Some ideas are too good not to share — like running your UX team as a restaurant.
That’s the analogy that James Villacci, Head of Global UX Research at HelloFresh, brings to our latest episode of How to Love a Customer.
In this episode, our CEO & Co-Founder Mikhail Dubov sits down with James to explore how the global meal-kit leader uses customer research, democratized insights, and a healthy dose of creativity to fuel growth.
👉 Subscribe & listen to the latest episode here
🔑 Key Takeaways from the Episode
1. Solving Customer Problems Drives Business Growth
When James first joined HelloFresh as its sole UX researcher, many stakeholders viewed research as “nice to have.” His first step? A quick usability test on the sign-up flow. The team uncovered a major friction point — once fixed, it led to a measurable revenue lift.
This reflects principles in our guide to Customer Experience Analytics.
“If you solve a customer problem, you can absolutely drive the bottom line.” — James Villacci
2. Building a “Research Restaurant” to Serve Insights Company-Wide
James built a metaphorical research restaurant where:
- Researchers are chefs
- Stakeholders are customers
- Studies and projects are dishes
His mission was to make insights consumable and memorable — similar to the frameworks outlined in How to Share Customer Insight Across an Organisation.
HelloFresh now runs Insight Shows — snackable sessions with polls, raffles, and video clips that help insights stick.
“Business can be boring. We want research to be fun — something people remember and act on.” — James Villacci
3. Democratizing Research Across Teams
James’ team now empowers non-researchers to run small, focused studies using pre-built “research meal kits.” These self-serve templates help product, design, and operations teams collect their own insights safely and effectively — scaling the impact of UX research without bottlenecks.
4. UX Meets CX — The Full Meal Experience
At HelloFresh, UX research spans the entire customer journey — from sign-up to unboxing to the dinner table.
This aligns with the thinking found in our article on Using Technology to Improve Your Customer Experience.
“It’s not just the app. It’s the whole journey — ordering, unboxing, cooking, and feeding back.” — James Villacci
5. Making Research a Business Partner, Not a Side Project
James encourages UX leaders to treat stakeholders as internal customers: study their needs, understand decision-making processes, and deliver insights in their language.
“Every company is different. Study your stakeholders first — what decisions do they need to make, and how can you help de-risk them?” — James Villacci
💡 The Surprising Power of Filters & Choice
As HelloFresh’s menu expanded, customers struggled with choice overload. Behaviour-driven filters like “25-Minute Meals” and “Low Carb Options” helped users find what they needed faster.
This closely connects to the behaviour-analysis principles discussed in our Customer Experience Analytics guide.
“People might not know what they want to eat. Our job is to make discovery easy.” — James Villacci
🤖 AI in UX: Cutting Time to Insight
James shared how AI and tools like Chattermill transformed his workflow:
- Clustering analysis takes minutes
- Past research becomes instantly searchable
- Insights stream in live across markets
This reflects how brands use Chattermill’s AI-powered Customer Experience Intelligence platform to uncover patterns and improve customer understanding.
“AI doesn’t replace researchers — it makes us faster, better, and more curious.” — James Villacci
💬 Bonus Hot Takes
🎯 Overhyped Trend: “AI is taking our jobs.”
🧠 Favourite UX Mindset: Democratise research — let everyone cook.
🔥 UX Utopia: Insights so intuitive they become part of every decision.
📱 Brand Shout-Out: Samsung — for personalization and customisability.
🧳 Why This Episode Matters
HelloFresh’s journey shows how great UX is great CX — making insights digestible makes action inevitable.
- Turning research into internal products
- Scaling empathy through data
- Aligning teams around evidence
- Using AI to accelerate insight discovery
🎧 Listen to How to Love a Customer
If you work in CX, Product, UX, or Insights, this podcast is for you — filled with real customer stories, practical frameworks, and lessons you can apply tomorrow.
