Planning Your Next Beverage Launch? Here’s How to Future-Proof Your System

After months of customer study and R & D, the time has come to launch your product. You’re probably feeling excited, prepared, and more than a little nervous. After all, a certain amount of variables must be left to chance in a launch, making many small business owners far more careful and mindful of the risk. We have a question for you, though — what if we told you that it doesn’t have to be that way? There are ways to future-proof your infrastructure to help to guarantee a successful launch. Below, we’re covering the top concerns of a new beverage launch and how you can prepare your organization’s infrastructure to help assure your launch’s success. 

What three elements should I consider when launching a new beverage or item? 

There are three core elements that every food and beverage manufacturer should consider when they plan to launch a new product: 

1. Customer experience 

While this may seem obvious, the customer experience is far more cumulative than taste and feel. The customer experience encapsulates everything your company does that is forward-facing for the launch: from initial prospect encounter to messaging to customer service. While this can seem overwhelming to consider, you can make it a much more manageable task by taking it a step at a time. 

One of the top ways to implement a successful strategy for customer experience in the preparatory and launch phases for a new product is to create a customer journey map. Visualizing what your customer will see, encounter, and believe in every purchase process can help you anticipate their needs. You’ll also be able to strategize for future encounters and make your marketing funnel far more effective than it otherwise would be.

2. Sourcing and production logistics 

The simplicity of this consideration is easy to underestimate. However, amid such disruption in the supply chain over the past few years, it’s essential to consider different sourcing and production elements — arguably more now than ever before. Solidifying your second and third strings of sourcing strategies and working to differentiate and strengthen your means of production and distribution are vital to ensuring that your launch goes as planned. It also helps to ensure that your product remains viable for months and years to come. 

3. Existing infrastructure 

When preparing for a launch, consider spending time reviewing your existing infrastructure. The food and beverage manufacturing and distribution industry continue to evolve, demanding an ever-changing suite of platforms, management tools, and infrastructure shifts. There are several questions you’ll want to ask yourself in your initial audit: 

• Is there enough framework to ensure that your customers receive a flawless experience? 
• What protocols and processes are currently in place for traceability and compliance? 
• Are there any virtual means of reporting, tracking, or communication? 
• What is the customer experience when reporting issues and customer service requests? 
• How can the process be made even better for both customers and staff members? 

Making the time for routine audits even after launch can assist you in maintaining a more competitive advantage for your product, assuring its longevity on the shelves and in your business’ scope. 

What infrastructure do I need for a modern-day food and beverage industry business? 

Digitalization has become a significant theme in the 2020s, compelling many businesses and organizations to make paradigm shifts in their operating patterns. If you consider an upgrade for your organization, you’re in good company. Below are some considerations that you should review and evaluate when auditing your internal infrastructure: 

1. Traceability 

There are increasing amounts of concerns regarding foodborne illness and production integrity in the modern era. Investing in a reliable traceability solution can help you boost your overall brand perception and offer you recourse and additional avenues to pursue in the event of a customer complaint. Rather than wade through inefficiencies to locate a specific product, you can take advantage of a centralized, digital solution that can offer you the information you need in seconds. Choosing a platform with traceability tools at its core function level is key to success in 2022. 

2. Reportability 

To run your business efficiently, you need data-driven reporting that can be easily run, referenced, and accessed by every team member. Reporting is at the core of every strategic business decision, so having a suite of different reporting methods and styles to assist you is vital. When evaluating your infrastructure, consider the availability and ease of reporting at the strategic and executive levels and the more managerial and tactical levels. Information is power, and leveraging it to grow and refine your business model can only stand to benefit you. 

3. Product Integrity 

Product integrity and replicability are essential in the food and beverage manufacturing space. Your customers will be expecting the same product with every purchase, making recipe management and quality assurance two of your most important priorities. By investing in a comprehensive and inclusive system, you can save incredible amounts of cost and time — keeping your employees centralized via a single, sleek platform and interface. 

Inecta is here to help you successfully launch your product in 2022 

With over 20 years of experience in the industry, Inecta can help you successfully navigate your next food and beverage industry product launch. Our platform is supported by Microsoft and housed on a sleek cloud framework that is built to fit into your pre-existing systems. Give your organization the gift of true transparency and ease of use, offering them a centralized operation and management platform that suits their needs. For more information, please visit our website, or give us a call at (800) 632-0573.