Project name | Supper Chefs’ International Expansion
Project code | ALT20-01-0752-FEDER-025298
Main Objective | Strengthening the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises
Region of intervention | Alentejo
Beneficiary entity | SUPPER CHEFS, LDA

Date of approval | 29-03-2017
Start date | 01-11-2016
End date | 31-10-2018
Total eligible cost | € 300,809.87
Financial support from the European Union | ERDF - € 135,364.44

Project description

Supper Chefs' international expansion project is aimed at promoting the catering business, namely facilitating the hiring of a Private Chef to provide a food experience in the comfort and privacy of the clients’ home. As the Portuguese market presents a limited growth potential and since its business model is clearly and easily scalable internationally, Supper Chefs has identified its international expansion as an opportunity for growth that should be explored early on to prevent this market opportunity to be taken by other players that may arise in the meantime. For the success of its internationalization plan and to achieve its objectives, the promoter planned the following actions:
- Presence in international fairs, as a visitor in an earlier stage and later on with a stand of its own, holding trips to new markets, holding events to showcase the brand and Supper Chefs’ services to strategic audiences in each market, with the purpose of directly addressing potential clients and partners and making its offer known;
- In each market, digital marketing and traditional advertising actions will be carried out to make the company and its services known and to promote the brand, increasing the notoriety of the project and achieving the desired visibility;
- Tailoring the website to each market, including market-specific content and photography that illustrates the gastronomic offer, with the image quality and design aligned with the target positioning in those markets. A wide range of website functionalities will also be developed;
- Development of a mobile application to complement the website experience and producing a corporate video;
- Creation and registration of the trademark and its logo on the national and European markets;
- Acquisition of an International Marketing Assessment.

Supper Chefs intends to roll out an expansion strategy into 5 target markets (Spain, France, United Kingdom, Italy and Germany) to increase its international turnover. It established the following goals:
- Increase the visibility and notoriety of the Supper Chefs’ brand;
- Increase and consolidate its presence in foreign markets, decrease its reliance on the domestic market, and reach international sales over 25% of its total sales;
- Maintain a sustainable growth, with the cost structure adjusted to the set profitability goals.

Results achieved

Overall, the project was executed within expectations. International trips and events, as well as international marketing campaigns, international PR and press relations, hiring of technical staff and brand registration, were carried out. A relevant investment was made to expand the brand and locally offer Private Chef services in Spain and, later, in England (both markets are available on this website). Investments were also made in the French and Swiss markets.
The international expansion project was rolled out successfully, with sales in 2019 spread across 14 international markets. In the post-project year (2020) the range of markets decreased due to the pandemic and the ensuing measures and constraints enacted by governments - even so, in 2020, the brand sold services across 6 international markets, of which Germany saw an increase in sales.
It is intended to continue investing in the international growth and expansion of Supper Chefs.