Rita Sengupta presents two projects for Small Planet Foods: 1) Developing new product guidelines to formalize criteria for new product launches, and 2) A benchmarking analysis comparing key Small Planet Foods categories to internal analogs to help inform margin goals. For project 1, Rita outlines proposed new product guidelines covering metrics like volume, incrementality, gross margin, and incremental profit. For project 2, Rita analyzes Cascadian Farm Cinnamon Crunch cereal versus a similar product to identify differences in trade practices, material costs, manufacturing, and logistics that impact gross margin. The analysis finds opportunities in manufacturing through co-production and logistics through volume forecasting and distribution structure.

1. Small Planet Foods
New Product Guidelines | Benchmarking Analysis
Rita Sengupta
August 20th, 2013

2. Agenda
Introduction:
Rita Sengupta
Project
Overview
Project 1:
New Product
Guidelines
Project 2:
Benchmarking
Analysis

3. Who is Rita Sengupta?
Oklahoma City, OK
Washington University
in St. Louis
Biking & Yoga
Enthusiast
Guitarist
Avid Instagrammer

4. Project Overview
Project 1:
New Product Guidelines
Background Deliverables
• Operates with a
philosophy around
new product
guidelines
• No clearly
formalized criteria
• Create and publish
guidelines for each
type of new
product launch
• Gain buy-in from all
stakeholders
Project 2:
Benchmarking Analysis
Background Deliverables
• Several SPF
categories have
internal GMI
analogs
• Identify analogs
• Deliver cost
comparison analysis
to help inform
margin goals in
divisional LRP

5. Project 1: New Product Guidelines

6. Data Gathering
Discuss current
process with
SPF
Benchmark
against
USRO divisions
Analyze New
Product
Performance
Align with
cross-functional
teams
Create
Guidelines
Objective:
Develop and Publish
New Product
Guidelines for SPF

7. SPF Guidelines vs. other USRO Divisions
Division
Incrementality
(%)
Gross Margin*
Incremental
Profit
Club Specific In & Outs
*sustaining gross margin

8. New Product Performance vs. Gate Documentation
F13 Volume (EQCs) RNS (ex. NIFDA) GM% (ex. NIFDA + TSU)
Actual vs. Gate Actual vs. Gate Actual vs. Gate
Actual vs. Line/BU
Avg.
CF Ancient Grains
CF Berry Cobbler
LB Uber
CF Crunchy
Large standard deviation of new product performance

9. Proposed New Product Guidelines for Standard Innovation
Line
Extensions
Brand
Expansions
New
Platform
Process/Deliverable
Volume (Total/No. of SKUs) Charter-Gate 3:
Quantify as necessary
Incrementality > 30% > 70% > 70% + Charter
Total RNS
Gate 1-3:
Quantify based on volume
Gross Margin (ex. NIFDA)
≥ PNL Average ≥ BU Average
≥ Division
Average
Charter:
Define guideline
Gate 1:
accretive/neutral/
dilutive vs. guideline
Gate 2-3:
Quantify and compare to
guideline
See BU specific reference points
Incremental Profit* Year 1 > 0 Year 1 + 2 > 0 Gate 1-2
Test and Startup Costs Input estimate and determine if it’s within budget Gate 1
*Incremental Profit = (Gross Margin/EQC*Incremental Volume) – Test & Startup Costs – NIFDA – Depreciation

10. Proposed New Product Guidelines for Standard Innovation
Line
Extensions
Brand
Expansions
New
Platform
Process/Deliverable
Volume (Total/No. of SKUs) Charter-Gate 3:
Update as necessary
Incrementality > 30% > 70% > 70% + Charter
Total RNS
Gate 1-3:
Quantify based on volume
Gross Margin (ex. NIFDA)
≥ PNL Average ≥ BU Average
≥ Division
Average
Charter:
Define guideline
Gate 1:
accretive/neutral/
dilutive vs. guideline
Gate 2-3:
Quantify and compare to
guideline
See BU specific reference points
Incremental Profit* Year 1 > 0 Year 1 + 2 > 0 Gate 1-2
Test and Startup Costs Input estimate and determine if it’s within budget Gate 1
*Incremental Profit = (Gross Margin/EQC*Incremental Volume) – Test & Startup Costs – NIFDA – Depreciation

11. What Should
Happen
Clear objectives,
vision
Match customer need
with feasibility
What Actually
Happens
Reactive launches, no
portfolio strategy
Assess feasibility after
committing
Gap
Lack of standards,
alignment (for
portfolio strategy)
Need to balance push
& pull of new product
requests (requires
preparation)
Current State of SPF Customer Exclusives

12. Proposed Framework for Customer Exclusives
Strategic Purpose
Volume
Commitment
Timeline
Other
Considerations?
Incremental Gain Strategic Customer
• Minimum run
requirement
• Ship 100% of
commitment?
Define appropriate:
• Lead time
• Exclusivity Period
Should Sales region
be liable for:
• Special pack?
• Unshipped
volume
commitment?
• Fire sale / DD?
Define strategic
benefit:
• Profit driven?
• Increase
distribution?
• Strategic
customers by
brand

13. Other Considerations and Next Steps
 Do the new guidelines support the Project Warhol initiative?
 Ensure that guidelines are not hurdles
 Does this address the issues identified at the Focused Improvement?
 Enforce post-launch analysis
 Gate 4: In-Market Review

14. Project 2: Benchmarking Analysis

15. Objective and Agenda
Help inform SPF’s long-run margin goals in the upcoming divisional LRP
Key SPF Categories Case Study
Areas of
Opportunity

16. Breakdown of Key Categories in SPF
Cereal and
Granola
72%
Snack Bars
12%
Frozen
Vegetables
9%
Frozen
Fruit
5%
Volume (EQC) of each Business
Unit in SPF
Cascadian
Farm
43%
Muir Glen
16%
Food
Should
Taste Good
20%
Larabar
21%
Volume (EQC) of each Category
in Cascadian Farm

17. Case Study: CTC vs. CF Cinnamon Crunch (GM/oz)
CTC GM/oz. Net Sales Trade + Coupon Total Materials Total
Manufacturing
Total Logistics CF Cinnamon
Crunch GM/oz.

18. Key Differences in Trade
CTC GM/oz. Net Sales Trade + Coupon Total Materials Total
Manufacturing
Total Logistics CF Cinnamon
Crunch GM/oz.
KEY DIFFERENCES:
• CTC is traded more frequently
(8 times/year vs. 4 times/year)
• CTC has deeper discounts
• Big G varies trade strategy by brand
and size of product

19. Key Differences in Material Cost
KEY DIFFERENCE:
• Higher costs of premium
CTC GM/oz. Net Sales Trade + Coupon Total Materials Total
Manufacturing
Total Logistics CF Cinnamon
Crunch GM/oz.
organic ingredients

20. Key Differences in Manufacturing Cost
CTC GM/oz. Net Sales Trade + Coupon Total Materials Total
Manufacturing
Total Logistics CF Cinnamon
Crunch GM/oz.
KEY DIFFERENCE:
• GMI owned plants vs. External
Supply Chain
AREA OF OPPORTUNITY:
• Co-production with GMI plants

21. Key Differences in Logistics Cost
CTC GM/oz. Net Sales Trade + Coupon Total Materials Total
Manufacturing
Total Logistics CF Cinnamon
Crunch GM/oz.
KEY DIFFERENCES:
• Big G—scale drives more efficient use
of CSF network
• SPF—products flow through more CSFs

22. Case Study: Key Takeaways
CTC GM/oz. Net Sales Trade + Coupon Total Materials Total
Manufacturing
Total Logistics CF Cinnamon
Crunch GM/oz.
1. CF prices for premium ingredients
2. Areas of opportunity:
Manufacturing
 Co-production with internal plants
Logistics
 Tighten volume forecasting
 Evaluate structure

23. Next Steps
 Share insights and areas of opportunities for other analogs to
Cascadian Farm brand team
 Transition analysis to finance team for divisional LRP

24. THANK YOU!
Jeff Siemon, Eileen Anderson, Kethan Pradhan, Meggie Wittorf,
Andrew Nymo, Nathan McCurren, Haylee Remark, Jessica Lee,
Danielle Bagge, Brian McIntosh, Chad Ries, Brianna Menning,
Alicia Beerman, Joffrey Wilson, Peter Roose, Allen Gerten,
Onaisa Husain, Kristin Witt, Ryan Flanagan, Jessica Britton,
Jennifer Kaplan, and the FRIT team!

25. Questions?
NPG Benchmarking Analysis
New Product Performance
Standard Innovation Guidelines
Customer Exclusive Framework
Key SPF Categories
CF Case Study
Main Takeaways

26. Appendix

28. Volume
Frozen Frontier New Product Guidelines
Incrementality
(to Division)
Gross Margin
(Sustaining)
New
Platform
Brand
Expansion
Line
Extension
Club & All
Other*
≥ 70%
Cumulative
Profit
(Incremental)
> Division
Retail
Target
≥ 50% ≥ 30% ≥ 70%
> BU
Retail
Target
> PNL
Retail
Target
* All Other includes Small Format, DD&D
Adjust for
Club
Profitable
< 30
Months
Profitable
< 12
Months
Capital IRR 20%
Breakeven
Launch Yr
Profitable
< 24
Months

29. New
Platforms
Brand
Expansion
Line Extension
Club
(New/Rotational)
Retail In/Outs
GM% 40% 40%
35% OR line
accretive
25%
35% OR line
accretive, incl.
write-offs
Gross RNS $5MM $3MM $5MM $1MM $1.5MM
IRR% 20%
EBIT
Breakeven
Year
Year 3 Year 2 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1
Supporting Model to Hit Hurdles
New
Platforms
Brand
Expansion
Line Extension
Club
(New/Rotational)
Retail In/Outs
Gross Volume 250 150 250 50 75
Marketing
Spend (Year 1&2
Combined)
$2,000 $500 $ - $ - $-
Incrementality 75% 60% 50% 80% 60%
Capital $833 $ 333 $50 $50 $ 50

30. Pillsbury New Product Guidelines
STRATEGY:
Innovate with larger and highly incremental new products that
will drive share and profit growth
Line
Extension
New Platform
Brand
Expansion
> 80% > 60%
Incremental > 40%
Net Sales
Per SKU
> 40% > 30% > 40% > 30%
IRR ( 5yr life)
and within at least 90% of products impacted by steal
> Category
Margins impacted
by steal*
> 20%
Gross Margin
% (Sustaining)
> $6MM > $8MM > $6MM > $8MM > $6MM
Net Sales Gross Margin
Club/Channel
Permanent
Distribution
>$2MM
Gap to Retail <
13%
Financials must be
approved by business
teams

31. Template for Average BU Margins
CASCADIAN FARM LARABAR MUIR GLEN FOOD SHOULD TASTE GOOD
Category GM % Club GM% Category GM % Club GM% Category GM % Club GM% Category GM % Club GM%
Cereals Core Tomatoes Tortilla
Granola ALT Diced Kettle Cooked
Cereal Uber Fire Roasted Crackers
Granola Bars Jocalat Whole BU Average
Chewy BU Average Crushed and Ground
Crunchy Pasta Sauce
Frozen Fruit Salsas
Frozen Vegetables Soups
Boxed Pastes
Bagged Ketchup
Blends BU Average
Frozen Potatoes
Fruit Spreads
Concentrates
Relish
BU Average
Business Unit GM %
Cascadian Farm
Larabar
Muir Glen
FSTG
DIVISION AVERAGE 30%
Back

32. Brand Strategic Customers
Club (Costco)
Natural Channel (WFM)
Retail (Target)
WFM
Ahold
Publix
Kroger
W-M
Publix
Kroger
WFM
Club (Costco)
Natural (WFM, Sprout)
Target
Back

33. Brand Minimum Runs
Production: 700 cases
Packaging: 9,000-12,000 cases
Production: 20,000 cases/SKU
No packaging limit
CF Granola: 17,500 cases
CF Cereal: 13,500 cases
Bars: 6,000-7,000
Packaging: 10,000 prints – bars
(individual film or box) or cereal
Min. Actual Cases/production run:
Fresca SUS- 1,350
Fresca MPK- 2,160
Uber SUS- 3,500
Uber MPK- 5,200
Min. Pouches/order: 660,00
Min. Caddy’s/order: 12,000
Back

34. Summary of Other Analogs
CASE STUDY: CF Cinnamon Crunch
CEREAL
FROZEN
VEGETABLES
SNACK
BARS
CF Honey Nut O’s
CF Multigrain Squares
CF Broccoli & Carrots
CF Mixed Vegetables
CF Crunchy Oats n Honey
CF Chewy Chocolate Chip