INDUSTRY COMMENT


ENTERING NEW PRODUCT CATEGORIES


Andy Campbell, independent retail business development consultant, provides some advice on investing in new ranges.


I f you are


considering getting involved in new ranges that take you into


different market


territory than you currently have experience of, there are two main strategies that can be adopted. At one end there is the approach of simply taking a modest representation of the range, putting it out and seeing what happens. If it doesn’t work it won’t have cost you much and if it does, you can build on the learning from the initial trial. At the other end of the spectrum is a structured and methodical approach to researching the market thoroughly before diving in a bigger and bolder way. The advantages of the first approach are that you can get


ON TEST: PET CARE


PLANT-BASED DOG TREATS OFFER TASTY MEAT-FREE ALTERNATIVE


Brighton-based start-up W’ZIS? is aiming to liven up what it calls the last remaining ‘dull’ FMCG category, pet food, with its meat-free treats.


T


he new start-up W’ZIS


brand has


created a range of unique, all-natural, plant-based treats - which are also grain


and gluten-free and low in calories. And each treat is presented in two eye-catching colours. The firm’s name is a truncated sonic play on


what owners say to excite their dogs - “What’s this?” - and it’s aiming to create a sensory overload for both dogs, owners and stockists alike. The W’ZIS initial SKU line-up includes three different flavours of mini, one calorie, treats (‘Postman & Roast’, ‘Slipper & Biscuit’, ‘Lamp Post & Chips’) that are packaged in refillable, screw-top tins; two W-shaped ‘Dubya’ chew bars with gaps that can be filled with cheese or peanut butter and two ‘Fang Chews’. Shaking the treat tins produces a suitably “W’zis?!” sound! Each treat features a version of the brand’s ‘fang’ logo in various sizes and forms - the W-shape of which also helps to clean a dog’s teeth. Another health


16 DIY WEEK JANUARY 2022


benefit lies in a relative lack of protein (and purine) in any of the range compared to meat treats, thereby reducing stress on a dog’s kidneys. Citing research from Mintel that


reported 34% of British dog food buyers believe it’s good for dogs to regularly have a plant-based meal instead of meat, W’ZIS? Co-Founder Drew Griffiths says: “There’s nothing like our range in this ever-expanding market - either in look, style or content. So the time is right - dog ownership’s up massively, vegan dog food and treats are growing at 12% and we’re eager to get our teeth into the category. Even if owners aren’t taking their dogs completely vegan, our range represents a healthy, low-calorie, alternative to the meat and offal treats out there. Call it


flexitarianism for our furry friends, if you will.”


W’ZIS kindly sent a range of their dog treats into the DIY Week office so we could ask our fussy canine colleagues to give them a try. The verdict was overwhelmingly positive, with the amusingly named ‘Postman & Roast’ a firm favourite. Shaking the treat tins and calling out ‘w’zis’ has become a regular ritual that our girls look forward to. The small ‘w’ shaped plant-based treats offer a healthy alternative reward that are not only low in calories, but also clean their teeth, so it’s a win-win that leaves everyone with a warm fuzzy feeling, so we can certainly recommend them. W’ZIS Mini Treats, x100 in a


tin (50g) retail for £5.95; ‘Dubya’ Chews, x8, £9.95 rrp; ‘Fang’ Chews, x12, £9.95 rrp; and Mini Treat Triple Tin Gift Box (three 50g tins, plus 100g of refills for each), £27.50 rrp. For more details, visit Wzis.dog , email sales@wzis.dog , call 01273 044 515 or follow @wzisdog


www.diyweek.net significantly


going quickly, it is low risk and you start learning straight way. But the danger is that what you learn will be severely limited and it could take a long time before you fully realise the potential of the range, during which competitors might move faster or if there is a fashion element to the offer you may find that you only catch the tail end of the opportunity, because the market has moved on. Therefore, as a general principle I favour the more analytical approach, still supported by good commercial judgement. This involves gathering as much market data together from a variety of sources, to try and understand the scale and direction the market is taking. It also covers gaining an understanding of who the customers are likely to be, who else is retailing in this sector and


what the supply base is like. The potential suppliers are normally an excellent source of both factual and anecdotal information about the market and the consumer, as well as the competitive situation. An


approach that works


well is to identify which outlets are considered to be leading the market forward, then visit and benchmark their offer. In terms of the range stocked, quality levels, price-points, promotional approach, merchandising and display, customer service and marketing. The next challenge is deciding the best way to approach the opportunity for your own organisation. It then makes sense to run these past colleagues within the business to gain their input and buy-in, as well as respected and trusted friends and acquaintances within the industry


who might already be involved in the sector to take a sanity check on your thoughts. When you have been through this exercise and reassured yourself that the initiative is worthwhile, will meet your sales and profit expectation and the benefits, both financial and the less tangible, will outweigh all the costs, then it is time to move on to implementation. The advantages of adopting this style of approach are that you are much more likely to hit the ground running, the new offer will have much greater impact especially with the customer, your learning will be fast track and the chances of making a good return significantly increased. Yes – the risks might be perceived as being higher. All I would say though is that good research and analysis goes a long way to mitigate this risk.


If you’d like to get in touch with Andy to discuss these issues in more detail, please call 01225 864331, e-mail: andy@ andycampbellconsulting.co.uk or visit his website at: www. andycampbellconsulting.co.uk


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