Abstract:

Subway, the world's biggest restaurant company by number of outlets, is an excellent example of a successful regional expansion of an American company into Latin America. With more than 4,400 restaurants in over 30 countries in the region, Subway became a part of life for millions of consumers from different nationalities and cultures, with a consistent brand promise of healthy, fresh and affordable casual food. This success, however, is not the result of a simple rollout of a fixed business model, but rather a careful exploration on how to translate the brand's values to local consumers. Market research had a central role in this process, allowing the company to turn understanding of consumer's choices and behaviors into actionable marketing plans.