Torani launches recipe Chatbot to boost social commerce

Brands that are trying to extend beyond social and loyalty to the next level of scalable engagement could think about chatbots to increase customer engagement.

Flavoured syrup brand, Torani launched its Torani Recipe Assistant chatbot to attract millennials and increase brand loyalty.

Established in 1925 in the North Beach neighbourhood of San Francisco, California, this 90-year-old, family-owned start-up company was willing to incorporate new chatbot technologies to support its customer base.

It partnered with San Francisco based Reve Marketing which has had success in the development of first-generation chatbots.

One of the biggest challenges for brands is starting a discussion with a consumer and following it with a completed transaction such as a visit to the web site or a product purchase.

Food brands are now starting to use chatbots, and Torani, established in 1925, decided to try this method of 'consumer engagement through recipes'.

The Facebook Messenger conversational chatbot helps you navigate through more than 1,650 recipe options on Torani's website .

The chatbot pops up and you can choose from a variety of options. The chatbot itself uses simple responses to give you recipes based on food, hot and cold drinks, and seasonal recipes.

A link takes you to the recipe on the Torani web site. I had a simple conversation with the Recipe Assistant which quickly gave me an easy to explore the variety of recipes on the site, with possibilities to turn my initial flavour choice into something that sounded delicious.

The Torani Recipe Assistant will generate analytical data in four major categories: Chat engagement metrics, consumer pathway modelling, content-based metrics, and eventually, loyalty measurement.

The Recipe Assistant is online by 24/7 to help consumers find recipes for Torani products quickly on Facebook Messenger.

Jennifer Morimoto, Senior Digital Marketing Manager at Torani said: "Torani fans are always looking for creative ways to use our products, and we think the conversational bot technology will make it easier than ever to access our recipes and discover new ways to try out our flavours.

Messaging, especially on Facebook, has clearly established itself as the preferred method of communication for Millennials and Gen Z."