Co-branding : a hunger to share for all appetites

1+1... equals three! It’s a winning calculation, and one that many brands in the agri-food sector have achieved by teaming up for so-called “co-branding” operations. While these commercial alliances are not new, the practice is growing, giving companies the opportunity to expand beyond their traditional lines. Far from being a simple marketing operation, this format requires the total involvement of both partners and their teams to become a shared success.

Contrary to popular belief, co-branding is not just a marketing operation. For companies wishing to embark on such projects, it is crucial to identify potential partners who share similar worlds and values while complementing each other in terms of know-how. “It all started at trade fairs: we met the Mondelēz International and Bel teams for informal discussions, to identify potential opportunities for collaboration,” recalls Jessica Martin, marketing and innovation manager at Bridor. Among the portfolio of these key players in the agri-food sector, the Milka and La Vache qui Rit® brands were the natural choices, thanks to their family character and strong brand awareness (Editor’s note: Milka has reached 100% in this regard, while La Vache qui Rit® is the seventh most sold cheese brand in the world): “These two brands which are very popular in France are also very well known in Europe, suggesting a strong export potential.”

Brand image
Bridor, a subsidiary of the Le Duff Group, had not overlooked the. numerous partnerships already forged between confectioners and key players in the donut and muffin markets. “Because of the various stages involved in selling a viennoiserie pastry product (freezing, allowing the dough to rise, baking, etc.), the constraints on Research & Development (R&D) are particularly considerable if we are to live up to the promise of taste made by brands,” continues Jessica Martin. It took a great deal of trial and error to bring out, in 2022, a Bridor Roulé with Milka chocolate chips, as well as a puffed pastry with La Vache Qui Rit® cheese. “This was no ordinary product development, and the challenge proved particularly enjoyable for our teams, who are proud to carry these very gourmet products.” In the end, this initial complexity opened the door to commercial success, thanks in particular to the active support of distributors, attracted by the opportunity to enhance the value of their offer: “We’re used to selling chocolate pastries. This time, we went faster and stronger, bringing the brand to sections where it is usually absent.” The contribution made by brands is particularly decisive in an era when adding value to what’s on offer is a major issue: every element that can be used to justify higher prices becomes strategic.

New domains
For Milka, as for many other food manufacturers, co-branding is a perfect opportunity to make the transition from a “product brand” to an “ingredient brand”, as Stéphane Brunerie, a food marketing consultant, points out. Branching out into the field of out-of-home options meets a demand and allows greater value to be added. This dynamic can be seen in the spreads section, where leaders must now evolve in a highly competitive market. “Breaking out of this confined environment allows us to multiply our points of contact,” explains Stéphane Brunerie. “At the same time, it provides a guarantee of quality for new products. However, this requires a real culture of excellence in marketing and execution.” The Italian group Ferrero has established itself as a true specialist in this exercise: Nutella can now be found in every type of pastry or sweet preparation, in both supermarkets and restaurants. “These brands have really refreshed the fillings on offer,” notes the consultant.

Shared values
Sharing industrial know-how isn’t the only reason for two brands to collaborate: the desire to defend shared values or heritage is also the starting point for several operations, such as the chocolate bar associating Poulain and Saint-Michel, two French heritage brands. “It’s an opportunity to co-enrich each other,” notes Stéphane Brunerie. With the growing importance of corporate social responsibility (CSR) issues, this proximity has become obvious to everyone. “The marriage has to make sense and be between brands that are close to each other, with visions aligned on ‘clean label’ recipes,” adds Jessica Martin.

It is on the basis of this proximity of values that the Sushi Shop chain has multiplied its operations (frequently called limited-time offer (LTO) in the food service sector) with chefs whose names have become brands in themselves: Joël Robuchon, Jean-François Piège, Thierry Marx, Grégory Marchand, Mauro Colagreco, Cyril Lignac and, more recently, Albert Adrià... So many iconic figures in French gastronomy who have come up with boxes with original recipes, while reaffirming the qualitative character of the brand’s positioning. Beyond the gustatory journey, the European leader in sushi has explored the artistic dimension of its containers, calling on designers such as Kenzo, Lenny Kravitz, Kate Moss and Crain & Kar to sign ever more striking visuals.

Complementarity, a key factor
Combining art and food may seem daring, but the designer’s eye can be a decisive factor in the product’s appeal. This justifies the collaboration – which is not the case for other operations, whose irreconcilable universes have led to notable failures. As Stéphane Brunerie observes, “It’s not uncommon to see agri-food groups wanting to cross-fertilise their brands, even though they don’t share the same universe and don’t manage to find their public when associated.”

Some examples are particularly surprising. In the 1960s, the Colgate brand was seeking to expand in the face of strong competition from the Proctor & Gamble group. Its president and CEO at the time, George Henry Lesch, decided to build on this momentum by creating a range of ready-to-serve dishes, called Colgate Kitchen. Whether it was chicken, crabmeat or even apple chips, the range quickly became part of the marketing archives: it was simply inconceivable for consumers to associate the oral hygiene theme promoted by Colgate with ready-made meals. An experience that reminds us of the imperative to carefully choose the domains in which to establish a brand... at the risk of sharing failures