Case Study: OpenKnowledge uncovers optimal European expansion cities for Bella&Brava with Talkwalker image recognition

How OpenKnowledge uncovered business opportunities using image recognition technology

Bella&Brava is a Venice-based pizza startup that reimagines Italian pizza for a young, sustainability-minded audience with vegetarian and vegan options. Facing the challenge of choosing the best European locations for expansion and adapting their menu to local tastes while avoiding linguistic and cultural blind spots, they partnered with consultancy OpenKnowledge to tap social media as a primary research channel.

OpenKnowledge used Talkwalker’s image recognition to analyze hundreds of thousands of user-generated pizza images (starting with ~454,500 and narrowing to geo-tagged sets), created four audience-relevant keyword clusters (Healthy, Made in Italy, Vegetarian, Vegan), and built a Compatibility Index to rank cities. The study produced a top-10 city shortlist, uncovered local risks and opportunities (e.g., terrace demand, presence of franchises vs. boutique restaurants), and delivered menu and drink recommendations—insights that led Bella&Brava to prioritize site visits and refine expansion plans.

OpenKnowledge

Ilaria Baietti

Director - Brand Interaction