In the fast-moving world of consumer packaged goods, companies live and die by the strength of their ideas. Nature’s Path Organic Foods came to Vision Critical looking for a better way to test new ideas and embed customer feedback into the product development process. When we introduced them to IdeaScreen, our standardized online platform designed specifically for early-stage idea testing, they were instantly sold on its power to accelerate their product innovation.
In the cutthroat world of breakfast food, innovation is the key to survival, especially for niche players like Nature’s Path.
The North American breakfast food market is a dangerous place. Sales are stagnant and
the big two companies – Kellogg and General Mills – control more than 65% of the market. Since 1985, Nature’s Path Organic Foods has enjoyed significant growth and success. But as competition heated up in the organic segment, the company realized they needed to find a better way to develop new products.
IdeaScreen, a standardized idea-testing platform that connects Nature’s Path directly to their customers for early-stage idea testing and feedback.
“Here is a research tool that standardized our approach, made it easy to catalogue and test all our ideas, and most of all enabled us to get fast, specific feedback,” says Tom Newitt, Director of Brand Management and Research for Nature’s Path Foods.
Closer connections with customers and new, innovative directions for the product line.
“This is a perfect solution for bringing consumers into our innovation process,” says Tom Newitt. “It doesn’t slow you down; if anything it helps speed you up. Often in the process you stick a big chunk of time in for research that makes management uncomfortable. But here you can be quick enough so you don’t break stride and you can give the organization confidence in moving forward in the right direction.”