WE’RE FOOD BUSINESS ARCHITECTS
Developing a specialty food or beverage business is a lot like building a house. It requires the right concept (product idea), blueprint (strategic plan), materials (ingredients, packaging, production), foundation (brand), team, and approach to market (sales strategy, execution, logistics, marketing). Every step of the process builds upon the previous phase, and if done strategically, will position a company for optimal success.
However, like building a custom house, every food brand has its own unique needs at each step. Houses can be large or small, located in vastly different neighborhoods, and feature wildly different layouts and building materials. Food brands are much the same – their products can be super-premium or value-oriented, bulk or single-use, and be priced very differently depending on the audience.
Whether your product is a multi-million-dollar home in a high-end neighborhood or a tiny house in the country, having the right partner on your side to optimize your opportunities at every step can be the difference between making that sale or struggling to find a buyer.
WE’RE FOOD BUSINESS ARCHITECTS
Developing a specialty food or beverage business is a lot like building a house. It requires the right concept (product idea), blueprint (strategic plan), materials (ingredients, packaging, production), foundation (brand), team, and approach to market (sales strategy, execution, logistics, marketing). Every step of the process builds upon the previous phase, and if done strategically, will position a company for optimal success.
However, like building a custom house, every food brand has its own unique needs at each step. Houses can be large or small, located in vastly different neighborhoods, and feature wildly different layouts and building materials. Food brands are much the same – their products can be super-premium or value-oriented, bulk or single-use, and be priced very differently depending on the audience.
Whether your product is a multi-million-dollar home in a high-end neighborhood or a tiny house in the country, having the right partner on your side to optimize your opportunities at every step can be the difference between making that sale or struggling to find a buyer.
OUR 6 STEP APPROACH TO COMMERCIALIZING FOOD BRANDS
OUR 6 STEP APPROACH TO COMMERCIALIZING FOOD BRANDS
1. THE RIGHT IDEA IS CRITICAL
Today’s food and beverage markets are rapidly evolving. Due to health and wellness trends and a numerous specialty food products with various value propositions hitting store shelves, consumers (and therefore, retailers) are faced with a lot of decisions and are continually demanding more. Popular healthful callouts, unique ingredients, and packaging innovations are changing the retail landscape. No longer can you simply sell on good taste or quality – those attributes are expected. You need a product with clear differentiation to cut through the clutter and interest today’s discerning consumer.
Like with a new house, the right idea is critical. This is where an architect is exceedingly valuable. They can ask questions to determine where a house will be located, what architecture is appropriate for a given neighborhood, what building materials will be required, and how the house will be used. For a food product, we ask what’s differentiating about your product, where will it be sold, how quickly will it be used, who will buy your product, and will there be line extensions or other products in the future. These questions, and many others, help us to understand the idea and to offer input into how to fine-tune your product to last.
Pro tip: Suppose your product is a 20 oz jar of jelly. Most jelly has a long shelf life, which is great…but jelly typically takes a while to eat. It may be 6 months or so before the consumer buys another jar. A sales lead is not considered a customer until a reorder is placed, and new products can be dropped quickly if retail turn is slow. This size jar in this market simply may not perform well enough to maintain momentum. We can help you to determine the right size, price point, and packaging to ensure quicker turns and stronger sales.
1. THE RIGHT IDEA IS CRITICAL
Today’s food and beverage markets are rapidly evolving. Due to health and wellness trends and a numerous specialty food products with various value propositions hitting store shelves, consumers (and therefore, retailers) are faced with a lot of decisions and are continually demanding more. Popular healthful callouts, unique ingredients, and packaging innovations are changing the retail landscape. No longer can you simply sell on good taste or quality – those attributes are expected. You need a product with clear differentiation to cut through the clutter and interest today’s discerning consumer.
Like with a new house, the right idea is critical. This is where an architect is exceedingly valuable. They can ask questions to determine where a house will be located, what architecture is appropriate for a given neighborhood, what building materials will be required, and how the house will be used. For a food product, we ask what’s differentiating about your product, where will it be sold, how quickly will it be used, who will buy your product, and will there be line extensions or other products in the future. These questions, and many others, help us to understand the idea and to offer input into how to fine-tune your product to last.
Pro tip: Suppose your product is a 20 oz jar of jelly. Most jelly has a long shelf life, which is great…but jelly typically takes a while to eat. It may be 6 months or so before the consumer buys another jar. A sales lead is not considered a customer until a reorder is placed, and new products can be dropped quickly if retail turn is slow. This size jar in this market simply may not perform well enough to maintain momentum. We can help you to determine the right size, price point, and packaging to ensure quicker turns and stronger sales.
2. A BLUEPRINT BRINGS IDEAS INTO FOCUS
With a concept in place that has potential to succeed, we begin answering the questions from the idea phase. The resulting blueprint helps bring clarity to your strategy. Who is your competition? What is your price point relative to the competition? Are you taking into account all of your costs, such as slotting fees, distributor discounts, sampling, packaging costs, and labor? Do you know what your margin should be? Like a good architect, we guide you through all of the relevant considerations and use our pricing matrix to determine a competitive retail price that ensures a strong margin and, ultimately, sales.
Pro tip: Do you know your competition? Sometimes companies only look at direct competitors and fail to recognize the indirect threats. For instance, you may sell chocolate bars. Beyond other chocolate companies, you might also be competing with flowers, small gifts, and cards. Understand what motivates your customer, ensure that you’re considering the entire competitive landscape, and develop your blueprint to stay on plan.
2. A BLUEPRINT BRINGS IDEAS INTO FOCUS
With a concept in place that has potential to succeed, we begin answering the questions from the idea phase. The resulting blueprint helps bring clarity to your strategy. Who is your competition? What is your price point relative to the competition? Are you taking into account all of your costs, such as slotting fees, distributor discounts, sampling, packaging costs, and labor? Do you know what your margin should be? Like a good architect, we guide you through all of the relevant considerations and use our pricing matrix to determine a competitive retail price that ensures a strong margin and, ultimately, sales.
Pro tip: Do you know your competition? Sometimes companies only look at direct competitors and fail to recognize the indirect threats. For instance, you may sell chocolate bars. Beyond other chocolate companies, you might also be competing with flowers, small gifts, and cards. Understand what motivates your customer, ensure that you’re considering the entire competitive landscape, and develop your blueprint to stay on plan.
3. MATERIALS MATTER
When building a house, having the right materials is essential. You can’t build a garage without a garage door and you can’t have a basement if you don’t have the equipment to dig a foundation. For food products, for instance, this means ensuring that you have a secure, stable source for the right high-quality ingredients at the right price. Do you have the right certifications in place to attract the consumer – Non-GMO, Organic, Kosher? What kind of packaging will set you apart at the shelf? Will your customer care about your packaging’s environmental impact? By determining all of the material impacts for your product, you will ensure a successful and efficient construction phase as you get into developing a brand that will resonate effectively with your customer.
Pro tip: More than 65% of stores focus on natural products. If your product resonates with this audience, they’ll have certain expectations. Particularly on the West Coast, if you don’t have ethically-sourced ingredients, a clean label, certain certifications/callouts, recyclable/compostable packaging, nutritional value, and other key factors, consumers won’t know your brand…because retailers won’t carry it. Know the materials that matter to your audience and be sure your product is equipped.
3. MATERIALS MATTER
When building a house, having the right materials is essential. You can’t build a garage without a garage door and you can’t have a basement if you don’t have the equipment to dig a foundation. For food products, for instance, this means ensuring that you have a secure, stable source for the right high-quality ingredients at the right price. Do you have the right certifications in place to attract the consumer – Non-GMO, Organic, Kosher? What kind of packaging will set you apart at the shelf? Will your customer care about your packaging’s environmental impact? By determining all of the material impacts for your product, you will ensure a successful and efficient construction phase as you get into developing a brand that will resonate effectively with your customer.
Pro tip: More than 65% of stores focus on natural products. If your product resonates with this audience, they’ll have certain expectations. Particularly on the West Coast, if you don’t have ethically-sourced ingredients, a clean label, certain certifications/callouts, recyclable/compostable packaging, nutritional value, and other key factors, consumers won’t know your brand…because retailers won’t carry it. Know the materials that matter to your audience and be sure your product is equipped.
4. BUILDING A STRONG FOUNDATION PUTS YOUR BRAND ON FIRM FOOTING
With a great idea, blueprint, and the right materials, you have a strong foundation upon which to build your brand. You know your audience, price point, packaging, and differentiating factors. Like building the foundation for a house, we build brands to last. We have partners who are experts in naming, branding, storytelling, packaging design, web design, and photography. With each of these elements working in concert, a great product can be elevated to an engaging brand that can work on the shelf, on the web, and on social media.
Pro tip: Only 7-9% of small businesses ever reach a million dollars in sales. PCS can increase those odds tenfold and we can accelerate your business exponentially from what most companies can do on their own, but it’s critical to stick to the blueprint. We spend a lot of time upfront getting the underlying factors right, documenting the plan, and then establishing a strong foundation for success. Trust the process and don’t rush or you’ll risk failure.
4. BUILDING A STRONG FOUNDATION PUTS YOUR BRAND ON FIRM FOOTING
With a great idea, blueprint, and the right materials, you have a strong foundation upon which to build your brand. You know your audience, price point, packaging, and differentiating factors. Like building the foundation for a house, we build brands to last. We have partners who are experts in naming, branding, storytelling, packaging design, web design, and photography. With each of these elements working in concert, a great product can be elevated to an engaging brand that can work on the shelf, on the web, and on social media.
Pro tip: Only 7-9% of small businesses ever reach a million dollars in sales. PCS can increase those odds tenfold and we can accelerate your business exponentially from what most companies can do on their own, but it’s critical to stick to the blueprint. We spend a lot of time upfront getting the underlying factors right, documenting the plan, and then establishing a strong foundation for success. Trust the process and don’t rush or you’ll risk failure.
5. ASSEMBLE THE VERY BEST TEAM
An architect specifies a design and the materials that are required to build that design on a blueprint. A contractor organizes a team of drywall installers, plumbers, electricians, and finishing carpenters to contribute their expertise to bring that vision to life. Without these critical pieces working together seamlessly, mistakes happen, budgets overrun, and delays cost time and money. The same is true with building a food business. We ensure that from business planning to product pricing to manufacturing to packaging to sales and distribution, every member of the team is synchronized for efficiency and maximum cost control.
Pro tip: It might be tempting to bring in your own resources or to invest in an expensive solution. Sometimes larger investments are required, but growth also takes restraint. Spend too much on any one part of the plan, and those funds might not be there when your product takes off and you need to scale. This is why we’ve spent so much time vetting our resources and ensuring that our clients have access to the best team possible. The same team we recommend for your brand is likely the same team we use for our own brands.
5. ASSEMBLE THE VERY BEST TEAM
An architect specifies a design and the materials that are required to build that design on a blueprint. A contractor organizes a team of drywall installers, plumbers, electricians, and finishing carpenters to contribute their expertise to bring that vision to life. Without these critical pieces working together seamlessly, mistakes happen, budgets overrun, and delays cost time and money. The same is true with building a food business. We ensure that from business planning to product pricing to manufacturing to packaging to sales and distribution, every member of the team is synchronized for efficiency and maximum cost control.
Pro tip: It might be tempting to bring in your own resources or to invest in an expensive solution. Sometimes larger investments are required, but growth also takes restraint. Spend too much on any one part of the plan, and those funds might not be there when your product takes off and you need to scale. This is why we’ve spent so much time vetting our resources and ensuring that our clients have access to the best team possible. The same team we recommend for your brand is likely the same team we use for our own brands.
6. APPROACH YOUR MARKET CONFIDENTLY
Finally, you’ve built the house… now, it’s time to sell! This is a particular strength of PCS. With a strong foundation for success, we develop a comprehensive sales strategy designed to give you the maximum return on your investment and year-over-year growth. We compile and manage an elite sales team, from internal salespeople to a massive coast-to-coast broker network, with one goal in mind – to consistently achieve product placement and build sales momentum. Our sales team has strong relationships with senior-level decision makers at market-leading grocery chains, department stores, specialty retailers, convenience chains, coffee chains, and a variety of other key accounts. We leverage these relationships and sell directly to these individuals.
We also understand the role that a good warehousing and logistics plan plays in successfully commercializing products. Our centrally located, temperature-controlled warehouse facility allows us to store and ship orders from less than a case to a whole truckload of pallets, and our efficient fulfillment operation gives us the flexibility to offer both retail and online sales support.
In addition to the freight benefits that our centralized location affords us, we leverage the buying power of a broad customer base to gain tremendous freight savings with various carriers, which we’re able to pass along to our warehousing clientele.
Pro tip: Our warehousing operations are also a great supplement to a more comprehensive distribution plan. It allows companies to strategically expand into new territories, and to rely on our fulfillment resources for a turnkey solution. We’re shipping to over 2,000 specialty food retailers in every region of the US (more than 40,000 stores!), and because we have direct relationships with these retail partners, we’re optimized to get product where you need it quickly and efficiently.
We also ship internationally, giving our clients the power to reach beyond the borders of the United States and into other markets.
6. APPROACH YOUR MARKET CONFIDENTLY
Finally, you’ve built the house… now, it’s time to sell! This is a particular strength of PCS. With a strong foundation for success, we develop a comprehensive sales strategy designed to give you the maximum return on your investment and year-over-year growth. We compile and manage an elite sales team, from internal salespeople to a massive coast-to-coast broker network, with one goal in mind – to consistently achieve product placement and build sales momentum. Our sales team has strong relationships with senior-level decision makers at market-leading grocery chains, department stores, specialty retailers, convenience chains, coffee chains, and a variety of other key accounts. We leverage these relationships and sell directly to these individuals.
We also understand the role that a good warehousing and logistics plan plays in successfully commercializing products. Our centrally located, temperature-controlled warehouse facility allows us to store and ship orders from less than a case to a whole truckload of pallets, and our efficient fulfillment operation gives us the flexibility to offer both retail and online sales support.
In addition to the freight benefits that our centralized location affords us, we leverage the buying power of a broad customer base to gain tremendous freight savings with various carriers, which we’re able to pass along to our warehousing clientele.
Pro tip: Our warehousing operations are also a great supplement to a more comprehensive distribution plan. It allows companies to strategically expand into new territories, and to rely on our fulfillment resources for a turnkey solution. We’re shipping to over 2,000 specialty food retailers in every region of the US (more than 40,000 stores!), and because we have direct relationships with these retail partners, we’re optimized to get product where you need it quickly and efficiently.
We also ship internationally, giving our clients the power to reach beyond the borders of the United States and into other markets.