"1 Spaghetti Gratis": How Bavet attracted 13,000 customers with a "stupid label"

The specialist in "Belgian-style spaghetti" has achieved a remarkable feat with its partner Frans & Bertha, producer of its "sauce rolls." By attracting more than one in four retail buyers of rollets to restaurants, the promotional campaign has redefined the relationship between the foodservice industry and large retailers.

"No app, no QR code, no fine print," explains Pepijn Vandebotermet, co-founder of Frans & Bertha. Since the summer of 2024, this Veurne-based company and its dozen employees have sold over a million "spaghetti sauce rolls" in restaurants and supermarkets. "For six weeks, we placed a coupon for a free spaghetti at their restaurants on 50,000 Bavet Rollets. The result: more than 13,000 coupons redeemed."

Vandebotermet is particularly pleased with an activation rate that would make industry experts blush. Generally, the redemption rate for vouchers hovers around 2%, whereas Bavet and Frans & Bertha recorded thirteen times that amount. "What we take away from this most of all is that retail and Horeca can interact far more than people think. Why shouldn't a supermarket product be able to create a restaurant experience, both at home and in the dining room?"

A "Crazy" Boomerang Effect

At Bavet, they are obviously delighted with the impact of this action—one of their largest campaigns, which they dubbed The Retail Boomerang. "The results are crazy."

The Sint-Martens-Latem-based company, renowned for its pasta concept, believes the success stems from a different perspective. "We stopped treating retail and catering as two separate worlds. It’s very simple: 1 red label = 1 free spaghetti."

From a marketing standpoint, the power of simplicity certainly played a role, along with the absence of friction: no recalcitrant apps or QR scans. The offer was accessible to everyone, instantly. And an easy-to-understand offer is naturally shareable. If a concept can be explained in one sentence, it has a better chance of going viral.

Too often, restaurateurs see mass retail as a competitor, and vice versa. However, it is better to build bridges than silos. The retail product, intended to extend the restaurant's taste experience, serves here as a "hook." The customer tastes the quality at home, thanks to Frans & Bertha, and the "simple label" invites them to live the full experience in the Bavet atmosphere.

It is worth thinking about how products can exist outside the walls to bring customers back to your tables. Retail is not just a sales channel; it is an acquisition channel. A marketing campaign can attract a customer once, but only the quality of the product will make them return.

A Loss of Revenue? Not So Fast!

Giving away 13,000 meals represents a cost. While a restaurateur might overlook their margin, it is harder to do so regarding raw materials and labor. That said, a customer coming in for a free spaghetti rarely comes alone. They may also consume drinks, appetizers, or desserts, and are often accompanied by someone who will pay for their own meal.

The promotion boosts supermarket sales, and if one in four buyers made the effort to visit the restaurant, the probability of them returning as paying customers is significant.

Furthermore, a physical voucher has tangible value and earns respect from consumers who appreciate the absence of forced data collection. The meal is free because the product was purchased – period.

Finally, the consumer shifts from a utilitarian purchasing behavior while grocery shopping to the possibility of a leisure activity. The brand accompanies the user through different moments of their life, from the desire to cook (easily) to the desire to go out.