How Oh Lily! conquered International Food Markets with GS1 Digital Link

Oh Lily! Digital Link homepage
Oh Lily! Digital Link homepage

Oh Lily! is a London-based food and well-being brand inspired by Ayurveda, a natural system of medicine that originated in India over 3,000 years ago. Oh Lily! encourages conscious snacking as you tuck into foods that curb your appetite while providing health benefits.

When Dewi discovered GS1-powered QR codes and Orca Scan’s new GS1 Digital Link solution, she knew it was an excellent opportunity to share the benefits of water lily seeds so consumers worldwide can enjoy them as much as she does.

Since joining the Digital Link pilot scheme, Dewi has already noticed increased brand engagement and website sales.

Here’s her story 👇

The Challenge

Dewi and her sister Govinda first began sharing Oh Lily! products at local farmers’ markets in and around London, and it was clear that people were intrigued by this mysterious superfood. Fast forward five years, and Oh Lily! has launched in the UK and the US food retail markets, selling via their website and wholesalers.

However, some consumers were unsure how to use the products properly, and Dewi found herself at trade shows and events repeating answers to questions like “What is a water lily seed?” “How do I use these?” “What recipes can I use them in?”

Digital Link has helped us explain to customers what our products do in more detail
Dewi Cortier-AgrawalCo-founderOh Lily

Dewi knew she needed a solution that would be able to give customers all of this information in one place, freeing up her time and providing more opportunities to engage with them and other stallholders.

A little bit of context

During a trip to India, Dewi and Govinda rediscovered the power of an ancient superfood: the water lily seed. Used for centuries in Ayurvedic medicine due to its outstanding nutritional value, the water lily seed is a good source of protein. It provides high levels of iron, magnesium and beneficial amino acids with every bite.

The two French sisters set out to bring the Ayurvedic influence into healthy snacks that can be enjoyed worldwide. By combining French gourmet ingredients with this ancient superfood, Oh Lily! was born.

Dewi met John, Orca Scan founder, on the Cambridge Accelerate Programme, where she was first introduced to the GS1 Digital Link pilot study. She instantly knew this was the solution she had been looking for.

The brand mission is to share and encourage consumers to snack consciously with their healthy, super snacks, and GS1 Digital Link helps them do just that.

The Solution

GS1-powered QR Codes and Orca Scan’s new GS1 Digital Link solution provide brands with a new and exciting way to connect with consumers, giving them access to more information that would have previously been limited due to product packaging.

At our Todelli® pop-up store in Notting Hill, we saw a lot of people getting excited when they scanned the QR code on our products and found the unique website
Dewi Cortier-AgrawalCo-founderOh Lily

All Dewi and the team have to do is upload the barcode details for the product and generate the Digital Link QR code. This dynamic code can be placed on the packaging, and consumers can scan the code using their smartphone camera.

With a single scan on their mobile device, they can access information about the brand and its mission, nutritional and allergen information, recipes, where to buy, and much more!

Digital Link lets us connect and provide value to every customer, even if we can’t speak to them all
Dewi Cortier-AgrawalCo-founderOh Lily

The best bit? Dewi can change the information available via the Orca Scan platform, which means promotions, allergen information, and new recipes can be updated anytime without changing the packaging.

Has the solution been successful?

With a brand mission to share and encourage consumers to snack consciously with their healthy, water lily snacks, the implementation of GS1 Digital Link has given Oh Lily! the perfect platform to spread its message.

It has also increased customer engagement by providing more accessible information where and when the consumer needs it. They can now happily shop the products in their local health stores and learn more online while repurchasing from the comfort of their homes.

Digital Link is a cost-effective way of raising brand awareness, reaching customers, interacting with them & keep them coming back to you over and over again
Dewi Cortier-AgrawalCo-founderOh Lily

Additionally, GS1 Digital Link has provided opportunities for business growth. Since implementing Digital Link, Dewi has built relationships with yoga instructors who offer Oh Lily! snacks at retreats for guests. The yogis love the healthy snacks; learning about them and where they can find their favourite flavours with a single scan.

Oh Lily! has also expanded into the United States market, and allowing customers to easily connect with the brand overseas via the GS1 Digital Link barcode has made them feel more connected to their consumers.

While the team has seen increased sales since using GS1 Digital Link, Dewi can also watch each customer’s journey, how they use the products and where they repurchase them. This has helped them to track engagement through their existing analytics platform and grow brand awareness across the supply chain while nurturing strong relationships with their customers.

Thank you 🙏

Thank you to Dewi & Govinda for sharing your inspiring brand story. We are honoured to participate in your progress, and we’re glad you’ve enjoyed participating in our GS1 Digital Link pilot study. Here’s to the future ✨

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