The Oetker Group is celebrating over 150 years of existence and can look back on an impressive success story. With over 350 companies in more than 40 countries, the Group has developed into a global player. A significant milestone in the recent history of the Oetker Group is the founding of Oetker Digital in Berlin in 2017. Since then, over 100 data and digitalization projects have been successfully implemented within the Group.
The challenges of digitalization
One of the biggest challenges for the Oetker Group is the fact that the customer is often a "black box". The Group does not have direct real-time access to retail data from food supermarket chains. When this data is later available at an aggregated level, it is often delayed. Therefore, the Oetker Group has to find alternative ways to collect data and use what is available.
Example use case: Recipe monitoring
Recipes have been an integral part of Oetker's DNA for over 100 years. A large proportion of website traffic consists of people searching for recipes. After the successful "Wednesday" series, many people searched for "Wednesday cake" on Google and other search engines. Since this recipe did not exist, Oetker created a "Wednesday cake" that generated a lot of traffic. This led to the development of a general search trend monitoring tool and a content AI platform that brands can use to create specific recipes and content for trends.
The content AI platform
The platform makes it possible to identify trends and create AI-developed recipes, blog articles, etc. that planners can work with as a template. The new content is also reflected in measurable KPIs such as a doubling of organic traffic. AI-generated images are also used for the website, which significantly saves time and resources.
Challenges of the digital transformation
Digital transformation comes with its own challenges. These include a decentralized organizational structure, lack of access to data, lack of acceptance, the transition from rigid processes to a learning organization and access to data and AI in internal collaboration.
The Oetker Group has proven that it is capable of facing the challenges of digitalization and developing innovative solutions that not only increase traffic, but also promote efficiency and creativity within the Group. With a strong focus on data and AI, the Oetker Group will continue to play a leading role in the food industry in the future.
