Case Study: Essence Drinks
When Akshay Kumar, the founder of Essence Drinks, started the company two years ago he could not have foreseen the rapid early stage growth that took place. He launched the company with one drink (a healthy mango lassi) into the UK market and achieved a dramatic rise in sales in his first year due to the innovative formula and distribution capability.
However, as the company enters its third year of trading there has been a significant decrease in sales as a number of competitors have entered the market. Akshay thinks the answer is to create an innovative new range of drinks, but does not want to move away from lassis.
You are an innovation consultant that the company has hired to evaluate the situation and present recommendations on how the company should move forward. This assignment is in two parts.
Part A:You are required to produce a business report to present to Mr Kumar to provide background information about innovation and the processes of innovation development. This is the first part of your research and will support the development of a business case which you are required to present to Mr Kumar.
The business report will address the following:
1. Explanation of the difference between invention and innovation.
2. The value and importance of innovation to organisations and how this can be embedded
within the organisational leadership, Team work and culture at Essence Drinks.
3. The different forms of innovation and the four directions of change an organisation can
take. Explain the 4Ps of innovation and how this supports capability and management of
innovation. Advise Essence Drinks which form of innovation they should engage in.
4. Discuss the approaches that Essence Drinks can take to process innovative ideas,
including the innovation funnel and frugal innovation.You must provide relevant examples
where possible.
5. Explain the steps Essence Drinks should go through to derive a new and innovative drink.
End of Part A
You are an innovation consultant that the Essence Drinks company has hired to evaluate the situation and present recommendations on how the Essence Drinks should move forward. This assignment is in two parts (see previous SAM for details of part A).
Part B:You are required to present a business case for the type of product that Essence Drinks can take to market. The business case PowerPoint presentation should be 10 minutes long and slides should cover the following: (Speaker notes must cover LO3 and LO4 contents in detail)
1. Background to the company and the problem including selection of ways to funding access.
2. Scoping of ideas for new products.
3.Identifying the solution to the problem using the commercial funnel to highlight strategic capability:
Matching goals to resources and capability.
Assessment of risk.
Value analysis applying frugal innovation.
4. Determine techniques for testing the effectiveness of the new product.
5. Explain how Essence Drinks can protect the intellectual property rights of a new drink.
End of Part B
