Walk into Russo Gourmet Foods & Market in Wyomissing, Pa., and the sights, sounds, and smells will tell the story: catering orders flowing in, a full staff orchestrating daily operations, an import/export business bringing authentic Italian products across the Atlantic, white-labeled goods, and customers streaming through the doors. The owner knew the value of maintaining a strong social media presence that captured the essence of this culinary haven, but between picking the right music, stitching clips together, and keeping up with Facebook and Instagram's constantly shifting tools and algorithms, that was one more thing on an already overflowing plate. We stepped in to handle the reels, and the results spoke for themselves.
Social platforms don't stand still. Features get added, removed, redesigned. What worked last month might be buried in menus this month. Trends rise and fall faster than fresh bread sells out on a Saturday morning. For someone running a thriving specialty market, staying on top of those changes while also running the business felt nearly impossible.
We started our partnership by covering one of Russo's cooking classes, and that first post set the tone for everything that followed. The video made a splash. Not because we did anything overly complicated, but because we captured the warmth, expertise, and genuine passion that makes Russo special. Who doesn't love covering delicious food and drinks? But more importantly, we loved showcasing the people and stories behind those beautiful charcuterie boards and imported Italian wines.
From there, we worked closely with the owner to establish content pillars that truly represented the breadth of what Russo offers. This couldn't be a one-note social presence focused only on products or only on events. We needed to entertain, yes, but also educate. We wanted followers to learn about the difference between Parmigiano-Reggiano aging classifications, to see the care that goes into preparing catering orders, to understand the family legacy woven into every corner of the shop.
The content strategy became a reflection of Russo itself: rich, layered, and authentic.
Over a three-month campaign, we increased their follower base by 10%—steady, organic growth from people genuinely interested in what Russo had to offer. But the standout moment came from a single video that achieved over 125,000 views on Facebook. For a page with 7,000 followers, that's the kind of reach that proves the content resonated far beyond their existing audience. That video didn't just entertain; it introduced Russo to thousands of people who might never have walked through their doors otherwise.
The relief for the owner was tangible. She could focus on what she does best - running an exceptional specialty market and creating memorable experiences for her customers - while knowing her social media presence stayed active, on-brand, and effective.
Our content strategy balanced entertainment with education. Russo's audience didn't just want to see beautiful food; they want to understand what made it special. We created content that explained the provenance of imported products, highlighted the expertise behind catering preparation, and showcased the family traditions that made Russo more than just another specialty shop.
The cooking class content exemplified our approach. Rather than simply filming and posting, we captured the warmth of the instruction, the genuine interaction between chef and participants, and the finished dishes in all their glory. The video format let viewers experience the class vicariously, building desire to attend future sessions while demonstrating Russo's expertise and welcoming atmosphere.
The platforms keep changing their tools, the trends keep evolving, but Russo's story keeps getting told. Sometimes the best creative partnership is the one that takes something off your plate so you can focus on filling everyone else's.
If this case study has sparked an idea for your business, let’s talk about how to bring it to life. Send us a message with a few details about what you’ve got in mind, and we’ll start revving up our creative engine.
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Based in Reading, PA
(610) 207 3653
zach@bellmediagrp.com