Triballat-Noyal – CROSS Agency : Adapting the shelf to two types of customers

To analyse consumer behaviour in depth, “without going off in all directions, but by digging into the causes of any dissatisfaction with the shelf”, explains Sébastien Tourné, CEO of the Cross agency, which accompanied Triballat-Noyal.

The observation was clear: in the face of the explosion of the organic section’s offer, visibility was declining. The “committed organic” consumers did not understand why numerous brands without organic DNA were occupying the shelves. At the same time, the “opportunistic organic”, i.e. general consumers without an immediate organic entry point, remained confined to their traditional ultra-fresh department.

As a result, the recruitment of opportunistic organic shoppers was limited, while traditional consumers began to think about other, more specialised channels than supermarkets, where too many brands did not correspond to their DNA. We therefore had to adapt the shelf to not one, but two different customer profiles in order to help them develop their consumption of responsible products. “This analysis is really the basis for the success of the merchandising approach,” emphasises Noémie Buffet, category manager at Triballat-Noyal.

The second step in this success is unfailing internal collaboration and commitment. “The company has this in its DNA and works in permanent co-construction, without silos. This is what allows us to move forward smoothly,” explains Sébastien Tourné. All the departments are therefore involved in the project from the outset.

Third step : transparency and sincerity in the process. This is rare and difficult,” he adds. It requires courage to seek progress for the whole category, for the common good. There was a risk in working on assortment optimisations that did not only benefit the group’s brands.

The fourth step was therefore to build a more legible shelf to increase visibility for both shopper profiles: “The expert brands, with organic ultra-fresh DNA, were grouped together in an organic ultra-fresh area, while the organic versions of the generalist brands were placed in the general ultra-fresh section, as an organic alternative next to their conventional products, all with clear signposting and an entry key for each brand that corresponds to the consumer’s natural visual reference point,” explains Sébastien Tourné. This makes it possible to satisfy the committed organic consumer, in tune with what he sees. And to encourage the generalist shopper to buy an organic alternative, thus helping to develop recruitment.

Finally, the last step, conviction through proof. “When you are an SME, the best way to prove is not always your ability to negotiate at national level, but your ability to implement the approach in the points of sale and to measure, via mirror shops, the relevance of the model. We realised that the category and all the brands have progressed systematically, including the generalists who, in the end, have recorded the most significant evolution”, underlines Sébastien Tourné. The approach has obviously been designed according to the objectives and locations of the various sales outlets (format, regionalisation, presence or absence of specialised centres, etc.). Each location is personalised, with the sales force accompanying the deployment, measuring results and adjusting actions. According to Triballat-Noyal, a relocated point of sale sees its growth accelerate by 30% in the category.