Bringing a food brand to life through multichannel marketing – Go-Tan used an event partnership to the max

Go-Tan, a Dutch family-owned food company, aspires to be a market leader in Asian sauces. Their aim with Sanoma was to build an efficient and strong media plan with a focus of creating awareness around Go-Tan sriracha among a young adult audience.

A food brand can only get so far through digital channels, which was why Go-Tan looked beyond screen-based options in Sanoma’s portfolio. Himos Festival 2026 included a branded Go-Tan Sriracha Stage and a tasting booth.

“We can say a lot of things about why our sauces are great, but in the end, people need to experience them for themselves. On top of that, we’re a fun brand with an intention of being disruptive, engaging and entertaining with our marketing. For a young audience, what’s more fun in the middle of summer than a festival?” says Steyn Beekers, Go-Tan’s Brand Communication Manager.

A Diverse Selection of Channels Based on Rigorous Data

The basis of Go-Tan’s campaign was a TV commercial filmed earlier the same year. They wanted to find as many channels as possible that would work with a 15–20-second non-skippable video format with audio on, but also to add touchpoints to convey the message beyond those seconds.

In addition to the event partnership with the Himos Festival, Sanoma used data to build a media mix that included radio promotions, TV advertising and sponsorship, advertising on streaming service Ruutu, digital advertising and influencer collaborations with Sanoma’s radio hosts. Outside of Sanoma’s channels, Go-Tan advertised on social media and YouTube.

The media choices provided a view into how the media use of Gen Z differs from country to country.

"The media choices provided a view into how the media use of Gen Z differs from country to country. "

Steyn Beekers

Brand Communication Manager

Go-Tan

The result: 80 per cent of the target group reached

The media mix proved efficient: according to Sanoma’s brand tracking, around 80 per cent of 18–35-year-old Finns recalled coming across the campaign in one channel or another. This aligns nicely with Go-Tan’s goal of reaching 80 per cent of the target group six times during the campaign.

“From brand, media and creative perspectives, the campaign did very well,” Steyn Beekers applauds.

As a small team running large campaigns, Go-Tan’s marketing team found the advice and expertise of Sanoma’s 400+ professionals invaluable. While working directly with a media house may not be typical in other countries, Beekers considers this type of collaboration smooth and cost-effective.

“It’s not always easy to manage the capacity of everything we do, so we look for partners who are proactive and take ownership of the project. We really found that through Sanoma.”

Steyn Beekers

Brand Communication Manager

Go-Tan

Well-researched marketing investments make for profitable growth

The backbone of Go-Tan is the passion for food that stems from the family’s Indonesian roots. Since the first generation began trading in Indonesian snacks in the 1950s Netherlands, precision about taste has been a priority in business.

“We call ourselves a food-loving family and do live by that. Nothing leaves our factory that we don’t love”, says Han Go, Creative Director of Go-Tan and a second-generation member of the founding family.

Marketing is another staple of Go-Tan’s profitable growth. Being a first mover in terms of sriracha and sriracha mayo in mainstream European supermarkets first brought organic growth, but the more competing brands emerged, the more researched the marketing investments needed to become.

According to Go, the secret to the company’s success is a combination of thinking in numbers and leaving room for creativity in product development and marketing. He also recognises the luck involved.

“The popularity of Asian food has been growing everywhere. It’s a good wave to ride if you do it with a bit of intelligence.”

The colder the weather, the more demand for hot sauce

Finland is the most successful of Go-Tan’s markets, with highest revenue per capita. As a relatively small market, it’s easier and more budget-friendly to penetrate compared to many larger ones. Working with a Nordic investor, Orkla, Go-Tan feels right at home in the Nordic countries.

“The culture is close to that in the Netherlands. We like the clear and direct communication and fun and enjoyable working atmosphere”, Han Go says.

Finland seems to love Go-Tan right back – the further north you go in Europe, the more demand there is for hot sauce.

“When my son was young, he asked me if you could survive in the cold with some bottles of hot sauce. Steyn and I want to return to Finland to test that.”