In April 2011, Harvard Business Review published “Why Most Product Launches Fail,” authored by Joan Schneider and Julie Hall. The article identifies five fundamental flaws that often lead to product failures in the market. According to the data, 75% of consumer-packaged goods (CPG) fail within their first year. One major flaw discussed is the failure of companies to educate consumers about new products or categories. Explained with an anecdote, in 2004, Procter & Gamble launched “Scentstories”, a scent-emitting device resembling a CD player. However, consumer confusion about the product’s functionality, exacerbated by misleading commercials featuring Shania Twain, contributed to its failure. This case underscores the importance of a robust educational campaign and clear messaging for revolutionary products, proving that thorough consumer education is often more effective than celebrity endorsements.
In contrast, a food brand in India successfully addressed this challenge by launching innovative packaging and apparatus (a Dispenser) for making Vada (deep-fried rice and lentil donuts). This product garnered global attention, demonstrating the effectiveness of well-executed product innovation and education. The founder, P.C. Mustafa, presented this ground-breaking solution at Harvard Business School, illustrating how clear communication and addressing consumer needs can lead to successful product launches, even in a competitive market.
P.C. Mustafa, the CEO and Founder of ID Fresh Foods started the company to address a significant issue: the lack of hygienic batter for traditional South Indian breakfast items like Idli (rice cakes) and Vada (deep-fried rice and lentil donuts). Recognizing the need for a cleaner, more reliable product, ID Fresh Foods aimed to provide high-quality, fresh batter to meet the needs of busy, health-conscious consumers. The brand’s value proposition is to ensure that working women and families can access nutritious and well-made Idli & Dosa batter without compromising quality or convenience.
ID Fresh Foods identified a significant market gap: the traditional art of making Vada, a popular South Indian snack, disappeared from many households. Crafting the perfect Vada, with its characteristic round shape and central hole, is both a tedious and messy process. The brand aimed to revive this culinary tradition and make Vada-making accessible to every South Indian home. The company faced two major challenges. First, a consistent batter is essential for making Vadas. ID Fresh Foods addressed this by developing its proprietary batter formulation. The second challenge was creating a tool for molding the Vadas. Initially, the brand planned to sell pre-shaped Vada dough that customers could directly fry. However, this concept proved challenging to implement. After extensive brainstorming, ID Fresh Foods introduced a dispenser package. While the dispenser successfully produced batter in a ball shape, it failed to create the necessary hole in the center. Undeterred, the team continued to refine their approach and ultimately developed a new solution: a specialized apparatus featuring a nozzle and cutter (See the picture).
The final product combines a batter dispenser with a precision cutter. The dispenser squeezes the batter through a nozzle, and the cutter shapes it into the perfect Vada with a central hole. This innovation allows consumers to effortlessly drop perfectly shaped Vadas directly into hot oil, streamlining the cooking process and bringing the art of Vada-making back to the home kitchen.
Photo Source: Amaozon.com (https://www.amazon.in/ID-Fresh-Food-Vada-Batter/dp/B07995P1C8 )
Nice insight 👍