HOW WE WORK

Procedures & Consulting Fees

What Sets Us Apart

AUTHENTIC, CREDIBLE AND TRUSTWORTHY COLLABORATION

We believe in the importance of questioning, taking a stance, having an opinion and expressing it. We are certain: This is the only way good consultancy can function. In times when digital technologies are rapidly changing our economy, mobility and coexistence, producers, retailers and restaurateurs not only need to regularly question themselves, but also require critical and honest sparring partners. We gladly and passionately fulfil this role.

On this journey, we don’t follow a one-size-fits-all approach; we don’t have pre-fabricated solutions in our drawers. We see ourselves as an idea forge and incubator. Our consultancy is tailored to your specific questions and needs. It is bespoke and high-quality work, based on our many years of experience and our extensive, international network.

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Our Work Process

Procedure / Workflow

Our work is both analysis and craftsmanship, and thus a continuous evolution in doing, changing, and improving.We ask ourselves: Which dialogue processes and planning tools are the simplest and most effective when it comes to identifying, critically sorting, and then fulfilling the real and most urgent needs of our clients? An important part of our work is also alleviating fears of change, instilling confidence, and promptly initiating further processes. Pragmatic and swift, affordable and sustainable.

While we provide a range of advisory services, it is essential to clarify that we are not a commission-based sales force. Our role as trusted consultants involves delivering business intelligence, market studies, tailored solutions, strategic insights and support with market entry.

Consulting is a process…not a product

1. ANALYSIS & VISION

Once the consulting contract is negotiated and signed, we begin with a webinar or half-day workshop and a thorough analysis. During this meeting, we analyze your initial situation, your greatest challenges, wishes, difficult issues and consulting needs.

2. CONCEPT

Based on the data and insights gained, we develop a customized concept and business case as well as strategic solution proposals according to the specific tasks. Ideally, this phase takes place in close cooperation and coordination with the management and the extended management circle so the consultant is provided with all principal data and information.

3. IMPLEMENTATION

Together with the management and the employees in the company, the planned measures are now implemented. The main objective is to achieve business goals for profitability and business growth and address the identified weaknesses. Depending on the mandate, we advise and support you in the creation and monitoring of objectives and annual plans, strategies, organization, employee coaching, ensuring quality management, marketing, brand positioning and sales.

4. COMPLETION

Through continuous support and monitoring, we ensure the long-term success of the measures taken and expand your network by bringing in and using our long-standing industry contacts. After the successful completion of the project, we jointly analyze the achievement followed by a project closeout meeting. You will benefit from our tracking and reporting process to document tangible results. This will increase sustainability of the entire project. With a final project report and a discussion of next steps that could follow (depending on project type) our consulting project is complete.

Project development

Communication

We maintain open and transparent communication with our clients from the outset. This includes:

Clear presentation of the project’s objectives, expectations and potential challenges
Honest communication about progress, as well as any difficulties or delays
Willingness to answer the client’s questions in detail and clarify any uncertainties

The frequency of communication is tailored to the client’s needs and the complexity of the project. In general, we recommend:

Weekly or fortnightly brief updates via Zoom or telephone
Monthly or bi-monthly face-to-face meetings, as well as
Ad hoc communication for important developments or urgent matters

Furthermore, we work with digital Scrum boards, which document the progress of individual project steps and to which the client has password-protected, exclusive access.

Results and Forecasts Prior to a Consultancy Engagement

The promise that specific outcomes or revenues can be forecasted or guaranteed in advance of a consultancy engagement should be viewed with great caution, in our opinion. A reputable consultancy should:

provide transparency regarding the uncertainties and assumptions inherent in the forecasts
use evidence-based approaches to make the best possible predictions, always highlighting the inherent uncertainties, and
make continuous adjustments as new data becomes available or as circumstances change.

While tools such as “Predictive Analytics,” which are based on statistical models and machine learning to predict future events from historical data, can offer valuable insights or forecasts, no specific outcomes can be anticipated without thorough analysis, business intelligence, market research, and clear agreements.

Effectiveness Measurement

We employ a series of key performance indicators (KPIs) for all our strategic activities. Their selection and weighting is always tailored to the product-related objectives and the customer’s needs. A regular review and adjustment of the KPIs is important to ensure their relevance and informative value.

Degree of Goal Achievement: Measurement of the extent to which the strategic goals agreed upon with the client have been achieved.
Implementation Rate: Proportion of recommendations and measures actually implemented.
Return on Consulting (ROC): Calculation of the financial benefit of the consulting service in relation to its costs.
Improvement of Relevant Business Metrics: Depending on the consulting focus, these may include revenue growth, cost reduction, productivity increase, or market share gains.
Innovation Rate: Number of innovations or improvements in processes, products, or services initiated and implemented through the consulting.

Supplementary Services: Enhancing Consulting Experience

Convenience is crucial in today’s fast-paced business environment. Our international clients exporting to Europe without local offices often face tasks beyond strategic management consulting, yet vital for their operations:

AI/IT consulting and implementation
Operational strategy implementation
Process optimisation
Sales and key account management
Customer visits and trade fair services
Marketing and campaign execution
HR services, including employer branding and recruitment

Supplementary services can significantly influence a client’s decision-making process. When choosing between consultants, clients often prefer those offering comprehensive support. To meet this need, we strive to provide flexible, efficient, and valuable solutions that extend beyond traditional management consulting. Through our subsidiaries, CLATU SOLUTIONS and CLATU ACADEMY, we offer a wide range of services addressing these additional requirements.

CLATU Solutions

CLATU Academy

This information only represents a rough and highly abbreviated process. In practice, the respective change solutions and accompanying processes are usually much more complex. The corresponding procedure will be carefully coordinated with you within the framework of personal, individual support.

Consulting fees

When working with FOOD AND WINE CULTURE Consulting, you receive the experience and performance of large consulting firms at the considerably more favourable conditions of a boutique consultancy. However, depending on the situation, level of knowledge, scope of services and duration of the respective project, the workload for us as consultants varies greatly. Therefore, we cannot quote a flat fee at this point. Consultancy is a process… not a product.

In the course of initial conversations, workshops and telephone calls, we will work out an appropriate project fee according to these rates:

Hourly rate: Suitable for small projects with predictable, billable hours;
Project-based flat rate: A one-time package price for a fixed scope of work;
Retainer model: A monthly fee for the continuous provision of consultancy services;
Flat rate subscription model: Initially 6 months on demand (approx. 12 hours per month) and only when you need it;
Base fee plus commission: An ROI-based fee structure that is more than a classic “time for money” remuneration model and where you remunerate us a percentage of the turnover you generate through our work…

→ Start the conversation today! Describe your current situation to us and we will show you procedures and possible solutions.

PROJECT DEVELOPMENT