Skott Smeat is a Ukrainian premium beef producer launched in 2018. Despite the product’s high quality, the brand struggled to stand out due to unclear positioning and limited consumer awareness. In 2022, the company underwent a rebranding and set a goal to increase its market share.
We helped Skott Smeat transform its business by applying a tailored mix of marketing tools, which led to a threefold increase in sales. In 2024, this campaign won Silver at the MIXX Awards.
Here’s how we strengthened the brand’s position — despite a challenging market environment.
Goals & Market Challenges
Key objectives:
- Grow Skott Smeat’s share in the packaged beef segment (retail chains) to 12%
- Reach 30% share of added-value products in the brand’s portfolio
Challenges we faced:
- The full-scale war created challenging conditions for local farmers, leading to a drop in cattle supply.
- Consumer behavior changed: beef was seen as expensive and time-consuming to prepare. Due to blackouts, time constraints, and economic hardship, people opted for simpler, more affordable protein options.
- 80% of beef on the market was sold unbranded and unpackaged, making it harder for premium products to stand out.
- Beef accounted for only 5% of total meat sales in Ukraine. Purchase frequency dropped from 3 to 2.3 times per month, much lower than chicken or pork.
- Retailers reduced or paused orders due to the brand’s previous focus on significant meat cuts, which were more complex to process and less appealing to everyday consumers.
- Packaging design lacked shelf impact, making it easy to overlook.
Strategy & Execution
Our marketing research revealed that Skott Smeat’s ideal audience consists of foodies who value both quality and convenience. These consumers were open to premium beef — if it was easy to cook and fit into a busy lifestyle.
We developed a new product offering: 100% farm-sourced Ukrainian beef in ready-to-cook formats. Our strategy focused on three pillars of the marketing mix.
1. Product
We launched a range of chilled, easy-to-cook products: ground beef, burger patties, sausages, stew meat, and beef stroganoff.
The key SKUs were:
- Ground beef — traditionally made from significant meat cuts.
- Burger patties — a familiar and versatile option for street food lovers
2. Placement
We expanded distribution in national retail chains and launched promotional cycles with rotating discounts across different retailers.
3. Promotion
We focused our campaign on the burger patty as the hero product. To promote the patty, we ran a mix of agency-driven and client-led activities:
Paid media:
- YouTube video ads and banners (July–August 2023) introduced the product and built initial brand awareness.
- We created a retargeting base and ran geo-targeted campaigns near points of sale.
Client-led media:
- Product integrations with food bloggers and chefs
- Telegram promotions and limited-time offers
- Branded content on recipe platforms, including Smachno.24tv, showcasing easy meals with burger patties
Results
The brand effectively combined paid and owned media.
We amplified digital efforts through banner and video ads, while the client worked on influencer and content partnerships.
As a result:
- +300% increase in product sales volume (tons)
- 1.5× growth in brand share within retail chains
Despite a downturn in the beef market, Skott Smeat successfully promoted its flagship product and reinforced its brand presence.
We proved: if you deeply understand your audience, you can turn interest into loyalty — even in hard times.
Let’s build a strategy tailored to your brand.
