Case Study · Brand Strategy
DIETZ &
WATSON
Evolving an 80-year-old brand without losing what made it great.
Evolving an 80-year-old brand without losing what made it great.
Dietz & Watson had been doing things the right way for over 80 years. Family-owned since 1939, built on quality, handcrafted in Philadelphia. A brand that didn't cut corners and had a loyal customer base to prove it.
The problem: that loyal base was aging. Baby boomer participation in the deli meat category was declining, and younger consumers weren't replacing them. D&W needed a credible plan to grow — without alienating the customers it already had.
The CMO wanted to know: who were the growth audiences, what tactics could work, and what were the risks?
The core tension was this: the brand's greatest asset — its legacy — was also its greatest liability. Growing meant changing, and changing risked losing the people who built D&W into what it is. So the real question became: how do you modernize a brand without abandoning the identity that made it worth modernizing?
Mapped the demographic shift: baby boomer participation declining, Gen Z and millennial engagement rising. The two groups shared key needs — convenience and clean ingredients — making the pivot viable without a full brand overhaul. The opportunity wasn't to replace the loyal base, but to expand the tent without changing the foundation.
Defined D&W's core competency as quality and ingredient integrity — not the specific category it occupied. That distinction mattered: it meant entering the $5.5B plant-based market wasn't a contradiction, it was an extension. The brand trust D&W had built over 80 years could carry a new product line, as long as the standards stayed the same.
Recommended a plant-based meat and cheese line built on the same in-house manufacturing and hand-blended spice process — not outsourced, not compromised. In a market crowded with heavily processed alternatives, D&W could offer something genuinely different: handcrafted plant-based products with the same flavor integrity and ingredient transparency the brand is known for. Value-based pricing to support profitability targets and justify the investment.
Built a hybrid push-pull distribution model — maintaining retail and deli presence while leaning into digital and social commerce to reach younger consumers where they shop. Leveraged chef influencers (trusted by 40% of 25–44 year olds as quality signals) for authentic trial and discovery. Integrated online grocery partnerships to capitalize on the tripling of online grocery sales. Ensured distributor alignment through co-branded support and early product access.
Every strategic initiative was tied to a measurable outcome — because a plan without a metric is just a guess.
10% in Year 1, 20% in Year 2, 35% by Year 3. Each milestone tied to the plant-based rollout phases and new segment acquisition.
Trial is easy to buy with sampling. The real signal is repeat — whether new customers come back without a push.
New-to-brand buyer rate among 18–44 year olds, tracked against pre-campaign baseline to confirm the demographic shift is actually happening.
Digital and influencer channels are expensive to test. Whether social-acquired customers generate lifetime value that justifies the cost is the question that matters.
As online grocery was tripling in scale, this tracked D&W's share of digital shelf — and whether the strategy converted digital discovery into purchase.
A new SKU only works if it gets stocked. Measuring retail and deli pickup rate confirmed whether the distribution model was landing with partners.
D&W, a family-owned legacy brand, has built its reputation on high-quality handcrafted meats and cheeses. With an aging core audience and shifting consumer preferences, the brand risks losing relevance and market share. The strategic objective is to increase net profitability by 10% in year one, 20% in year two, and 35% by year three by entering the $5.5B plant-based market.
D&W was founded over 80 years ago in 1939, beginning with a bratwurst recipe rooted in traditional German flavors. As a family-run business, multiple generations have contributed to operations and growth. The brand expanded its portfolio to include a wide range of cured meats, cheeses, snacks, and complements distributed through grocery stores, corner markets, and delis across the country.
D&W's core competencies stem from its tight-knit, family-owned structure, where transparency is a priority. Spices are hand-blended and deep-marinated on site, with all manufacturing done internally. Simply put, D&W operates with "family, quality, and integrity" as its guiding principles, with a minimum of approximately $500M in annual revenues.
D&W historically focused on families and baby boomers (55+). With baby boomers declining participation in the category, there is a growing interest in pivoting towards Gen Z and millennial consumers. All groups share two key needs:
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Strengths | 80+ years of brand heritage; in-house manufacturing and R&D; independence enabling agility; deep commitment to ingredient transparency and quality. |
| Weaknesses | Lower brand recognition vs. Boar's Head / Oscar Mayer with younger consumers; higher supply costs without conglomerate backing. |
| Opportunities | Grow relevance with Millennials and Gen Z through wellness-forward products; exclusive partnerships with meal prep companies, influencers, and chefs. |
| Threats | Crowded deli and cheese category; shift toward pre-packaged and online grocery reduces organic discovery; perception as a meat-only brand may deter plant-based consumers. |
| Brand | Positioning | Target |
|---|---|---|
| Boar's Head | Premium, artisanal, quality — gourmet culinary focus | Tastemakers who prioritize quality, entertain, eat well |
| Oscar Mayer | Budget-friendly, accessible, convenience-first | Convenience chasers who prioritize ease over evaluation |
| Hillshire Farm | Mid-tier, farm-fresh family offerings | Family-first consumers seeking healthy simplicity |
| Daiya Foods | Pioneer dairy-free cheese; limited targeting | General dairy-free consumers — broad, underserved |
White space identified: No major cured meat or cheese brand currently offers plant-based options. D&W sits at the intersection of ingredient integrity and artisanal craftsmanship — uniquely positioned to lead.
The ideal customer is the health-conscious millennial and Gen Z who values nutrition but refuses to compromise on taste. They try fitness classes through ClassPass, are heavily influenced by TikTok and Instagram, and live in metropolitan areas like LA, Chicago, San Francisco, Miami, and Philadelphia. They are flexitarians, vegans, vegetarians, and meat eaters seeking healthy alternatives.
"For busy, health-conscious Gen Z and millennial consumers, Dietz & Watson is the only cured meat and cheese brand that offers healthy plant-based products with artisanal flavors — because of its extensive product development process grounded in culinary and ingredient integrity."
Launch with three plant-based meats and three plant-based cheeses, each crafted with artisanal, hand-blended ingredients. Instead of typical options, global-inspired products will be prioritized — plant-based Iberian ham, Roma-style prosciutto, and French-herb cheese. Products come prepackaged with clear protein, calorie, and ingredient labeling.
Value-based skim pricing at launch to reinforce quality perception and meet Year 1 profitability needs. A modified seasonal pricing strategy focuses on value-enhancing promotions over price cuts — New Year Health Resolutions, Spring Renewal, Summer Wellness Snacks. Limited-edition "Make Your Own" contest products offered at special introductory pricing to drive trial and assess demand.
Primarily paid social using influencer and creator videos as paid native ads. Authentic, creator-driven content demonstrates how products support everyday customers' quest for healthy and flavorful meals without feeling disruptive.
A "Make Your Own" plant-based meat contest — pop-up events across cities featuring micro, macro, and nano influencers alongside press. A celebrity chef cooking class showcasing simple, quick, healthy meals using D&W plant-based products. Top contest creations sold as limited edition products.
Key brand ambassador: Nara Smith. Her commitment to cooking from scratch positions D&W as the same standard as her homemade meals, but with convenience — resonating with time-strapped followers who admire her but can't replicate her approach. Additional influencers in wellness, fitness, vegan, and vegetarian niches.
Branded articles with wellness publications (Well+Good, SELF) and broader lifestyle outlets (Buzzfeed). User-generated content campaign — tasting challenges and a branded hashtag featuring recipes — to build credibility and organic word-of-mouth.
A hybrid, multi-channel push-pull strategy across three channels:
| Channel | Metrics |
|---|---|
| Paid Advertising | Reach, impressions, CTR, CPM |
| Public Relations | # article mentions, impressions, sentiment analysis, CTR |
| Experiential | Attendance, social engagement (posts, tags, new followers 7 days post-event) |
| Influencer | Engagement (likes, comments, shares), reach, impressions |
| Social | Engagement, hashtag usage, social listening and sentiment |
| Distribution | Products sold per channel, revenues, conversion rate, retention rate |