How Data-Driven Insights Transform Trade Marketing for Ice Cream Producers
Trade marketing is the heartbeat of the ice cream business. From freezer (congelatore) placements to seasonal promotions, it’s how producers bring products to life at the point of sale. But without data, these decisions often rely on intuition rather than evidence — and in a competitive market like Italy, that’s not enough.
Italian consumers don’t only enjoy ice cream in summer. Gelaterie, cafés, and HoReCa outlets ensure year-round demand. That means trade marketing must be smart, targeted, and effective across all channels — not just focused on seasonal peaks. The producers who succeed are those who turn trade marketing from guesswork into precision, powered by wholesaler sell-out data.
The Challenge: Trade Marketing Without Full Data
Every ice cream producer faces the same questions:
Where should I place my next congelatore?
Which regions deserve the biggest promotional budget?
Which outlets will generate the highest ROI?
Without wholesaler data, the answers are blurry. Producers rely on:
Without wholesaler data, producers rely on:
- Partial visibility from their own salesforce,
- Estimates of outlet potential,
- Delayed or missing reports from wholesalers.
The result?
- Freezers end up in outlets with low turnover,
- Promotions are launched in the wrong regions,
- Marketing spend delivers limited results.
The Breakthrough: Outlet-Level Data from Wholesalers
By integrating sell-out and stock data directly from wholesalers, ice cream producers can finally see the complete picture of their market — every outlet, every category, every region.
- Rank outlets by potential – identify which stores, cafés, or kiosks deliver the most value,
- Segment outlets by type – supermarkets, HoReCa, seasonal kiosks, convenience stores,
- Target promotions precisely – direct investment where demand is strongest,
- Plan freezer (congelatore) placements strategically – allocate assets to maximize turnover.
With these insights, trade marketing becomes a driver of measurable ROI.
Smarter Decisions in Practice
Strategic Congelatore Placement
- Allocate freezers based on proven outlet potential to maximize turnover per asset.
- Ensure availability where demand is strongest, not just where space is available.
Targeted Promotions & Data-Driven Sales Targets
- Direct budgets to regions and outlet types with proven ROI (e.g., cafés in Rome year-round; beach kiosks in Sicily during summer peaks).
- Set fair, motivating targets for sales teams and wholesalers based on real outlet potential.
A Real-World Example
A major ice cream producer in Italy transformed its trade marketing by integrating wholesaler sell-out data. Previously, the company invested heavily in freezers and promotions, but decisions were often made with incomplete information.
After integration, the producer discovered that certain cafés and smaller kiosks outperformed large supermarkets during key periods. By reallocating assets and promotions to these outlets, the company:
- Increased turnover per congelatore,
- Boosted ROI on promotions,
- Improved alignment between trade marketing and sales.
The result was smarter spend, higher sales, and stronger wholesaler partnerships.
Why This Matters for Ice Cream Producers
Trade marketing is one of the largest expenses for ice cream producers. When it’s driven by incomplete data, it becomes a cost. When it’s driven by wholesaler data, it becomes an investment.
- Spend smarter – fewer wasted freezers, more targeted promotions,
- React faster – adapt to regional demand shifts in real time,
- Collaborate better – align campaigns with wholesalers on the basis of shared data.
In short: data turns trade marketing into a growth engine.
Tangible Results of Data-Driven Trade Marketing
Typically
10–20%
higher ROI on promotions.
Better
Utilization
of freezers with assets generating higher turnover.
Stronger
Alignment
between sales and marketing.
Sustained
Growth
in high-potential outlets and regions.
Key Takeaway
For ice cream producers in Italy, trade marketing is too important to leave to chance. With wholesaler sell-out and stock data, every decision — from freezer placement to promotional targeting — is based on facts, not assumptions.
Data-driven trade marketing means higher ROI, smarter investments, and stronger results all year round.
Turn your data into results
Do you want to discover how wholesaler data can grow your ice cream business in the Italian market?
Request a personalized demo of One View Analytics and see how stock and sell-out data can be turned into concrete growth decisions.
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