand was able to pinpoint opportunities for innovation. This insight allowed the client to identify culturally grounded opportunities, ensuring that new proposals resonated intuitively with consumers and recognised country‐specific food codes.
