Royal Smilde

Tension in the shelf becomes clearer as analysis deepens. Quiches and pies hold a dominant market share, but structurally underperform in growth, rotation and mental relevance. The first question focuses on product, packaging and activation, but beneath that lies a more fundamental issue. Consumers do not perceive savory pies as a complete meal alternative, but as something floating between snack and meal.

Behavioral analysis and consumer research confirm this. People do not experience quiche and pie as separate products, but as one category: savory pies. This category stands for convenience and enjoyment, but also carries a persistent barrier. In perception, savory pies feel less tasty and less responsible than pizza. For the primary target group, people who do not want to cook and want quick enjoyment, pizza therefore remains the default choice, even when post-consumption satisfaction disappoints.

The core insight is that product-level optimization does not break this pattern. The issue is not taste or availability, but meaning. Savory pies lack a convincing frame that positions them as a complete, satisfying and responsible convenience choice. At the same time, research shows that the word hartig (savory) has warm and positive associations in the Netherlands. It evokes energy, shared meals and enjoyment. This is where the growth lever emerges.

Together with Royal Smilde, we develop the organizing idea Leef Hartig. Not as a slogan or campaign, but as a strategic foundation for the entire category. Leef Hartig positions savory pies as the most complete convenience moment: just as tasty as pizza, but with a better feeling. It naturally combines enjoyment and responsibility, without moralizing.

Within this framework, clear choices are made. The category claims a position as a warm, filling and savory alternative to pizza and snacks. Savory pies become suitable for multiple eating moments, from lunch to dinner and in between. The introduction and scaling of vegetable bases play a key role. Not as a standalone innovation, but as a structural driver of perceptual change. Visible vegetables, fresh ingredients and a demonstrably healthier perception make vegetable quiche the leading product that lifts the entire category.

We translate Leef Hartig into a strategic framework for brand and private label architecture. Savory pie becomes the overarching category, under which quiche, pie and world pies logically sit. Packaging takes on the role of the primary communication touchpoint in the shelf. The choice for cardboard over plastic supports both sustainability perception and quality cues, while creating space to clearly show category signals, social proof and fresh ingredients.

Our role is strategic, developmental and facilitative. Strategic by sharpening and substantiating the category vision with behavioural insights. Developmental by working Leef Hartig into a consistent category language applicable across brands, labels and channels. Facilitative by supporting co-creation with internal teams and external partners, and by guiding briefings for design, NPD directions, activation ideas and trade presentations.

Leef Hartig grows into the structural starting point for Royal Smilde. It does not steer through campaigns, but through long-term choices in assortment, packaging and innovation. This creates a coherent ecosystem in which product development, shelf communication and consumer behaviour reinforce each other. Growth becomes less dependent on promotions or incidental launches and more anchored in meaning and brand logic.

In collaboration with
• Geert Frank, Marketing Manager Royal Smilde
• VBAT