Racquel Harris Mason

Hey Network: "There is no silver bullet to guarantee product adoption in the marketplace. However, businesses can implement strategies before launch to improve market readiness and increase the likelihood of securing a place in consumers' weekly dinners." If product adoption is something that your company struggles with, please listen to this episode CPG Launch Leaders featuring TPG's own Eleni Shipp and reach out to Eleni or I so that we can share strategies that can help you secure your place in the weekly dinner rotation. #food #CPG #newitems #newitemlaunch #ecommerce

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Great post from Patrick that's a great perspective for marketing today. Not that a lot of small brands have the $ for TV, etc., but addressing both the social media markets as well as key retailer opportunities. Observationally, there is also a lot of current in-store display support for their Sour Patch Kids Oreos. While many on the natural, 'better for you' side tend to take issue with brands like this, they are focused on driving a larger 'share of stomach' in an 'expandable consumption' market as we used to discuss in prior lives. A key learning for emerging brands here is that getting your brand into the store is the simple part. The key is to do it in the most economical channel and spend the $ through a very sound and thoughtful process of getting it into consumer's shopping carts and pantries. Love reading these posts regularly Patrick McDonough!

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“LET THEM EAT CAKE” ... FRENCH QUEEN MARIE ANTOINETTE ADDRESSING THE PEASANTS. How stupid can a company CEO like Kellogg’s CEO Gary Pilnick get? The answer is … pretty stupid. Instead of commenting on CNBC and CNN that poor or cash-strapped families should eat cereal for dinner because it’s cheaper than a regular dinner, he should stick to his primary financial duties as CEO and leave consumer marketing and advertising in the hands of his CMO (Chief Marketing Officer) and advertising agencies. No parent is going to serve their kids Corn Flakes, Rice Krispies, Frosted Flakes, or Fruit Loops for dinner when they presumably just ate the same thing for breakfast that morning. Moreover, the nutritional value of most RTE breakfast cereals per se is next to ZERO. As an adult, I personally and occasionally eat a VERY BIG bowl of Kellogg’s Corn Flakes or General Mills' Cheerios for dinner because I really like them with whole milk, but that’s only when I want to eat a light meal at the end of a long, hard, and late day. Finally, as a CPG brand marketing expert, I’ll say … I can’t imagine a top-shelf company such as Kellogg ever running any significant consumer advertising with such a stupid and insulting message like this, i.e., “Let them eat cake”. 😎           https://lnkd.in/efcuZ8dg.  

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CPG Panel — “More than commerce”: 🔥 We are working on a mega panel (June 13) of CPG powerhouses right now including some of my great friends: Jamie Schwab (Colgate-Palmolive) Jamie Decker (Del Monte Foods, Inc.). We will be diving into the importance of driving direct-to-customer engagement through digital, not just commerce. Topics: (4) 1. First-party data strategies 2. Customer engagement 3. Omnichannel marketing 4. No doubt AI! We still have a few panelists spots remaining, feel free send me a DM or comment below if you may be interested or know some who would be great for this topic. #ecommerce #digital #omnichannel #strategy #cmo #cdo #ceo #cro #leadership #retailecommerceclub #cpg #privateequity #playtowin

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Tequila!   Many large players such as White Claw, and The Boston Beer Company (maker of Truly) are expanding their offerings and releasing tequila-flavored ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktails as consumers are increasingly turning to tequila offerings in the beverage alcohol sector.   I had the opportunity to share my insights and thoughts on this surging trend with The Food Institute. In the article, I emphasized how innovations in ready-to-drink (RTD) formats, including tequila-based seltzers and margaritas, are meeting consumer demand for novel flavors. Additionally, I pointed out that tequila production has remained stable despite global supply chain disruptions and highlighted the increasing consumer preference for high-quality artisanal spirits.   Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/gB9f-3Ci   #Tequila #BeverageIndustry #MarketTrends #ConsumerInsights #RTDCocktails

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Next Tuesday, I will share insights from our new Operator Forecast and Outlook Program. This webinar is free to restaurant operators and will provide a preview of the intelligence this new program offers, which spans industry financial forecasts to quarterly research into how consumers and operators are responding to the major macro-economic forces of the day. In the presentation, we will cover our forecast for the next two years, how operators plan to manage their costs and how consumers have adapted to menu inflation. I hope you can join us!

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Good insight from Walmart: Food and beverages companies are worried that weight loss medicine like Ozempic will reduce consumption, as consumers are becoming less hungry. What a brilliant marketing challenge for a brand manager - sell more to less hungry and thirsty user :) Ozempic Is Making People Buy Less Food, Walmart Says https://lnkd.in/dBvtFDi6

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Hey Network! I am especially excited to share the partnership that The Partnering Group and Groceryshop have developed to bring the REAL industry insights forward that will help CPG's and retailers develop strategies that are 'Ready for Commerce'. I was quoted in the article below: "For more than 30 years, TPG has worked with the global grocery, distributor and CPG community to better understand, navigate and evolve to create sustainable growth in the wake of digital disruption," said Peter Strong, Partner at The Partnering Group. "Groceryshop has been at the forefront of bringing together the decision makers that are thriving in the face of these disruptions, and we look forward to bringing our communities together to share these new and business critical insights later this year." Companies who participate in the survey will get a copy of the report and insights for you - CPG benchmark or retailer benchmark. If you are interested in participating, please reach out to me directly so that we can send you the survey. Thanks in advance for participating! #grocery #groceryshop #ecommerce #digitalcommerce #food #retail #cpg #digital

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Reflecting on this monumental moment, I wanted to wait until the news was "official" before sharing my thoughts and feelings... Almost 7 years ago, a good friend now who started as a good client invited me to his new office in NJ to explore a plant-based protein company he was considering acquiring. That's when I first encountered OWYN. Honestly, I wasn't sure what to make of it initially. Plant-based, vegan protein drinks weren't in my usual "repertoire" of ideation and marketing. But after trying the product that day, I knew I wanted to be part of the journey. And what an incredible journey it has been! Throughout the last 7 years, in my capacity as a "strategic advisor," I've embraced a multitude of roles and responsibilities, working closely with a diverse array of talented leaders. From individuals who made significant contributions from the outset and have since moved on, to those who have ascended to leadership positions, such as CEO Mark O. and Chief Sales Officer Matt OConnell, as well as "more recent" additions like CMO Julia Perez, who came in and made an immediate and substantial impact, our collaboration has been characterized by passion, mutual respect, and an unwavering commitment to innovation. Now, fast forward to today. After countless hours of strategic discussions, meetings, and partnerships, we've achieved something remarkable. We've taken a niche brand, crafted with the finest ingredients, and found the perfect successor in our recent acquisition. If you notice, even as a "consultant" I always will refer to it as we. When I work with brands, especially from day 1, I consider myself a true part of the team. Being part of a brand from inception to this pivotal moment is incredibly special. As a matter of fact, it's been a huge goal of mine since that fateful day 7 years ago. I'm eager to see what lies ahead for OWYN and hopeful that I can continue contributing to a product and brand that means so much to me and countless others, especially our consumers. #OWYN #PlantBased #Acquisition #Journey #Gratitude #Business #CPG #SimplyGood https://lnkd.in/emY6UT2g

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Full volume recovery for #packagedfood could take upwards of 18 months as consumers struggle to adjust to higher prices due to #inflation -- requiring #CPG companies to be more flexible and reinvest in their brands as they did during the pandemic, and forcing shareholders to practice patiences, warned General Mills CEO Jeff Harmening at Bernstein's 40th Annual Strategic Decisions Conference late last month. "#Investors have been waiting with bated breath and maybe more than a few members of management teams as well" for volumes across the packaged food landscape to recover after falling alongside rising prices in recent years and after cutbacks in #SNAP spending in March 2023, he said. And, they likely will need to wait a bit longer .... https://lnkd.in/eCjKu7z7 #foodnews #foodandbeverageindustry #CPGindustry #sales

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I think consumer feedback is often under used by emerging CPG brands… Coming from a Kraft Foods general management upbringing and then experiencing start-ups for many years, I’m often thinking about which “big company” practices could bring value to young emerging companies while not screwing up their great entrepreneurial culture and founder brilliance. The one area I continue to see a gap in is “entrepreneurial” consumer feedback/market research—the lack of fast/low cost consumer research options (or even confirmation research) discussed to prevent a low velocity SKU to get delisted, to maximize brand communication, and avoid wasted spend or lost opportunity on the back end. There are some great research companies out there, but their costs (while valid and worth it) are just not in the ballpark for what many founders want to spend for or go through the time on. Sometimes it’s a lot more natural for founders to go with their gut and not get bogged down by research. And I totally get this, and it does work in many instances.   I just wish there were more options out there to efficiently confirm purchase interest between two packages or between new innovation ideas to complement founder gut. In the end, it could save the emerging brand money…. Thought I’d reach out to the linkedin community, PLEASE not from research companies selling their research, but from founders/emerging brand marketers who have been through this dilemma and have found some consumer feedback very helpful and fitting for emerging brand bootstrap budget and speed (even if their own tools or alternative ways they’ve brought in consumers more)?  This sharing might help more companies maximize their moves in the future…so hope it helps… thanks! #ConsumerFeedback #jcbgrowth

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I highly recommend attending the webinar! Not only will we be reviewing the learning, but there will be a panel discussion on how the findings can be leveraged in market!

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Modernizing legacy brands for a new generation of consumers is no easy feat. Earlier in my career, I was fortunate to work on teams that accomplished that for two legacy Kraft Heinz brands: Jell-O and Crystal Light. Critical to those successes were the same lessons Gail Hollander discusses in this article: * how to successfully update a brand by understanding its role in the culture and category without walking too far away from the brand truth and its DNA * creating winning marketing strategies by leveraging the art (creative thinking) and the science (data-driven decisions); and * breaking down silos to align the entire organization around long-term brand building I took these lessons I learned and recently wrote an article about how integral they also are for building successful CX strategies: https://lnkd.in/ecPhFpMz

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Climate change is changing our agriculture landscape and therefore the cost to consume our favorite things- especially coffee, which is why the work we are doing around organic cultivation with climate resilient varietals like robusta coffee is more important than ever. Thanks WSJ for speaking with me about this important work!

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Did you know that while pricing is important to the Hispanic Consumer, things like Brand Reputation are even more critical to them than other shoppers? Our #pepviz data and analytics proprietary practice has helped us gather interesting findings on our consumers that help us reiterate our commitment towards consumer centricity. Learn why Brand Reputation is so important to the Hispanic Shopper here: https://bit.ly/pepviz_data  

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Why is this the smartest thing Walmart has ever done in Private Label? During the pandemic, Walmart experienced unparalleled growth across demographic profiles, but as inflationary pressures entered the equation the past couple of years, Walmart has experienced nearly all or in some cases their entire growth (depending on the category and dept) from High income shoppers. And, it wasn’t from just shoppers already in the box—it was from channel shifting coming from the broader retail landscape. What makes that shopper unique is their participation in Private Brands at their former retailer of choice, more upscale Private Brands at Target, Kroger, HEB, Publix etc. With that shopper now in the Walmart stores, and the fact that these inflationary pressures won’t last forever, how do you keep them? How do you elevate the Private Brand experience for that shopper group and over-deliver on what an elevate private brand can be? And, as we continue to gain knowledge on how food can be the driver of our health, how do you also provide more access to healthy, life-giving foods to all income groups and demographics? How do we address the fact that many people experience lactose intolerance and have a dietary need for non-dairy products in their everyday lives? Or, that many children and adults suffer from dairy, egg and other food allergies that require them to access foods without these ingredients? Have a family member that are lactose intolerant or a milk allergy—why should they not have access at the best possible prices to incredible, delicious, non-dairy products that address those needs? Enter Bettergoods. It addresses so many of these questions and is just getting started. This is one more reason why Walmart is for every shopper, every income group, and every demographic profile. This launch demonstrates Walmarts strategic thought leadership, being aware of what is happening with the shopper in their box, and being willing to meet the needs of these shoppers. I can’t wait to see how far this brand goes and how many people are positively impacted by it. Kudos to Denise Wright for being the visionary leader and to her team for bringing this opportunity to life for Walmart. Well done. #Walmart #PrivateLabel #BetterGoods #NonDairy #Culinary #ChannelShifting

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I’m happy to see private brands finally get the star treatment they deserve. This story from The Wall Street Journal Jesse Newman and Stephanie Stamm highlights a key statistic that speaks to the power of private brands: They now capture 22 cents of every grocery dollar. And it’s not just because consumers are cutting back on spending. It’s because private brands today offer not only value, but quality. In many cases not just quality but unique distinctive innovation as well. As retailers make real investments in development, packaging and marketing on private brands, the retail landscape is shifting in a major way. And no one knows that better than Daymon. https://lnkd.in/eFT2edZN   #PrivateBrands #Retail #RetailTrends #ConsumerBehavior #RetailInnovation 

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Why do some legacy brands— survive and some do not? Professors at The Wharton School look at why for some brands—Sears, Toys"R"Us—nostalgia is not enough to ensure survival, and how others—Apple, Nike—have stayed relevant without betraying what they stand for. - Sears was once a retailer where you could get pretty much anything, and even some brands you couldn’t get anywhere else. But retail changes and Sears became a “store that lacked any sort of distinction, and the legacy part of its story just wasn’t enough.” Kohl's, on the other hand, builds on its past success but adapts as customer needs change. They have maintained large stores in non-mall locations for easier accessibility, but they renovate, inside and out, more often than other, similar retailers, and have developed their own store brands valued by customers. - Customers now look to retailers to be curators who have vetted what goes on shelf on their behalf. Costco Wholesale is an example of a retailer trusted by customers for the quality of their products and that has developed a strong store brand that is recognized as not always the least expensive brand in the store but one that the store stands behind. Nike, Apple, and Patagonia are all brands that have stayed true to the brand values, identity and emotional connection to the consumer, but who have stayed current by keeping their products cutting edge. Barbie, aside from the huge boost afforded by the movie, has evolved as the world has, introducing inspirational likenesses of ABT dancer Misty Copeland, NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson, artist Frida Kahlo and others, and making Barbie more inclusive of body types, skin tones, and abilities. - Gillette, on the other hand, was blindsided by Dollar Shave Club and Harry's Inc., which undercut Gillette’s prices and went directly to the consumer with a story and a subscription model, breaking consumers’ habit of going to a store for razors. Gillette has since launched its own subscription service, but not before losing market share that will be difficult to gain back. Johnson's baby , used by generations of parents for its promise of “no more tears,” saw sales fall as consumers became wary of its additives, a trend that J&J missed because it wasn’t monitoring consumer chat or sales online. Campbell's soup, despite being iconic, has had a hard time capturing younger consumers who don’t have the same warm memories of the brand and are skeptical of anything that comes out of a can. - Legacy brands are now up against with a wider competitive landscape; retailers who were once a big deal are now one of many physical and online stores, and the amount and accessibility of information about them is nearly inexhaustible. Not only can you find out what is offered elsewhere but there are reviews on everything from pricing to experience to the company’s politics and ethical policies. #nostalgia #brand #branding #retail #customer #consumer

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Consumers may not know exactly what the term “Ultra Processed Food” means, but they know they don’t want it. While the term may be misunderstood, the sentiment is clear: shoppers are seeking healthier, less processed options. 🍽️🌿 As consumers push for whole and minimally processed foods, how should the industry respond? #FoodTrends #ConsumerBehaviour #HealthyEating #UPF https://lnkd.in/dSut3UYx?

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