Disguised as a delivery driver, the co-founder of Buddy infiltrates Monoprix

Oscar van der Rest, co-founder of the natural energy drink brand Buddy, took a bold approach to present his product to decision-makers at the iconic French retailer Monoprix.

A delivery for Mrs. Bournonville. On the receipt stapled to the brown paper bag, the contents of a generous order are listed: "1 Energy Platter, flavors of your choice, 3 x Lemon Ginger, 3 x Mango Passion, 3 x Pomegranate Hibiscus, 3 x Yerba Mate, 80 mg of natural energy, no additives, 2.7 g of sugars." The total comes to €0.0 but includes the note: "Enjoy."

Getting noticed when launching a new brand has never been easy. But every sector currently seems saturated with offerings. In these market conditions, even the most innovative products can go unnoticed. Oscar van der Rest, the co-founder and sales director of Buddy, therefore opted for a bold formula.

With strong online sales and a broad presence in specialized and general retail stores, from filling stations to trendy cafes, the entrepreneur wanted to further boost his marketing efforts. He opted for a flurry of public relations, without any cover story: posing as an Uber Eats delivery driver to ensure his drinks landed directly in the right hands at Monoprix.

Since March 2024, the iconic French brand has also been pursuing an international expansion strategy aimed at developing the brand in the Belgian market, with a chic and accessible urban convenience offering.

Buddy's co-founder's strategy wasn't to deceive, but to guarantee the first fundamental interaction: tasting the product. Once the product is in your mouth, the dialogue can begin based on quality, and no longer on an abstract marketing pitch.

“To avoid ending up in the abyss of forgotten samples, we had to find a different approach,” explains Oscar van der Rest. “The result: a perfect, Trojan horse-style delivery of our healthiest energy drink on the market.” Today, successful brands are those that combine a quality product with an inventive visibility strategy. It remains to be seen whether the Buddy delivery met with the approval of Monoprix’s chief product buyer.