Introduction

When you think of a cookie that’s conquered café counters and social media feeds alike, one brand stands out—Lotus Biscoff. Known for its caramelized crunch and warm, spiced flavor, Biscoff has quietly transformed from a Belgian café staple into a global cult favorite. But this sweet rise wasn’t just about taste—it’s a brilliant case study in brand marketing and martech execution.

In this blog, we break down the marketing strategies that made Biscoff a household name and what modern marketers can learn from its success.

The Origins: A Humble Beginning in Belgium

The Lotus brand was founded in 1932 in Lembeke, Belgium. Originally called Speculoos, the cookie was a café classic, often served with coffee. For decades, Biscoff remained a beloved but local favorite—until the brand made one smart move: pairing product with purpose.

By positioning Biscoff as the “cookie that perfectly complements coffee”, Lotus tapped into everyday rituals. This message was clear, emotional, and instantly memorable—a hallmark of strong branding.

Brand Positioning: Coffee’s Best Companion

Lotus Biscoff didn’t try to compete with chocolate chip or cream-filled cookies. Instead, it carved its niche by becoming the ideal pairing for coffee.

Key Branding Moves:

• Consistent messaging: Every wrapper, café, and commercial emphasized the coffee connection.
• Global distribution: Biscoff was offered as an in-flight snack by airlines, introducing the brand to millions of international travelers.
• Visual identity: The iconic red and white packaging with gold script remains unchanged—creating familiarity and trust.

This narrow yet powerful positioning created a strong memory structure, reinforcing Biscoff’s role in moments of pause, comfort, and caffeine.

Going Viral: Biscoff Meets Social Media

Biscoff’s true marketing magic kicked in during the rise of Instagram and TikTok. Home bakers and food influencers began featuring Biscoff in cheesecakes, milkshakes, and truffles—fueling user-generated content that Lotus smartly embraced.

Martech Tactics that Worked:

• Hashtag campaigns like #biscofflove and #biscoffspread sparked virality.
• Influencer collaborations drove reach in niche baking communities.
• Limited-time flavors like Biscoff Ice Cream and Biscoff & Go generated FOMO (Fear of Missing Out).
• User-generated content (UGC) became the brand’s most powerful social proof.

According to Google Trends, searches for “Biscoff recipes” increased by over 300% between 2019 and 2021, highlighting the dessert’s social-powered boom.

Product Diversification: The Spread That Spread the Brand

One of the most brilliant extensions of the brand came in the form of Biscoff Spread—a creamy version of the cookie that could be used on toast, in desserts, or straight from the jar.

This expansion:

• Opened up new usage occasions
• Created Instagrammable recipes
• Strengthened the emotional connection with food lovers

Biscoff leveraged martech tools like CRM-driven email campaigns, geotargeted product launches, and analytics-driven demand forecasting to time these launches to perfection.

Data-Driven Decisions: Martech in Action

Lotus Biscoff doesn’t just rely on creative branding—it actively uses MarTech platforms for:

• Audience segmentation and personalized content
• Social listening tools to identify trending recipes and regions
• Programmatic advertising to retarget baking enthusiasts
• SEO-rich content marketing on recipe blogs, driving organic traffic

This tech-backed strategy enabled Biscoff to turn loyal users into brand advocates, contributing to their explosive growth in both B2B (cafés, airlines) and B2C (retail shelves) markets.

By the Numbers: Lotus Biscoff’s Impact

Here are some notable stats that highlight the cookie’s martech-powered success:

• Available in over 60 countries
• More than 6 billion cookies produced annually
• The brand saw double-digit growth year-over-year from 2017 to 2022 (Statista)

What Marketers Can Learn from Lotus Biscoff

Whether you’re a D2C brand or a legacy food label, here are actionable lessons from Biscoff’s playbook:

• Find your niche and own it
• Leverage user-generated content for authenticity
• Create versatile products that align with digital culture
• Let data guide innovation and expansion
• Use storytelling to build brand emotion

Final Thoughts & CTA

Lotus Biscoff is more than a cookie—it’s a marketing masterclass. From product positioning and packaging to digital virality and Martech integration, it has checked every box on the branding playbook.

Are you looking to build an irresistible brand using Martech? Explore our services at iTMunch to take your product from the shelf to stardom.