Global Consumer Goods Manufacturer
Trade strategy transformation: Reallocating investment to drive competitive advantage
The Challenge
Our client operates in a highly competitive market, serving customers across a complex UK trade landscape. They came to us at a time when declining category volumes, shifting consumer preferences, and rising trade investment were putting pressure on their go-to-market strategy. Despite increasing trade spend, returns were not keeping pace, with investment decisions shaped more by internal structures than by strategic market realities - leading to significant over- and under-investment. At the same time, historic trade agreements had become bloated with terms that no longer supported their strategic direction.This led to a critical question:
How do we optimise our significant and increasing trade investments against declining category volumes and a rapidly changing trade landscape?
The organisation chose Cognosis because they needed a partner with the analytical know-how, practical experience, and a bespoke approach that would deliver actionable insights and drive real change in this complex commercial environment.
Our Approach
Our client operates in a highly competitive market, serving customers across a complex UK trade landscape. They came to us at a time when declining category volumes, shifting consumer preferences, and rising trade investment were putting pressure on their go-to-market strategy. Despite increasing trade spend, returns were not keeping pace, with investment decisions shaped more by internal structures than by strategic market realities - leading to significant over- and under-investment. At the same time, historic trade agreements had become bloated with terms that no longer supported their strategic direction.This led to a critical question:
How do we optimise our significant and increasing trade investments against declining category volumes and a rapidly changing trade landscape?
The organisation chose Cognosis because they needed a partner with the analytical know-how, practical experience, and a bespoke approach that would deliver actionable insights and drive real change in this complex commercial environment.
The 100 Coins Methodology
A framework that allows clients to discuss the relative importance for investment, rather than the absolute investment needed as an enabler for making challenging prioritisation decisions.
The Impact
Our client operates in a highly competitive market, serving customers across a complex UK trade landscape. They came to us at a time when declining category volumes, shifting consumer preferences, and rising trade investment were putting pressure on their go-to-market strategy. Despite increasing trade spend, returns were not keeping pace, with investment decisions shaped more by internal structures than by strategic market realities - leading to significant over- and under-investment. At the same time, historic trade agreements had become bloated with terms that no longer supported their strategic direction.This led to a critical question:
How do we optimise our significant and increasing trade investments against declining category volumes and a rapidly changing trade landscape?
The organisation chose Cognosis because they needed a partner with the analytical know-how, practical experience, and a bespoke approach that would deliver actionable insights and drive real change in this complex commercial environment.
