Business Development

Market leader from scratch: Pasta Reale in Ireland

Pasta Reale Group is a family-owned SME, a leading producer of fresh pasta and other chilled product categories. The company's distribution was limited to the United Kingdom and some ad hoc export markets.

Based on a detailed planning approach and building close, effective relationships with retailers, market leadership in fresh pasta and sauces was secured in the Republic of Ireland, securing extensive product listings in Dunnes Stores, Superquinn and Musgrave Group for both Pasta Reale and retailer brands.

Incremental sales from Ireland equated to five percent of total group turnover within two years.

FMCG channel entry: Slendertone UK

The market leader in electronic muscle toning products lacked expertise in FMCG markets to capitalise on the liberalisation of the pharmacy channel in the UK and the subsequent entry of grocery multiple retailers.

In a six-month period a new Slendertone brand range was successfully launched in Sainsbury’s, Asda and Costco, and the independent pharmacy sector.

Sufficient critical mass was achieved in these new channels to support the eventual recruitment of two permanent Key Account Managers.

UK market entry: Day Runner

The US mass market leader in paper and electronic organiser products needed to increase sales by entering comparable markets overseas, but European consumers proved unreceptive to its existing products.

A new product range was developed to match European consumer preferences. Detailed work was done on consumer price positioning and innovative merchandising concepts and national distribution was negotiated in Tesco, John Menzies, Ryman and other regional accounts. The new range was also introduced successfully to Maxi Papier (Staples) in Germany.