The Recipe for Scaling Biscotti Dolci in the Digital Age

Overview

For over 30 years, the Gorizia family operated a thriving wholesale bread business in Brooklyn, supplying restaurants, markets, and specialty shops across the region. Nearly a decade ago, they began experimenting with a small line of Italian cookies. What started as a side project quickly gained traction — customers loved the biscotti, rainbow cookies, and classic Italian treats.

Recognizing the stronger growth opportunity, Biscotti Dolci officially transitioned away from bread and into wholesale cookies around four years ago. Today, the company is co-owned and managed by twin brothers Alessio and his sibling, with Alessio balancing hands-on bakery operations with business growth initiatives.

Biscotti Dolci now sells through two key channels:

• Direct-to-Consumer (DTC): E-commerce site shipping nationwide, with digital ads currently focused east of the Mississippi.
• Business-to-Business (B2B): Specialty retail partners in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and select distributors in the Midwest.

The DTC channel has become the brand’s primary growth driver, particularly during seasonal demand spikes like Easter, Passover, and the winter holidays.

Challenges

Like many family-owned businesses transitioning from wholesale to e-commerce, Biscotti Dolci faced hurdles:

1. Shifting from ROI to Profitability Metrics
   Alessio initially evaluated ads based on Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) alone, aiming for 5–6x ROI. While helpful for channel analysis, ROAS didn’t capture the full profitability picture. The team guided him toward focusing on Marketing Efficiency Ratio (MER) — a holistic measure of revenue generated versus total marketing spend.
2. Shipping Costs Creating Conversion Friction
   Biscotti Dolci uses a flat $10 shipping fee. While manageable in the East, this fee deterred customers in western states and cut into margins — limiting nationwide scaling.
3. New Digital Infrastructure
   
   • Klaviyo was only recently implemented.
   • Email flows like cart abandonment and product-specific remarketing were not yet established.
   • Customer data segmentation and automation were still in early stages.
4. Creative Resource Management
   Alessio had recently invested in a professional creative set. While this provided a strong foundation, further creative testing (like UGC and behind-the-scenes content) had to be carefully planned to avoid additional costs.
5. Seasonality and Demand Spikes
   Biscotti Dolci’s sales are highly seasonal. For example:
   
   • April–May: Spikes during Easter, Passover, and Mother’s Day.
   • June: Double revenue during Father’s Day week.
   • November–December: Strongest revenue growth, peaking mid-to-late December.

Scaling effectively during these windows was critical.

Strategy

Paid Media: Google Ads

The team designed a tiered campaign structure that balances prospecting, remarketing, and profitability:

• Shopping Campaign (Feeder): Casts a wide net to introduce new customers
• Performance Max (Core Driver): Targets high-value auctions and remarketing
• Branded Search: Ensures Biscotti Dolci captures demand from customers already searching for the brand.

Our approach focused on three pillars:

1. Performance Marketing That Scales

We developed a campaign structure designed to both introduce new customers to Biscotti Dolci and capture high-intent buyers. By balancing broad reach campaigns with precise, high-value targeting, we ensured growth while maintaining profitability.

2. Building Owned Channels

To reduce reliance on paid ads and strengthen long-term customer value, we implemented a foundational email marketing program. This included automation for abandoned carts and the groundwork for seasonal and product-specific campaigns.

3. Creative Storytelling

We leveraged Biscotti Dolci’s new professional creative assets while laying the foundation for more authentic storytelling through user-generated content and behind-the-scenes bakery footage. This combination helped showcase both the quality of the products and the brand’s artisanal roots.

Results to Date

• Shifted from a narrow ROI lens to tracking MER, providing a more accurate understanding of true marketing profitability.
• Launched Biscotti Dolci’s first automated email flows, opening a new revenue channel.
• Established a scalable paid media structure that balances growth with profitability.
• Positioned the brand to capitalize on peak seasonal demand periods like Easter and the holidays.

Looking Ahead

With a strong digital foundation in place, Biscotti Dolci is poised for its next stage of growth:

• Nationwide expansion of paid media campaigns.
• Seasonal campaign activations aligned with key holidays.
• Creative diversification into UGC and storytelling formats.
• Channel expansion into Meta Ads for broader reach and brand awareness.