Kespro: Changing how Finnish restaurants achieve profitability with the new Recipe service

After the pandemic, Finnish restaurateurs faced multiple challenges. Inflation has driven up consumers’ living costs, reducing disposable income and limiting how often people eat out. At the same time, the cost of raw materials and ingredients has surged. The ripple effects of the war in Ukraine - particularly rising energy prices - have further increased restaurants operational expenses, squeezing margins. Industry data paints a grim picture: more than 3,000 hospitality businesses declared bankruptcy in 2024, a 10% rise over 2023.

Kespro's research - including interviews with dozens of small and mid‑sized restaurant owners - revealed that most restaurants struggled with profitability, which often revolved around creating menus with smart cost management. Food and beverage profit margins must cover substantial operating costs: staff expenses (27-42% on average), food waste (exceptionally high in buffet-style establishments), and other costs such as rent, and energy costs.

When studying the existing profit‑management tools and solutions, the team found that most were cumbersome, siloed, or non‑existent. Many kitchens still relied on handwritten notes or spreadsheets, updating recipes sometimes only annually.

Recipes service has been embraced swiftly across Finland’s restaurant scene. In its first nine months, customers created over 7,000 recipes on the platform, with an average recipe creation time of five minutes.

More than 3000 users were actively managing menus in Recipes, and the service’s Net Promoter Score is 77. Beyond these metrics, Recipes has helped Kespro to improve its customer relationships. Field teams and sales experts now routinely include Recipes in their conversations, unlocking new wholesale leads and growing existing accounts.

The new service highlighted Kespro's evolution from wholesaler to service provider. This service distinguishes Kespro from other local and international wholesalers, as it is currently the only wholesale company offering such a solution.

In March 2025, Kespro's Recipes service, developed in collaboration with Futurice and other partners, was awarded the Grand Prix in the Services category at the Grand One 2025, Finland’s largest digital media competition. In addition to the main prize, the service also received the Best Service Design award and an honorable mention.