Simple Mills Partners with IRI Growth Consulting to Drive Profitable Innovation

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--IRI^®, a fast-growing global leader in innovative solutions and services for consumer, retail and media companies, and Simple Mills, a pioneer in the clean-food snacking space that ranks as the No. 1 baking mix, No. 1 cracker brand and No. 3 cookie brand in the natural category in over 25,000 stores nationwide, continue to expand their growth consulting partnership focused on expanding the Simple Mills portfolio and overall value proposition for retail partners and consumers. The partnership is part of IRI’s efforts to guide clients of all sizes in making the most cost-effective investments in pricing, pack architecture, messaging/positioning, and product features and innovation that will strengthen their overall value proposition and profitability.

Robb Bennett, director of Insights and Analytics at Simple Mills, said, “Simple Mills partnered with IRI on a Price Pack Architecture project that drove highly actionable insights for both our current portfolio and new innovations. The IRI team mapped the current price and pack landscape, devised a custom approach to test consumer demand for new concepts across multiple retail channels, and advised on actions based on the learnings — all amid the market uncertainty of 2020. The results played a central role in developing new PPA concepts that will begin hitting the market later this year and enabled us to confidently move forward on new innovation. We greatly benefitted from the IRI team’s strategic thinking, research experience and cross-category pricing expertise.”

“Due to recent cost increases and shopper behavior shifts stemming from COVID-19, CPG manufacturers — especially premium players — need to strengthen their margins and justify their price positioning. Furthermore, shoppers have become far more cynical about product claims and benefits, requiring brands to take a more sophisticated approach to communicate their true value and avoid commoditization,” said Ray Florio, executive vice president and partner of IRI Growth Consulting. “IRI is proud to partner with Simple Mills and other companies looking to navigate rapidly changing landscapes and make strategic growth decisions to drive sustained competitive advantage during these uncertain times.”

IRI Growth Consulting is focused on supporting retail, CPG and health care companies of all sizes grow both top-line revenues and bottom-line profits simultaneously, with a focus on portfolio and brand strategy, pricing strategy, value proposition and innovation, and customer and product profitability. Among other benefits, the group can support clients by:

• Developing strategies for expanding their portfolio to capitalize on additional use and shopping occasions
• Optimizing the link between product pricing, product development and marketing
• Determining the most efficient path forward through portfolio profitability.

If you’re interested in learning more about IRI Growth Consulting, please contact Ray Florio at [e-mail].

About Simple Mills

Founded in 2012, Simple Mills is a leading provider of better-for-you crackers, cookies, snack bars and baking mixes made with whole-food, nutrient-dense ingredients and nothing artificial, ever. In just eight years, the company has disrupted center-aisle grocery categories to become the #1 natural cracker and #1 natural baking brand with distribution in over 20,000 stores nationwide. Its mission is to advance the holistic health of the planet and its people by positively impacting the way food is made. For more information, visit www.simplemills.com.

About IRI

IRI is a fast-growing, leading provider of big data, predictive analytics and forward-looking insights that help CPG, OTC health care organizations, retailers, and financial services and media companies grow their businesses. With the largest repository of purchase, media, social, causal and loyalty data, all integrated into an on-demand, cloud-based technology platform, IRI is empowering the personalization revolution, helping to guide its more than 5,000 clients around the world in their quests to remain relentlessly relevant, capture market share, connect with consumers, collaborate with key constituents and deliver market-leading growth. For more information, visit www.iriworldwide.com.

About IRI’s Mid-Market Growth Practice

The Mid-Market Growth Practice of IRI provides high-tech and high-touch support for small- to midsize manufacturers. Regardless of company size, IRI has a data solution that drives understanding and growth. Companies benefit from access to all the same tested and proven solutions offered to IRI global partners, enabling companies of all sizes to democratize data, streamline analytics and, ultimately, win in the marketplace. For more information on IRI’s comprehensive portfolio of solutions specifically crafted for small- and midsized brands, please contact Robert Porod at [e-mail].