NESCAFÉ ULTRA PREMIUMS - THE BRAND STORY
Market Analysis
NESCAFÉ itself has been around for years and years (since 1937 as it goes), and it's the number one instant coffee brand in the UK. However, in the 80s, our analysts noticed that consumer interest in the 'roast and ground' market had grown - particularly how coffee beans produced different flavours according to how they were roasted, and their country of origin. In 1986, we pioneered the 'ultra-premium freeze-dried' coffee sector. We introduced a range of coffees that aimed to get close to the 'roast and ground' taste and aroma, but in a form that was instant. While these new brands have become very popular, a recent surge in the market highlighted the need for even better performance. Sophisticated financial analysis and market modelling gave us the impetus to re-launch NESCAFÉ Alta Rica, Cap Colombie and Kenjara. The question was, how?
Product Development
The development team explored the challenge in great depth. How could we get even closer to the taste and aroma of the roast and ground coffees? More importantly, how could we add more authenticity to the brand by educating and exciting the consumer? The technical team looked at a number of product formulas which affected functional performance, for example better 'above cup' aroma (the aroma you receive from a freshly made cup) together with roasting levels. A light roast would produce a mild flavour and aroma; a medium roast would produce a more well-rounded, richer flavour; a high roast would produce a very strong, distinct flavour.
Through early focus group research, we finally decided on the new coffee bean and roasting levels for Alta Rica, Cap Colombie and Kenjara. Many different disciplines had a hand in the final choices, from sales and marketing through to finance and manufacturing management. As for actually educating the consumer - the answers lay in careful packaging design.
Packaging Design
Our packaging not only had to keep the product fresh and entice the customer, it also had to provide a level of authenticity to the brand. We opted for darkened glass packaging because it not only offers airtight protection, but it's synonymous with coffee. While the thinking behind the graphical treatment was complex, it had to look simple and attractive. We needed to blend familiar with new, so that we could benefit from the Nescafé heritage, but signal very clearly that this was something different. As a result, the famous Nescafé logo covers nearly half of the front label, the rest is devoted to interesting, ethnic imagery. This was supported by information on the country of origin, the type of bean, and how the level of roasting had enhanced the flavour.
Engineering
Once we had developed the brand, we then had to build a high-speed, high-volume manufacturing line to make it. The question is, how do we keep the product fresh when it could take six months to reach consumers' homes? Should we build a brand new production line or convert an existing one? The answers are commercially sensitive but there's no doubt that the innovative thinking of the engineering team was instrumental in the Nescafé Alta Rica, Cap Colombie and Kenjara re-launch becoming a reality.
Logistics
As this project was a re-launch of an existing range of coffees there were multiple logistic considerations. Not least when to stop manufacturing the old product and start producing the new one. We also had to think about timing: how the arrival of the product in-store should coincide with marketing; as well as building promotional stock for a sales peak soon after re-launch. The re-launch was especially complex in the factory environment. The changes in the manufacturing process which added to the aroma and flavour of the product, required factory downtime. The manufacturing plants had to be changed over to the new process and this created inefficiencies while the changes became embedded. We needed co-operation from everyone involved.
Launch Publicity
We were very proud of our new coffees and we knew we could produce them. Now we had another big step ahead of us: to make sure that everyone knew about them. The enthusiasm and confidence that existed within the business had to be communicated to our trading partners, customers and consumers. The sales and marketing team produced a strong promotional programme with striking point-of-sale displays, advertising and merchandising materials. Now more people would be able to enjoy a richer, more adventurous range of coffees
Accounting for success
Nescafé Alta Rica, Cap Colombie and Kenjara have been a great success. Now the challenge is to sustain and build momentum through continuing messaging and team work across different functions. As we said before, this is just one product and one brand. But it's also worth bearing in mind that there are many other roles not mentioned here, from Health & Safety Officers to Corporate lawyers, who have a key part to play in this success story.
