1945 Willys Jeep - fabulous example with extremely rare functioning radio -  Duncan Hamilton ROFGO

Willys handla online,the fastest-growing brand in Sweden, has seen its brand value increase by 60% over the past year , outpacing its peers. It allowed the brand to capitalise on the exploding number of online customers by driving people to eat out less and cook at home through COVID-19.

An interview with Patrick Grabenbauer

Willys CMO Patrick Grabenbauer

A spike in online grocery shopping was caused by the pandemic. What is Willys’ response to this trend and how does it affect the way it develops relationships with consumers?    

A few retail industries have experienced anything like the spring 2020 online shopping breakthrough. Over the course of a few months, demand skyrocketed, not least among our more senior customers who had previously been less likely to shop online. With our strategy already adapted before the pandemic, we were prepared to embrace the change. Click & collect and omnichannel thinking were important investments. Therefore, we were able to scale quickly and offer good shopping experiences to our new online customers. In addition, many employees have worked tirelessly to ensure both new and existing customers are satisfied.We have found that e-commerce can help us strengthen our relationships with our customers. As a result, an online shopper spends more at Willys when they purchase more frequently and more often.   

Can you explain what you mean when you say that competitive prices and sustainability go hand in hand with Willys building its brand?    

Willys is committed to building its brand through sustainability. However, it’s imperative to emphasise that we do not believe in “greenwashing,” in simply symbolic actions, but in working with sustainability issues in real and meaningful ways. Sustainability and low prices are connected simply: the goal is to use our resources in such a way that benefits the environment and keeps prices low. A perfect example is the problem of food waste, which is perhaps the greatest sustainability issue facing our industry. In addition to reducing costs, we will be able to reduce food waste in our stores and earlier in the production and distribution chain. By using specially developed systems and routines inside stores, we reduce food waste. We also reduce the amount of unsellable products. Many fruits and vegetables with small defects have been saved, for example. Once discarded, they are now sold cheaply in bargain baskets. This helps the environment as well as consumers’ wallets.

In the future, how will the Willys brand contribute to long-term sustainable growth?  

In addition to Sweden’s cheapest grocery bag, we have a fundamentally strong concept. Regardless of the sales channel, low prices, a wide and attractive food selection, and a positive shopping experience. Brands cannot be strong if they do not have a good fundamental idea that adds value to customers. However, there are a number of good businesses that fail to become strong brands. It is therefore important to have both. Emotional reasons to make customers choose you with “the heart” in addition to rational reasons. We can achieve both of these things through our brand strategy, which is in turn tied to our long-term growth plan.