Angelika Engelhard – bofrost*

With 251 subsidiaries in 12 countries, bofrost* is the European market leader in direct sales of ice cream and frozen food specialties. Corporate headquarters are located in Straelen, Germany. Angelika Engelhard has been with the company for 25 years. As Senior Market Researcher, she delivers insights to corporate stakeholders. In her role, she derives valuable insights from accessible market data and research solutions, such as tracking, sensory tests, or other product-related projects.

MOMENT OF PURCHASE AND FOOD PREPARATION AS KEY SITUATIONS FOR BOFROST*

When asked about the most relevant ingredients for Brand Growth, Angelika states: “We are a retailer brand as well as a product brand. This results in two key moments when interacting with consumers. First, when they are purchasing our products. Second, when our clients prepare or consume our products. bofrost* wants to provide a wholesome branded experience, including a friendly and authentic salesperson, and the distribution of the right products at the right place and at the right time. Equally important, we aspire to meet and exceed our client’s expectations in that very moment when they prepare or eat our products.” Angelika continues: “We know that many of our clients feel they have paid a lot of money for our premium products, so we want them to feel absolutely safe about their purchase decision.”

“bofrost* needs to provide a wholesome and branded delivery experience together with a friendly and authentic salesperson, the distribution of the right products at the right place and at the right time.”

FROZEN FOOD & A PURCHASE EXPERIENCE WITH A WARM HUMAN TOUCH

bofrost* enriches each purchase experience with an empathetic human touch. Angelika explains: “We are all human beings and desire to interact with each other. Technology alone can cause an interaction to remain cold and impersonal. Indeed, we sell frozen products, but with a feeling of personal warmth. This is our unique selling point.” She then adds: “Our sales force receives regular training to keep this Moment of Truth strong, alive, and branded properly. Even our top management gets regularly involved in this, to stay close to our customers. By accompanying our salespeople, they gain first-hand experience and never lose traction to operational demands nor to our clients.”

“By accompanying our salespeople, our top management gains first-hand experience and never loses traction to operational demands nor to our clients.”

Research solutions play a vital role in creating, maintaining, and strengthening the second crucial Moment of Truth for bofrost*. With frequent sensory tests, Angelika ensures that quality requirements are always met. And such tests provide valuable inspiration and deeper insights about own or competitor products.

HOW technology IMPACTS THE INDUSTRY

According to Angelika, disruptive technologies equally stand for threats and great opportunities for bofrost*. Advanced solutions have accelerated innovations and processes within the industry of the brand. New players were enabled to quickly enter the market. Angelika comments: “Applying the right technology in the right way will become even more important, essentially to stay relevant among young consumers. Expectations change due to the increased availability of food or groceries delivery services. We believe that this will also lead to a stronger lookout for more convenience and high-quality services.”

“Applying the right technology in the right way will become even more important,
essentially to stay relevant among young consumers.”