Paul Miller’s Post

Dive into our latest product tasting session! 🔎 At Green Seed, tasting goes beyond flavour - we assess taste, quality, design and packaging to pinpoint products that can succeed in the German market. 🌭 Our recent session was not just about enjoying delicious products; it involved critical evaluations of product positioning at the point of sale and determining unique selling propositions (USPs) that make each item stand out. 🗒 This comprehensive approach including store checks and competitor analysis ensures we're not just bringing any product to market, but the right ones that resonate with consumer expectations and retail dynamics. While we're serious about our strategic approach, it's also about having fun! Enjoying our work makes every tasting session not only productive but also a great time. #ProductTasting #MarketStrategy #RetailSuccess #MarketEntryStrategy #GreenSeedInsights #GreenSeedGermany

The Key to Challenger Brands' Success? 🔑 Evolving and innovating. And Dash Water relaunching their popular Grapefruit flavour is the proof you need. Here’s what happened… 🍊Last summer, Dash launched Grapefruit as a 300,000 limited-run summer flavour.  🍊The response was unbelievable, reaching the highest rate of sales of all Dash flavours in its first month. 🍊Recognising its popularity, they’ve now expanded their range to include this fan-favourite permanently. But the innovation doesn't stop there. Dash recently introduced 'Big Dash' cans, sized at 500ml, in two of their most popular flavours that are now available at Waitrose. This is innovation of a different kind…not just a bigger can but solving the identified opportunity within meal deals. By staying responsive to what their customer wants, and taking action to expand their product line, they’ve maintained their position as a brand to watch in the beverage market. Cheers to Dash Water 💦 Want to chat about taking a strategic approach to NPD? Drop me a DM or get in touch from the link in the comments. #fmcg #challengerbrands #insighttoimpact Andrew Cope Huw Davies

Innovating in the Dessert Business: Why it matters and how do we do it at Cheesecake & Co? Believe it or not, in the world of desserts, innovation is key to staying ahead and delighting customers. At Cheesecake & Co, we strongly believe that the secret to success is nothing, but constant evolution. 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐝𝐨 𝐰𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐞𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧? 🍰 With unique flavor combinations 🍰 With healthier, ingredient-conscious options 🍰 With experimentation to push the boundaries of what a cheesecake can really be On this note, we'll say, innovation not only helps in keeping your brand fresh but also ensures that you meet the changing tastes and needs of customers. Whether it’s through seasonal flavors, customizable options, or eco-friendly packaging, adapting is the only way to be relevant in a competitive market. For us, it’s about more than just selling cheesecakes! It’s about creating experiences 🤗 Do you feel innovation is the need of the hour? Let's discuss in comments. #innovation #dessertbusiness #cheesecakeandco #sharktankindia

“Indulge in Imagination” is one of Innova Market Insights’ top trends of 2024, and while fantasy flavors are not a new concept, more brands are getting comfortable with taking an imaginative approach to innovation. Fantasy flavors like rainbow, cosmic and dream continue to see triple- and double-digit growth because of their novelty and sense of nostalgia. We mostly see snack foods and sweet goods lean into this trend but have noticed a spark of innovation in the beverage space. Check out our latest trendspotting piece to learn more about this trend: https://okt.to/punfqL #synergyflavors #fantastyflavors #flavors #food #drink #nostalgia #innovation #imagination #consumerinsight #trends #trendspotting

Sometimes a brand or product catches your eye and you think: I don’t know if it’ll work, but I friggin’ love it. I first encountered Petit Pot at the summer Fancy Food Show in 2016. Their little pot du cremes were the highlight of my show. I’m pretty sure I mentioned them to anyone I talked to about it. Fast forward eight years and I’ve watched them consistently expand distribution and, more recently, add some rather significant innovation (highlighted in this recent store pic). I highlight them for three reasons, in addition to the fact that they make a darn fine product. 1️⃣ Ready-to-eat desserts is a stale category. It’s mostly ice cream and novelties, rarely a proper "dessert". Sure, some have tried to “reinvent” jell-o pudding or make yogurt into dessert, but there hasn’t been much “class” in the category. Until now. 2️⃣ From what I can tell, they have not gone into the VC market in a meaningful way. Instead, they’ve built the brand one SKU and point-of-distribution at a time without a glut of cash. 3️⃣ This is a hard product to do well: it’s dairy, it’s refrigerated, it’s in glass (glass!). Those are more hurdles than most will clear. I don’t know if they are profitable and I can’t say I have a personal relationship with anyone there. However, if you're listening, I will say, in terms the French might understand, “bravo.” I love the brand, the food and the hustle and I just wanted to share it. #cpg #brand #brandlove #dessert #treatyoself

Thank you, Jenni Kayne, for featuring our family Bolognese recipe with our Ciao Pappy sauces, a dish I could genuinely eat every single day. 😍 https://lnkd.in/gvVtaY7Z You may or may not know, but I worked 14 years in fashion with a seven-year tenure at Brunello Cucinelli before stepping into CPG. Premium fashion has influenced my approach to creating premium food products in so many ways. What are my key takeaways? - Trend products are temporary; quality is for a lifetime - Slow(er) and steady can win the race. CPG can be noisy, and I feel like scaling and door count are the most important things to accomplish as fast as possible, but velocity and performance are critical to manage growth. - Creating an emotional connection with products is key - Products with stories people want to share and talk about lend powerful organic growth. A brand story cannot be created; it simply has it, or it doesn't; a made-up or contrived story won't fool customers.

I believe beverages play an increasingly important role in our everyday lives. They obviously hydrate our bodies…and have long been a social gathering tool, but this emerging paradigm shift towards added functionality gives beverages the power to be about so much more! While I'm usually the opinionated panelist, I was honored that Danny Stepper asked me to be The Beverage Forum maestro of an important emerging conversation that's happening within the broader beverage space. And if that switch-up wasn't "wild" enough, this JOSHING AROUND vlog episode provides a sneak peek into my version of modern fatherhood...merging business travel with all those "dad brain" jokes by bringing along my newborn son. I hope you enjoy this more casual look into my professional life... P.S. - thanks to Quentin Vennie, Kendall Toole, John Valiton, and Gerard Adams for being great panelists, and Grant Furness for capturing all the smart (and not so smart) moments. #strategy #trends #markets #fmcg #cpg #beverages #energydrinks #sportsnutrition #supplements #vitamins #wellness #nutrition #health #travel #innovation #marketing #branding #productdevelopment #retailing #merchandising #retail #grocery #business #businessintelligence #entrepreneurship Cognizin® https://lnkd.in/gkV6RrBd

We at SIVO, Inc. like to see our friends at Whole Foods Market leaning into consumer-driven insights and trends! They have identified and are acting on a consumer insight around their shoppers wanting to indulge but not overindulge so they are purchasing “little luxuries” or indulgent foods packaged in smaller treat-size portions, such as a decadent pudding cups. The trend, cited by Whole Foods Chief Executive Jason Buechel, is also about letting consumers indulge without having to break the bank. So “little luxury” items can also include small portions of typically pricey fare, such as, caviar. The "Little Luxuries" insight can be apart of a broader snacking demand space map that marketing and R&D teams can use to inspire innovation ideas in the snacking category. Interested in Shopper Insights or Demand Space Mapping? Reach out to SIVO to discuss your own custom research plan at Contact@SIVOInsights.com. #shopperinsights #demandspacemapping #consumerinsights #snacking #innovation

Food innovation launches are relentless and most offer little disruption or change. We all know how tough it is to make them fly and most have short life spans. These pesto sauces from Wicked Kitchen enter a crowded competitive world. We know this is not a category breakthrough or a game changer, but what we like about this is how hard it works to be relevant and distinctive. It blends a well-established food product – pesto – with a range of bold and distinctive flavours to prompt reassessment or at least to be noticed. The fact they are plant-based is important, but it is not the only purpose. Sometimes plant-based brands think it is the only message they need to push. Here, the thinking seems to be to magnify quality, flavour and inspiration – the food truths! These flavours drive distinctiveness for the brand and intrigue for the consumer. Love the product colours, bold and standout, but natural and appetising. Wicked Kitchen is clearly an ambitious, growing brand, but it always seems to start with the two golden rules – great products, targeting a need or occasion and a clear brand fit. This mindset is key to sustainable brand success.   #WhatBrandsDo #BrandInnovation #FoodInnovation

Just read yesterday's Marketing Brew newsletter, and the opening line really caught my eye: "And Welch’s, known for making jelly and grape juice, is the latest brand to enter the canned cocktail market. Now, we must unfortunately wait for the inevitable collab with Jif." 🥂 This got me thinking about the many other brands that have given their everyday drink a nighttime alter ego. It's fascinating to see these brands "grow up" with their consumer base. A few that come to mind are: ☀️SunnyD 🍋Simply Spiked ☕Dunkin Spiked It's intriguing to consider which company will be next to see its aging consumer base and create something that still appeals to and caters to the consumers evolving tastes. Cheers to innovation and the ever-changing landscape of consumer preferences! 🚀🍹 #Marketing #BrandGrowth #ConsumerTrends