Why just tell you about my experience, when I can show you?

There’s a lot that goes in to the back end of projects I’ve brought to life that isn’t easy to share. Instead, enjoy this mini case study!

My experience in beverage marketing, combined with my entrepreneurial spirit and ability to work across departments (and teams) is exactly what you’re looking for. (If you’d also like to view my resume, you can find it here!)

But rather than just talk about myself, I thought demonstrate how I can apply my experience to product innovation.

Introducing, Green to Go!

Green to Go is a line of plant-based combinations for complete protein meals, ready to heat and eat.

Gone are the days of sitting at your desk on a busy day dreading the delivery fees and wishing you hadn’t forgotten to pack lunch. Green to Go is shelf stable and sustainably sourced, so you can feel good about lunch even in a pinch. Crafted to ensure a nutritional meal and complete protein sources, you can eat green and be green.

To give you some insight into my rationale for key aspects of product creation, as well as a bit about my experience and expertise that I can apply:

Finding White Space: The target audience for Green to Go is busy office workers or students who need to have a complete meal ready to heat and eat (either because they do not have access to refrigeration, or want something more stable). This idea originally came from my own frustration at options to have “just in case” I didn’t have time to pack a lunch or meal prep. The current shelf stable options for heat and eat are often incomplete protein sources (for example, Maya Kaimal’s Black Lentil, Tomato and Cumin does not provide a complete protein source, and needs a grain to make it a rounded meal). Additionally, the serving size of shelf stable pouches is such that you’re either eating a LOT of beans, or you find yourself with leftovers (which poses an issue if you’re not able to refrigerate them).

My experience: I have experience identifying white space through market research, focus groups, and surveys (leading a focus group was an interesting experience!) Prior to leaving Terrapin, we submitted a proposal to the larger Molson Coors organization for an innovation item, a canned Mimosa, that was ultimately accepted - I led the research aspect and was involved in focus groups, branding, and pitch presentation before leaving.

Ingredients and Offerings: While formulation is not my forte, I did research into what ingredients would be needed for a plant based complete protein meal. Since legumes and grains do not individually contain all of the amino acids to be considered a complete protein, there are pairings that need to be made. Most commonly the pairing that would allow for shelf stability is legumes and grains. Other combinations could include:

Chick Peas and CousCous (Mediterranean Seasoning)
White Beans, Kale, and Quinoa (Italian)
Red Beans, Peppers, and Rice (Cajun)

MY EXPERIENCE: While I never made it in to the brewhouse, in my time with Terrapin and Molson Coors I worked with the brewing team to identify flavor profiles and beer styles that were currently trending or looked to be on the upward trend. Using Statista, Nielsen data, and other resources, I proposed ideas and opportunities that production teams have been able to implement.

Product Name & Copy: Green to Go trademark is currently available for prepared meals (the only possible overlap is an abandoned trademark for “combination meals consisting primarily of pasta…” held by HEB).

MY EXPERIENCE: Every good marketer and entrepreneur should have a handle on the USPTO site. Whether naming new products or building a new brand, I have always been conscious to check the USPTO site before involving the lawyers for confirmation (it both reduces legal fees and the number of times legal has to tell someone in marketing “no”). Throughout my career I have been responsible for naming, product descriptions, and other packaging copy (including government regulation). My first experience was over 11 years ago, working on naming projects as part of my time at a marketing agency - I have proudly named both pants (Hanes Brands) and sausages (Lowes Foods house label).

Packaging and Design: I believe that Green to Go could explore sustainability minded packaging to fit with the overall brand (whether made from recycled material, or recyclable packaging). The extent to which this would be possible obviously depends on margin implications.

MY EXPERIENCE: I have worked with creative teams on packaging layouts for optimal shelf display, as well as point of purchase display enhancers (mostly in beer) for major retailers. I have a strong understanding of what stands out on shelf, and a sense for well-done design. Additionally, I have worked with procurement teams and logistics in the past to ensure that marketing efforts are targeting high inventory items, and communicating programming in order to maintain inventory levels and work within distribution limitations. Working with logistics as well as third party partners to ensure that beer was available for consumers ahead of the official PR launch allowed consumers to purchase when the attention was highest. In addition to working with logistics and procurement, I also have experience working through a P&L for new products, including accounting for retailer margins, varied packaging runs, and tactical sales activities.

Marketing Strategy:

Combining Cause Marketing with Creative Marketing: For Green to Go, joining forces with a well known organization like 1% for the Planet reinforces sustainability messaging, creates a PR opportunity, and stands out on shelf as a “good for you and the planet” message. According to the NIQ 2023 Sustainability Report, 69% of shoppers say that sustainability has become more important to them in the last two years. We can leverage this sentiment in consumer marketing messaging, as well as demonstrating demand opportunities to retailer customers.
Retail and E-Commerce: Targeting retailers like Whole Foods and Sprouts first would drive the sustainability and “green” messaging, and additionally having the product available via e-commerce during the initial launch (Amazon, etc) would help capture follow on sales from digital and PR efforts early in the distribution push. Additionally, looking in to city stores (like Target’s mini-stores) in high traffic office areas makes sense given the target audience.
PR: As mentioned above, leveraging a partnership with an organization focused on sustainability would allow for a strong PR message. In addition to more traditional PR messaging, creating a branded Green to Go vending machine to be placed in high traffic office areas (with accompanying media) would generate buzz (and the vending machine could also be used for trade shows)
Social and Digital: Working with influencers and content creators in the “corporate” space (for example: Corporate Natalie) in addition to organic social focused on value-driven content would expand the brand’s reach and provide social proof. Additionally, encouraging user generated content would create consumer feedback and increased awareness.
Promotions: Beyond retailer specific promotion plans as part of shelf placement, I would recommend leveraging a program like Ibotta to introduce an established consumer base to the product and drive sales (which always makes retailers happy). Doing this early on would help establish a favorable rate of sale within retail accounts and support the case for adding additional SKUs to the shelf.

MY EXPERIENCE: Brand Marketing is the bulk of my experience, and where I truly thrive. I have a decade of experience working with brands in the beverage space on marketing strategy, both small and large. As the head of the marketing department at Terrapin Beer Co, I was responsible for creating a marketing strategy that fit alongside other Molson Coors brands. In my role at Blue Ridge Spirits & Wine Marketing, I’ve worked with both start-up and established brands to create marketing and commercial strategies leveraging data and consumer insight.