Tender Belly Increases New to Brand Customers 144% 

Founded by brothers Shannon and Erik Duffy, Tender Belly creates ‘crazy tasty’ pork products like bacon, ham, pork sausages, using ethically raised pigs. Their pork contains no antibiotics, hormones, MSG, or high fructose corn syrup. The brand uses only the highest quality and fresh ingredients in their dry rub to deliver exceptional taste and quality. 

Spreading the bliss 

Tender Belly’s partnership with Instacart dates back to December 2020 when they first started advertising on the platform. The decision to work with Instacart stemmed from their commitment to making their pork products available to a broader audience. 

“We recognized Instacart’s prowess in online grocery and saw working with them as a prime opportunity to spread our porky bliss to all corners.” — Shannon Duffy, Co-Founder & CRO, Tender Belly

New tactics prove successful

Initially, Tender Belly ran evergreen ad campaigns on Instacart and witnessed steady returns during the first two years partnering with Instacart. This initial success fueled ambitions to achieve more on the platform so they reached out to Exciting Growth Opportunities (EGO) to ideate on new tactics for expanding their customer base. 

EGO’s strategy was to focus sponsored product ad campaigns on Tender Belly’s repeat customers, while shoppable display campaigns featuring drool-worthy imagery would target NTB customers in both their primary category and complimentary categories, such as eggs. 

These focused campaigns proved Tender Belly’s hypothesis that they could drive trial and capture market share during the holiday season. Tender Belly achieved a remarkable 119% YoY sales growth in November while in December they had a 210% YoY sales growth. 

Their shoppable display ad campaigns seemed to strike a chord with fresh audiences, as their NTB customers also increased 144% YoY. 

Instacart Ads Serve Dual Role for Tender Belly

For Tender Belly, advertising on Instacart to increase their brand visibility supports both their end consumer and food service segments — because many of their customers in the food service segment purchase their personal groceries online through Instacart. 

“Instacart offers us a unique avenue to increase brand recognition among food service partners and restaurants. As customers browse the platform for their grocery needs, they encounter Tender Belly products prominently displayed,” said Duffy. “This exposure not only resonates with home cooks but also with food service establishments looking to source quality ingredients. By seeing Tender Belly on a trusted platform like Instacart, restaurants are more likely to consider our brand when selecting bacon and pork products for their menus.”

Similarly, Instacart helps with a seamless transition from restaurant to home — when consumers enjoy their pork products at restaurants, they can effortlessly find the same products through Instacart and bring the same quality to their home kitchen.  

As customers gravitate towards digital shopping, platforms like Instacart have emerged as strong channels for Tender Belly’s growth. 

Shifting consumer behavior

Like many in the industry, Tender Belly identified the shift in consumer behavior. As more consumers shop for groceries online and interact with brands digitally, ecommerce channels and online advertising have become an increasingly significant aspect of business. 

“Customers today are looking for convenience and efficiency in their shopping experiences, and e-commerce platforms such as Instacart are at the forefront of fulfilling these expectations,” said Duffy. “The ability to browse, select, and order our Crazy Tasty bacon and pork products from the comfort of their homes aligns perfectly with modern shopping trends.”

Up next for Tender Belly

Tender Belly have recently increased distribution into new regions and retailers and are excited for what they can achieve with a great product and great advertising. 

“We’re aiming for nationwide expansion with retail partners who share our company values and target customers,” said Duffy. “We’re on a mission to bring the unmatched joy of our #CrazyTasty pork to hearts and bellies across the USA.”

*Prior results do not guarantee future outcomes. 

This post contains third-party claims and advertisements.  Instacart does not make any representation as to the accuracy or suitability of any of the information provided herein by our third party advertisers.

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Instacart is the leading grocery technology company in North America, partnering with more than 1,400 national, regional, and local retail banners to deliver from more than 80,000 stores across more than 14,000 cities in North America. To read more Instacart posts, you can browse the company blog or search by keyword using the search bar at the top of the page.