The best thing with Orkla is that you as a brand manager are a part of the innovation process from the very start. You have to search the market, find out what kinds of products are already there, what the competitors have done and what do you expect them to do next. Moreover, you have to know the drivers of the category and of course the local preferences. When you have done the research you can start the next step. Create workshops with both internal and externals partners to find the most preferred taste, smell, figure and look. Of course, we cannot today know for sure what the “next big innovation” is but with research and workshops behind you the chance of success is bigger.
When you have sorted out the very many ideas that were there from start and you only have a few concepts left, it is time to try to create it in the real world, not in the factory but in the lab. If you find some of the cookies great you continue by letting consumers eat them. If the results are good you move on together with the project group to decide production type, packaging, design and communication.
It sounds easy but the entire process from start (research) to end (final product in-store) takes usually over one year. Along the way you will for sure have fun, realize that you have to be patient and learn a lot. I strongly recommend it!
