KNOWLEDGE TO UNLOCK THE POTENTIAL OF YOUR PRODUCT BASED COMPANY
We help product companies...
Ineffective New Product Development Frustrates Most Growing, and Many Established, Product Companies
Strategies and methods used to standup a product-based company are often quite different than those needed to grow and scale enduring brands. Yet it is very common for an organization to carry forward with an approach that no longer fits
The process of developing products that can enjoy in-market commercial success should be predictable, efficient, if not and enjoyable. Unfortunately, many leaders feel trapped by their legacy approach and are frustrated by underperforming SKUs, slow speed to market, and excessive costs.
If you find yourself at the inflection point between yesterday’s victories and tomorrow’s goals, then perhaps it’s time for a fresh look at what’s working, what’s not, and what practical & proven steps can be taken to bridge the divide.
What CPG Leaders & Project Teams are Saying...
1
Ideation & Pipeline
Planning Stage
~ We need to find more high-potential new product ideas. ~ How to increase target consumer appeal and delight. ~ Need a better way to validate new ideas prior to committing. ~ Ways to distinguish between must-have & nice-to-have product features. ~ I want to better link IP efforts with design, engineering, and marketing. ~ We need to expand into a product category that's new to us. ~ Our project team needs to be more cooperative and harmonious. ~ How to craft a winning multiyear new product rollout strategy. ~ Differentiation vs. parity with key competitors.
2
Product & Brand
Development Stage
~ I want to shorten lead times and improve speed to market. ~ The cost to development & launch a new product it just too high. ~ Our process appears needlessly chaotic and dramatic. ~ We need to see more projects actually launch rather than stall. ~ Ways to get more from our external development resources. ~ Our packaging needs to be a competitive advantage, not an after thought. ~ I want to bring environmental sustainability into our products. ~ Our current supply chain is long, complex, and high risk. ~ The performance of our contract manufactures and suppliers is far from ideal. ~ Want to close the gap between finished goods and initial design concepts.
3
Post Launch
In-Market Activities
~ Our COGS are too high and our margins are too thin. ~ Unexpected quality problems are expensive and hurt our reputation. ~ We’ve got a hit product and want to ride that wave as long as possible. ~ Sales trial is soft and it’s hurting our ability to grow market share. ~ For some reason our consumers demonstrate low repeat purchase rates. ~ We’ve had some bad online star-ratings and it’s been hard to recover. ~ Ways to effectively and efficiently scale and grow our new brand. ~ I want to find better ways to respond to competitive threats. ~ How link our product development efforts to our business KPIs.
Origins of our Support
Joe Mattiko
Acumen CPG
Founder & President
Dominate and enduring product-based companies use holistic new product development approaches that required years of experimentation, risk, and refinement to get right. Their systems can best be described as part art and part science... with the former speaking to their unique style & culture and the latter to their use of proven industry practices & methodologies.
Over a 30-year period, I sought to unlock and master the complex cross-discipline, end-to-end flow that all winning organization seamed to share. My journeyman career allowed me to work across dozens of industry titans, lead marque brands, and help establish dynamic startups. From effortless victories to gut wrenching & difficult business-critical emergencies, I discovered what distinguishes organizations that succeed from those that perpetually struggle.
Sharing innumerable industry insights that help organizations realize their potential, while avoiding costly or even fatal pitfalls, is the core motivational force that drives Acumen CPG. We do this by pulling back the curtain and bringing forth pragmatic proven solutions that are custom tailored to the unique style and goals of your product company.
