Manna Achieves 88% Adoption Rate with Their Branded Employee App

About Manna 

Manna is a Belgian family business from Boom, active since 1935 and now led by the fourth generation. What started as a local producer has grown into an international player in sauces, with markets in:

• Retail (30%)
• Foodservice (15%)
• Export (55%)
  
  

Key Figures:

• 90 years in 2025
• 140 employees
• 2 production sites
• €70+ million in revenue
• 14 nationalities represented in the workforce
  
  

The Challenge: from fragmentation to connection

Manna faced a classic challenge: how to connect employees spread across multiple shifts, departments, and locations—many of whom have no access to email or office communication.

11 reasons why Manna needed an employee app

1. Continuous production across two sites made it difficult to reach colleagues working night and weekend shifts.
2. Workers lacked professional email addresses, relying on private emails that led to unreliable communication.
3. No centralized platform existed for sharing successes or celebrating achievements.
4. Lack of visibility made it hard for employees to share pride or accomplishments.
5. Low engagement resulted from poor event attendance, high absenteeism, and limited initiative.
6. Language barriers were a challenge, with 14 nationalities requiring multilingual communication.
7. WhatsApp overload created privacy concerns, lack of control, and non-compliance with GDPR.
8. Personal and work communication became mixed due to improper use of WhatsApp.
9. Sharing photos and videos was impractical via email and unsafe via WhatsApp.
   
   
10. No straightforward channel existed for gathering feedback, conducting polls, or confirming message reads.
11. Scattered tools and inaccessible documents made knowledge sharing inefficient and frustrating.

The Solution: Speakap – “Manna Saucial”

Manna partnered with Speakap to create a branded employee app: “Manna Saucial” – a central communication channel for all employees, regardless of location, language, or function.

Why Speakap?

• Segmented communication (by team, site, function)
• 1-on-1 and group communication
• Language support with automatic translation
• Multimedia support: videos, photos, polls, events
• GDPR-compliant, centrally managed by Manna
• Integration with internal tools and knowledge base
• Branded app with familiar look and feel
• Two-way communication: comments, likes, GIFs
• Read-confirmation for important messages

Pre-launch & Activation

The introduction of Manna Saucial was thoroughly prepared and rolled out step-by-step, focusing on communication, experience, and activation:

• July 5: Sports day featuring TEAM SAUCIAL shirts.
• July 8: Window stickers applied at both sites.
• July 12: Balloons & cupcakes in the cafeterias.
• July 19: Official launch on “Fun Friday” with giveaways (Doppers) and a promotional stand.

Relevant stakeholders

• HR, Marketing, and IT as key drivers.
• Management as role models: Actively engaging by liking, posting, and providing feedback.
• Awareness around personal branding and team recognition.

What are the results 8 months in?

From its launch in July to March next year, the Manna Saucial app achieved impressive results, demonstrating high adoption and engagement across the workforce:

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1. Out of 140 invited employees, 124 activated their accounts, resulting in an adoption rate of 88%.
2. The platform saw an average of 50 active users per day, with approximately 5,500 sessions per month, reflecting consistent engagement.
3. Interaction rates were also strong, with around 60% of users actively participating in polls, comments, or posts.
4. Additionally, news articles published on the app reached an average of 100 readers out of the 124 activated users, highlighting the effectiveness of the app as a communication tool. 

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These metrics indicate a successful integration of the platform into Manna's daily operations, boosting connectivity and engagement among employees.

What’s the direct impact of Speakap on the organization?

• Higher engagement: Employees participate more actively in events and initiatives.
• Improved feedback culture: Polls, reactions, and anonymous feedback are now possible.
• Efficient communication: Fast, targeted updates—segmented by team or language if needed.
• Secure and professional platform: Full control, with no data leaking onto private channels.
• Strengthened company culture: Greater visibility of successes and employee recognition.
• Enhanced HR processes: Centralized onboarding, policies, feedback, and procedures.

Thanks to Speakap, we finally have one digital platform that reaches everyone—from production to the office. The app connects people, makes pride visible, and helps us truly build a community. Ivan Bruyninckx HR Manager at Manna

What can you learn from this?

For companies in food production, logistics, or retail with hard-to-reach employees, a digital community is not a luxury but a necessity. With Speakap, you can create:

• Engaged employees
• Safe, fast communication
• Strong employer branding
• Increased retention & satisfaction
• A future-proof digital workplace
• Higher productivity through digitization, efficiency improvements, and knowledge sharing

Thinking about Speakap for your business?

If Speakap can improve internal comms for Manna, imagine what it can do for your organization 😉

Learn more | Book a demo

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