There's a massive demand for something new on the drinks aisle. From the latest in fruit juice flavours to new energy drinks, there are lots of different opportunities to create something new. But there is also room for it to go very wrong. So how do you approach drink development and marketing of a new product?

Developing the idea

Perhaps the key part of the process of creating a new drinks product is the work that goes into it before you begin. If you are looking at starting a new business, then you will want to create a business plan. This might include business objectives, strategies, the market for the product and what kind of profit you are looking to make.

Then you need to look to see if the idea is feasible. This is where working with experts in drink development can be extremely beneficial. There's a lot of information required to make this kind of decision. For example, organic and Fairtrade ingredients are very important for some sectors of the drinks industry - but do these products work with the business plan you have? Can you incorporate them into your products and still make the profits you are aiming for?

The practical stuff

The next consideration is how are you going to package the drink. Not every type of drink is suitable for every type of packaging. Options include cartons, cans, bottles and pouches. As well as the practical considerations of drinking the drink from the selected packaging, you also want to consider the artwork and branding of it. Can you easily add your branding to it so that the drink is clearly yours? Consider intellectual property when looking at this such as trademarks and patents.

The manufacturing of the drink is the step to consider next. Armed with what you want to make and how you want to package it, you can start to look at the practical considerations of creating the drink. Not only do you want to know how and where it will be made but also to look ant quality assurance. You need to be sure that there are product quality and safety, and this means doing Due Diligence on any company you will partner with. The Food Standards Agency can also offer more advice on this.

Once manufactured, where are you going to store the product? What temperature does it require? And also, how are you going to have it transported from this location to the stores that are selling it? Logistics are key to business success and you want this process planned out before you consider a single bottle being made.

Sales and marketing

With the technical and logistics side of things planned out, next you need to consider the sales and marketing. Who was your target market when you studied the feasibility of the product? Where do they shop? You want to start considering what kind of shops and outlets will stock your drink. Will you work regionally or look to spread your product around the country - and do your logistics plans accommodate this?

Marketing is also huge. You need to let people know your product exists and online is a prime way to do this - and is very cost effective for start-ups. Social media, PPC advertising campaigns and working with influencers can all be good options to market your product and reach that target customer.

Also, consider how you are going to scale the business - what new markets can you reach? Can you find new customers for your product? Could you even consider exporting to other country? Planning for the future at the start will help you keep your business on track and grow your drinks brand.

To learn more about how David Berryman can help you with your drink development journey, get in touch with us today.

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