The food delivery sector has been growing worldwide, and Brazil has been following this trend vigorously. A recent survey conducted by Ticket, which interviewed nearly 10,000 people, revealed that 4 out of 10 Brazilians regularly order delivery — that is, 40%. Among young people of Generation Z, aged 15 to 28, this number rises to 51%. But what is this sector's strategy to continue growing each year? It was in this booming market context that São Paulo hosted the Delivery Summit 2024, an event organized by Woovi in partnership with WAbiz, which brought together experts and entrepreneurs to share practices, technologies, and strategies that promise to turn delivery into a sales machine.
The event showcased trends and success stories for those looking to thrive in a rapidly evolving market. The agenda was shaped by insights on emerging technologies, seasonal campaigns, and loyalty strategies, with practical examples demonstrating how to attract and retain customers in an increasingly competitive environment. With the support of brands like Heineken, Seara, OpenPix, Catupiry, Sr.Caixa, and Pietro Fornos, the Delivery Summit innovated by hosting the first event focused on the food delivery sector in Brazil. According to the organizer Woovi, companies that invest in innovation and customer experience will be ahead in the race for an increasingly dynamic and competitive market. According to Rafael Turk, CEO of Woovi, another point that deserves the attention of industry entrepreneurs is the "automation of transactions and an infrastructure that enables agility in payment processing, bringing advantages such as operational efficiency and customer satisfaction, from the moment of purchase decision to post-sales satisfaction."
Among the speakers, Rafael Abath, founder of Zapy Pizza, highlighted the role of innovation in building successful businesses. He shared his company's experience of setting the delivery record in just 8 minutes. "Making deliveries in 40 minutes is no longer a differentiator. Those who don't adapt fall behind," said Rafael. The shared kitchen model is one of the secrets that ensures this efficiency, allowing cost optimization and resource utilization for different brands.
Another highlight was Valmor Friedrich, CEO of Kadalora Pizzaria, who shared his 44-year journey in the food industry, marked by overcoming challenges and expanding his business to 17 units. Valmor shared how he innovated by keeping his pizzeria open during hours when his competitors were not operating, thus attracting new audiences. "While other pizzerias closed early, we stayed open and attracted more customers," he revealed. Besides pizzerias, Valmor diversified its business by creating an ecosystem that includes meat boutiques and cleaning products, leveraging synergies between the different sectors. Your strategy not only increased revenue but also secured a loyal customer base and a more robust operation.
The importance of strategic marketing was widely discussed by the HS Marketing team. Based on optimized conversion funnels, the company highlighted that for every 1,000 ad views, 100 interact with the brand, 15 make purchases, and five become loyal customers. The focus of 360º marketing is on reducing dependence on marketplaces such as iFood and UberEats, promoting targeted campaigns for proprietary menus and strengthening customer loyalty. For Rafael Turk, CEO of Woovi, "centralizing proprietary channels, in addition to marketplaces, allows opportunities to be explored during the journey, such as analyzing purchase recurrence and applying retention mechanisms, not to mention the reduction of transfers to these channels."
The use of attractive visual content, such as 'foodporn', and partnerships with local influencers were identified as essential to engage the audience and convert followers into customers. HS Marketing also presented success stories, such as a 40% increase in revenue at Vila Anália, driven by community strategies, and a 50% increase in sales of Chapéu de Couro through urgent and personalized campaigns.
Jussara Calife, Trade Marketing director for the ON and OFF channels of the Heineken group, in turn, addressed the importance of adapting menus according to specific occasions, such as barbecues and parties, to take advantage of opportunities during holidays and weekends. She emphasized that personalized service, combined with the use of bots and organized lists via WhatsApp, can increase operational efficiency and improve the customer experience. "The creation of attractive combos, designed for different occasions, is essential to stand out in such a competitive market," explained Jussara, emphasizing that solid partnerships with suppliers are also fundamental for success.
The current trends in the food service sector include the importance of processes that provide consumers with personalized experiences through digital marketing strategies such as quality interaction, relationship management between stores and customers, agile service, and partnerships with conventional marketplaces.Throughout the consumer's journey, from checkout to purchase decision, as well as potential satisfaction with the product, loyalty, and brand recommendation, it is important to facilitate processes, simplify steps, and prioritize the customer.
In addition to practical cases and insights, Delivery Summit 2024 provided important data on the growth of the delivery market. The sector has shown consistent increases, especially in premium segments and during seasonal dates, demonstrating that investing in strategic campaigns and loyalty can ensure sustainable revenue. The event was marked by the engagement of the participants, who left with a clear plan to apply the discussed strategies and transform their businesses. As Valmor Friedrich concluded: "Thriving is about preparing people and creating a business that makes sense in the long term."