✿ Live Client
Gelati Celesti was experiencing a slowdown in same-store sales growth, and we uncovered why.
A beloved Richmond-based ice cream brand known for its artisanal flavors and strong community roots, Gelati Celesti has grown from a single shop into a regional favorite across Central Virginia and Hampton Roads. Despite this expansion, the brand has recently seen a slowdown in same-store sales growth.
The Ask: Identify the drivers behind declining same-store sales and uncover opportunities to reignite in-store growth.
Research Objective:
The objective of this research is to understand why the “same store” sales growth rate is declining and if it is a result of competitor activity, changes in the economic environment, or something else.
Methodology
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Competitor Media Analysis:
Assessing customer feedback, engagement trends, and brand sentiment via social media and review platforms (Instagram, Facebook, Yelp, Google Reviews, TripAdvisor, etc.), and specifically looking at other ice cream competitors across the Richmond Region
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Survey:
Targeting people from/familiar with the Richmond region to provide information and opinions on local ice cream shops’ quality, price points, and marketing tactics, alongside how often they go out to get ice cream.
Respondents: 105
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Intercepts:
Providing an incentive of one free scoop, asking individuals coming into Gelati Celesti a series of questions regarding their general feelings regarding quality, price points, and marketing tactics, alongside how often they go out to get ice cream
One-on-one Interviews:
For those who completed the survey and consented, reached out to schedule one-on-one virtual meetings to discuss observations and opinions regarding Gelati Celesti and local competitors in the Richmond area.
Focus Groups:
Created virtual focus group meetings with discussion guides to prompt respondents to answer questions and have a group conversation on ice cream buying behavior, Gelati Celesti in particular, and listed competitors.
Uncovering the Core Problem:
The real issue wasn’t awareness or product quality. Gelati Celesti already wins on quality and brand love:
Highest engagement rate vs. competitors (1.82%)
#1 dessert spot in Richmond on TripAdvisor
68% familiarity vs. competitors
The problem is that Gelati Celesti wasn’t consistently top-of-mind at the exact moments people decide to get ice cream, especially in a more competitive, convenience-driven dessert landscape.
From our survey, we found that ice cream decisions are impulsive, emotional, and hyper-local:
72% go because of a craving
60% say proximity is a top decision factor
83% are influenced by word of mouth
Nearly half say social media nudges their decision
Insight #1
Instead of chasing new customers broadly, we chose to activate the neighborhoods Gelati Celesti already lives in — prioritizing local presence and social buzz over mass promotion.
Recommendation #1
Creating Local Partnerships: Collaborating with nearby shops and bakeries to get closer to a new audience
Neighborhood Nights: Creating one night a week where locals in the neighborhood can come for a discount
Local Partnerships: Partner with apartment management companies in the Richmond area that have complexes close to Gelati Celesti locations to draw in nearby consumers
Insight #2
With nearly half of respondents saying social media nudges their decision, Gelati Celesti has an opportunity to utilize this channel to nudge consumers to come in and turn posts into profit.
Recomendation #2
Creating Occasions: Creating more atypical occasions for people to go get ice cream with social media celebrations, challenges, and behind-the-scenes videos
Insight #3
Almost ⅓ of respondents said they are more inclined to purchase if they can earn rewards towards future purchases. Utilizing rewards is a great opportunity to create repeat customers.
Recommendation #3
Implementing a Loyalty Program: Creating a program for returning customers to earn rewards
Unlock perks and party with us at the loyalty kickoff!
To kick off the implementation of this loyalty program, we suggested they hold a local event for the community where the loyalty cards and social media accounts are promoted around the store
Impact
We diagnosed a behavioral growth gap and built a locally scalable activation strategy to increase frequency and foot traffic. Gelati Celesti has since created more occasions on social media and implemented a loyalty program.
They have continued to open new stores and expand their footprint further across Virginia.
My Role
Project Management, Survey Development, Focus Group Moderation, Intercepts, Development of Insights & Implications, Deck Narrative, Deck Design, and Pitch
Olivia Koerner (CBM), Elise Tanenbaum (CBM), Katherine “Green” Ohlson (CBM)