Forecasting trends and servicing the needs of customers drives both manufacturers’ and retailers’ business. Tastes are always changing, and staying ahead of the curve is important. To be successful in meeting the needs of customers and retailers’ bottom line, manufacturers must hit four key points.
First, the retailer category buyers are looking to the manufacturers as trend-spotters. It is the manufacturers’ responsibility to look across all retail categories, as well as foodservice, and make recommendations that delight the consumer and fulfill the retailers’ requirements for profit and volume movement. Companies must remain nimble enough to constantly review what’s happening in their core marketing areas as well as other marketing areas nationwide. As far as the ice cream industry goes, sometimes it is as simple as ordering dessert in a restaurant and combining flavors and mouthfeel.