Growing 360 online restaurants

Summary

This case study details the successful implementation of a platform-specific growth strategy, resulting in a 33% increase in monthly recurring revenue for Curb Food, a Swedish ghost kitchen company. As the Product Manager, I spearheaded a team of four and navigated a complex ecosystem of over 360 virtual stores across six e-commerce platforms in three markets. Through meticulous platform analysis, development of repeatable acquisition levers, and market-specific scaling, we achieved significant growth while maintaining operational efficiency.

Challenge

Curb Food, with a vision of revolutionizing the restaurant industry through digital kitchens, faced the challenge of driving revenue across a multifaceted platform landscape. Managing 18 ghost kitchens with over 360 virtual stores scattered across six platforms in Sweden, Germany, and Denmark presented several obstacles:

• Limited Scalability: The sheer number of platforms and virtual stores hindered the implementation of consistent growth strategies.
• Lack of Standardization: Existing customer acquisition methods lacked uniformity, hindering efficient growth across diverse platforms.
• Resource Constraints: Initial resource limitations demanded maximizing growth while maintaining operational efficiency.

My Role

As the Product Manager, I held full accountability for leading the Platform Growth team, encompassing the following responsibilities:

• Platform Analysis and Growth Strategy Development: Conducted in-depth analyses of each platform to identify growth opportunities and formulate tailored strategies.
• Building Repeatable Acquisition Levers: Led continuous experimentation and data-driven analysis to identify effective customer acquisition methods, resulting in standardized and scalable tactics.
• Market-Specific Scaling: Adapted and scaled the established acquisition tactics for the three target markets, ensuring seamless execution and ongoing optimization through collaboration with platform key account managers.

Solution

To address these challenges, a comprehensive three-pronged approach was implemented:

1. Platform Analysis and Growth Strategies: A thorough analysis of each platform, meticulously evaluating features, user behavior, and growth potential, enabled the formulation of distinct growth strategies tailored to each platform’s unique strengths and user base.
2. Creating Repeatable Acquisition Levers: A continuous process of experimentation and data analysis led to the identification of effective acquisition tactics. These tactics were refined through weekly testing, resulting in a standardized set of repeatable strategies applicable across all platforms, ensuring efficient resource allocation and consistent growth efforts.
3. Scaling Across Markets: The established acquisition tactics were adapted and scaled for the three target markets, considering specific market nuances and user preferences. This involved close collaboration with platform key account managers to ensure effective execution, ongoing optimization, and a strong market presence across all regions.

Results

Within a remarkable seven months, the implemented strategies yielded significant and measurable results:

• 33% Growth in Monthly Recurring Revenue: This impressive achievement was driven by a 25% increase in monthly recurring orders and optimized conversion rates across all platforms.
• 300% Increase in Virtual Restaurants: Despite only expanding the team by 100%, the number of virtual restaurants under Curb Food’s management saw a remarkable 300% growth. This highlights the efficiency and scalability of the implemented growth strategies.
• Strong Market Presence: Through the tailored approach and market-specific scaling, Curb Food established a prominent position in each of the three target markets: Sweden, Denmark, and Germany.

Conclusion

This project underscores the effectiveness of a data-driven, platform-specific approach to growth in complex multi-market environments. By combining meticulous platform analysis, development of repeatable acquisition levers, and efficient market scaling, we successfully navigated operational challenges and delivered significant revenue growth for Curb Food. This case study exemplifies my ability to lead product growth initiatives, navigate complex landscapes, and deliver impactful results in a dynamic and competitive market.