PUBLISHED DATE: 2025-08-14 17:52:12

DIGITAL FOOD & BEVERAGE: Enhancing Your CX and Leveraging Data and Channels to Win with Customers

Contents

Contributors

Methodology

In Q2 of 2022, WBR Insights surveyed 100 Heads of eCommerce from organisations across Europe to understand the challenges they face in 2022 and the innovative solutions being implemented. The survey was conducted by appointment over the telephone. Results were compiled and anonymised by WBR Insights and are presented here with analysis and commentary by Edgio, Publicis Sapient, and the digital food and beverage community. The topics in this report will also be covered at the Digital Food & Beverage Connect event.

Respondent Profile

Primary Business Roles:

Industry Breakdown:

Geographic Distribution:

Key Findings

  1. The top trend for F&B brands in the next three years is accelerating eCommerce, cited by 44% of respondents. Direct to Consumer (D2C) is also significant, with 38% highlighting its importance and 49% expecting more F&B brands to go direct over the same period.
  2. 55% of respondents are investing in customer data platforms (CDPs) to drive customer experience (CX) initiatives, reflecting the growing importance of personalisation at scale.
  3. The main challenges to improving CX are a lack of actionable insight on website optimisation (48%) and a lack of talent and resources (47%).
  4. There is an increased focus on personalising the customer journey. 25% of respondents are breaking down organisational silos to support personalisation, and 20% are using customer feedback to tailor the experience.

How Food and Beverage Brands Can Accelerate eCommerce Growth

By Scott Clarke, Vice President, Consumer Products Industry Lead, Publicis Sapient

The global health crisis has shifted consumer shopping habits, with a greater emphasis on digital channels and new drivers of value. eCommerce now accounts for approximately 6.6% of all consumer packaged goods (CPG) sales, and the transition to online shopping is expected to continue. 71% of consumers are shopping online more than before the pandemic, and 48% believe they will shop more online in the future.

Despite this shift, the online buying experience remains underwhelming for many. While F&B brands have made progress in meeting demands for fast, convenient, and anytime commerce, few have delivered truly exceptional online experiences. With 44% of brands identifying 'accelerating eCommerce' as the biggest trend for the next three years, expect significant investment in online channels to improve performance, attract and retain consumers, and differentiate brands.

To succeed, brands must adopt consumer-first, total commerce strategies, enabling universal and continuous engagement. This requires rethinking the alignment and integration of owned and partner channels, creating a differentiated brand identity, and building stronger consumer relationships. Coordination and investment across sales, marketing, product development, and supply chain are essential.

Defining a Winning Consumer Proposition

The first step is to establish a clear and unique consumer proposition. Brands must reimagine the end-to-end consumer journey, driving loyalty and advocacy by providing relevant, context-specific experiences at key moments. Being consumer-led means understanding the motivations, frustrations, desires, and preferences that drive engagement.

Turning Data and Analytics into a Strategic Advantage

Successful eCommerce channels require next-generation technology and sophisticated data modelling. 55% of F&B companies cite customer data platforms as their largest planned investment for CX initiatives, and 29% see AI and advanced analytics as a major trend. Brands are under pressure to deliver personalised experiences, dynamic content, recommendations, and tailored offers. The ability to draw insights from vast data and act on them in real-time will be a key competitive advantage. AI and advanced analytics will also improve supply chain efficiency and demand forecasting.

Creating an Omnichannel Strategy

F&B brands must make products available across multiple sales channels—marketplaces, retailer sites, and D2C sites. Channels are often siloed, but companies need to shift to a consumer-focused strategy that drives connections at all journey points, regardless of channel.

Act Like a Startup

Brands must adapt quickly, invest ahead of the curve, and adopt a 'test and learn' mindset. Accelerating time-to-market for new experiences and rapidly prototyping innovations is crucial. The new model for eCommerce growth involves agility at scale, assembling multi-functional teams to solve high-impact problems quickly.

Part One: Accelerating eCommerce Growth

Driving Change in the F&B Industry

With the pandemic subsiding and traditional retail reopening, F&B brands must sustain eCommerce momentum. 44% of respondents see eCommerce acceleration as the main driver of industry change over the next three years. The 'hybrid' consumer now engages across both digital and physical channels, requiring a fresh approach to eCommerce.

Biggest Trends Transforming the F&B Industry (Top Responses):

Industry Voices:

Biggest Trends Impacting eCommerce in F&B (Top Responses):

D2C Models: The Future of F&B

49% of respondents expect more F&B brands to go D2C in the next three years, 20% expect a decrease, and 31% expect it to stay the same.

Challenges in Going D2C (Top Responses):

Part Two: Enhancing Your CX to Win New Customers and Keep Existing Ones

Data: The Key to Unlocking Customer-Winning CX

F&B brands are investing in personalising the customer journey, with 55% investing in customer data platforms. CDPs collect and unify data from multiple sources, enabling advanced analytics and innovation across the customer experience. Loyalty programmes are the second-highest area of investment (36%), allowing brands to target frequent customers with tailored offers and deepen loyalty.

Areas of Greatest Investment for CX Initiatives (Top Responses):

Technical Challenges to Improving CX (Top Responses):

Headless Commerce Architecture in CX Strategy:

Part Three: Developing D2C and On-Demand Strategies That Meet Shoppers’ Needs

Putting the Customer at the Centre

Going direct means getting closer to the customer, but building relationships is challenging in a crowded market. 21% of respondents align D2C with other eCommerce initiatives, 19% use CRM software, and 19% create buying personas to make D2C channels more relevant. Engaging customers at their moment of need and understanding their behaviours ensures better optimisation for conversions.

How Organisations Make D2C Channels Relevant (Top Responses):

Benefits of D2C (Respondent Quotes):

Personalising the D2C Experience

25% of F&B brands are breaking down organisational silos to personalise D2C experiences. 20% use chatbots to record feedback, 19% harness social media, and 12% use first-party data for insights and personalised deals.

How Organisations Personalise D2C Across Touchpoints (Top Responses):

Streamlining D2C Fulfilment

21% of respondents use data-driven demand and inventory planning, 21% automate order and warehouse processes, and 21% establish efficient warehouse flows. 19% implement integrated eCommerce software, 10% provide tracking information, and 8% sync inventory across channels.

Conclusion

The COVID pandemic has profoundly disrupted retail, creating lasting effects. Pre-pandemic shopping habits are unlikely to return, as consumers have grown accustomed to eCommerce convenience. Both online and offline channels must work together to meet the needs of hybrid consumers. As F&B brands pursue D2C, balancing strategies will be crucial as in-store sales recover. The industry is investing in data capabilities, essential for creating differentiating customer experiences. The shift to D2C will depend on the ability to tailor CX to individual needs, requiring changes in operating models and culture.

Key Suggestions

About Publicis Sapient

Publicis Sapient is a digital transformation partner helping established organisations become digitally enabled in their operations and customer service. With 20,000 people and 53 offices globally, Publicis Sapient combines strategy, consulting, customer experience, agile engineering, and creativity to accelerate clients’ businesses. Publicis Sapient is the digital business transformation hub of Publicis Groupe. For more information, visit publicissapient.com

About WBR Insights

WBR Insights uses research-based content to drive conversations, share insights, and deliver results. We connect with high-level decision-makers in Europe and Asia across industries including Retail & eCommerce, Supply Chain & Procurement, and Finance. We offer whitepapers, benchmarking reports, infographics, and webinars to help you reach your marketing goals.

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Russell Tumath, Insights Sales Director
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