CASE STUDY

Stuckey’s accelerates revenue growth 42.7% with real-time data from frontline sellers and Groopit

Stuckey’s is a manufacturer of pecan-themed branded snacks
and souvenirs, in business since 1937. Stephanie Stuckey took over
as CEO in 2019 and is transforming the company into a profitable, high-growth business. Today, Stuckey’s manufactures and sells 345 products
through 2,750 channel partners and franchise locations. Stuckey’s employs a team of field sales reps responsible for calling on stores every day.

Stuckey’s field team use Groopit to share real-time data on merchandising, promotions and competitors.

The results

  • Stuckey revenue grew 42.7% in the first year using Groopit.
  • Stuckey’s spends 50% less time in weekly meetings related to sales because they share real-time updates with Groopit.
  • Sales meetings are spent discussing more strategic issues.
  • Team engagement and accountability at an all-time high.
  • Leaders make informed decisions with real-time data from the sales team.
  • CEO, Stephanie Stuckey, says Groopit is making a direct business impact.

How Stuckey’s uses Groopit

At every site visit, field sales reps share key data with a few quick taps:
Merchandising information, including display photos and manager feedback.
Competitive product details, including SKU’s, pricing, and manufacturer.
Opportunities to increase sales and own the shelf.

“Groopit is a must-have for on-the-go teams who
need real time data to advance their business… In
our case, that often comes down to what’s selling,
what’s not, and why. As a company rich in traditions,
Stuckey’s benefits from embracing new technologies
so our retro brand can more easily adapt to the
current product trends.”

Stephanie Stuckey
CEO, Stuckey’s Corporation

About Stuckey’s 

Founded by W. S. Stuckey, Sr. in 1937 in Eastman, Georgia, Stuckey’s began as a small operation manufacturing pecan-themed branded snacks and catering to road trippers in the southeastern United States. Over the last 85 years, Stuckey’s
has established itself as a roadside oasis for travelers with its high quality and fun snacks and souvenirs. In 2019 Stephanie Stuckey, the granddaughter of W.S., took over as CEO of Stuckey’s with a desire to build on her grandparents’ legacy. She
wanted to continue to offer customers the same great products and experiences they had come to expect from Stuckey’s but recognized she needed to make changes to drive profitability.

Stephanie had to find a way to boost revenues and manage costs to succeed in today’s increasingly competitive business environment. She could not count on a traditional distribution model alone to yield results. Stephanie set about transforming Stuckey’s into a thriving modern business by expanding its distribution reach and increasing sales through partner channels. It was a huge undertaking, and getting it right has been a critical step in Stuckey’s success.

Stuckey’s business & operations 

There are 65 owned or franchised Stuckey’s locations. They also distribute branded snacks in over 2,750 partner stores.

Stuckey’s employs a team of field sales reps responsible for calling on stores to check on merchandising displays and competitor products. 

The challenge

Expanding distribution comes with challenges. How and where your products show up is everything, and when selling through channel partners, you naturally have less control over how products are displayed and maintained. Stephanie counts on her sales team to ensure Stuckey’s products show up as intended in the retail environment. They are her eyes and ears, providing her with the intelligence she needs to make strategic decisions for her business—what channel partners are saying, what competitors are doing, and which sales strategies are working.

However, with a distributed sales team, it can be difficult to get consistent information quickly and to keep everyone at Stuckey’s – in the corporate office and in the field – on the same page. Each of Stephanie’s sales reps visit 5-10 stores every day, and tracking those visits was extremely cumbersome. Before finding Groopit, Stuckey’s relied on its Friday sales meeting for communication and alignment. At these meetings, each rep would provide a readout of their week: where they went, what they saw, what they heard from customers.

The Groopit Effect

Stephanie learned about Groopit from her business network and was encouraged to try it to facilitate more effective data sharing between Stuckey’s field sales team and Stuckey’s corporate staff that handles marketing, product development, operations and strategy. The team shares: 

The benefits of Groopit were immediately apparent. Groopit’s user-friendly interface and lightweight tech made adoption easy, and it was quickly implemented by the sales team, providing a place for staff to share updates in real time. As a result, the team spent 50% less time in its weekly sales meeting.

With routine updates shared in Groopit, the team was free to use its meetings to discuss more strategic topics like display concepts and merchandising trends. Reps are more engaged than ever and feel they are making a direct contribution to the brand’s success.

Stephanie has seen a direct business impact in situations where she needed to quickly surface an opportunity, get feedback, and take action. This has happened frequently at trade shows when evaluating new product offerings for Stuckey’s branded stores. With Groopit, Stephanie can share photos and pricing with the team in real time, get feedback from the team on whether they think the product will move, and make an informed decision quickly, often closing the deal before leaving the booth.

Groopit has become one of Stuckey’s most dependable and valued field sales tools. Since implementing Groopit, Stuckey’s revenue has grown 42.7% and sales team engagement and satisfaction is at an all time high.

Groopit is a great way to facilitate cross-functional team alignment and for me
to see how Stuckey’s is showing up in the field. Our sales reps are the eyes and
ears of Stuckey’s, and now we have a simple, easy way to communicate
what they’re seeing and hearing in the field to the corporate office.

Stephanie Stuckey, CEO, Stuckey’s Corporation

With Groopit for CPG you’ll gain visibility, own the shelf, and increase your category sales,

  • Get your field teams sharing real-time data on merchandising, promotions, and competitors
  • Make the most out of your site visits and boost productivity
  • See patterns immediately to improve retail execution and sales
  • Employees share with a few simple taps from where they already work
  • Everyone involved will make better, faster decisions

Learn more about Groopit for CPG.