Lippe Taylor’s Post

What is going on with Dr. Pepper in the US? 🌶 😷 Keurig Dr Pepper Inc. has reportedly overtaken Pepsi to be the number two soft drink by volume in the United States (https://lnkd.in/dQ6_6ift). While Coke is heavily in the lead, the fact that an upstart beverage brand can seemingly unseat the classic number two in the sector is surprising. Under the surface, the potential reasons for this shift are numerous, from: Dr. Pepper's more monolithic brand architecture vs. PepsiCo's wider portfolio distributing share, to a more distinctive taste that captures current trends or a cracking college football association that serves their heartland. Integration into various social discussions and cultural relevance seems to have contributed as well. Overall, these have come together at a time when the soft drink category is figuring out what the future looks like and put the challenger brand at a forefront. Geographic search from Google shows that in the last year, interest in Dr. Pepper accelerated out of its southern heartland before exploding more nationally in the last 3 months. While its easy to try to find a silver bullet for this rapid growth, its more likely that this shows how things change slowly until they don't. Growth comes from a range of strong contributory factors over time that suddenly faster change. In a game of US soft drink Risk, I wouldn't bet against Dr. Pepper to continue to grow. #softdrinks #brands #marketing #strategy

Ever wonder how a small snack company conquers giants like Walmart and Publix? Andy Shirk shares the inspiring story of how Beer Nuts did it. He embraced the digital gold rush and then “selling trucks, not cases.” But, it wasn't all smooth sailing. Beer Nuts took on the challenge of selling food directly to consumers—it wasn't a smooth ride, but it had its perks! Landing Walmart wasn't a walk in the park, but it taught them valuable lessons in streamlining operations. Listen now and explore the highs, the lows, and the unexpected turns on Beer Nuts' digital journey. Find the link to the entire conversation with Andy in the comments below! #StrazaConsulting  #BeerNuts #DigitalAdventure #BeyondDigitalShift #LargerSalesFocus #DigitalOpportunity #DigitalNiche #RetailGiants #BusinessScaling

When other business owners ask me what my vision is, I tell them this... 1 yr. from today (December 2024) I see us being in The GIANT Company, Giant Eagle, Inc., Whole Foods Market, Wegmans Food Markets, Target, Walmart, Kroger, Stop & Shop, Publix Super Markets, Trader Joe's, Costco Wholesale, ALDI USA, Albertsons, WinCo Foods, Ahold Delhaize, etc. 40,000 locations in 100 countries is our dream. Starbucks grew 35,711 stores in 52 years. My goal? We're going to beat that by a landslide! Then they proceed to ask me... "What is your strategy?" It's actually quite simple. Who's looking to partner with what's going to be the worlds largest dessert experience??? Comment below where you would like to see Taylor Chip... #viral #cookies #worldwide

Sabert Chicago's workforce stands as a pinnacle of excellence, navigating the intricate challenges of crafting the renowned McDonald's sandwich clamshell and the iconic Starbucks coffee sleeves. Their journey is not merely one of production but a saga of pioneering processes and refining their artistry across time. The depth of expertise within the Sabert team, embodied by seasoned operators and industry professionals, propels them into a league of unparalleled production, quality, and efficiency within the realm of food service packaging. They have set a standard that remains unmatched, a testament to their unwavering commitment to excellence. Despite the claims of ostentatious sales professionals, the truth remains clear: Sabert Chicago's production processes reign supreme, leaving competitors in their wake. Their leadership in the industry is not a mere title but a reality that places any other group below them, emphasizing that anything less than the best is simply not enough in this competitive landscape.

For years, I have counseled my clients about the importance of consistent and clear messaging. You can't say one thing to your employers, another to your customers and yet a third thing to Wall Street. This week, Wendy's was the prime example why that doesn't work. If, indeed, Wendy's wants to offer discounts to customers at low-traffic times to drive additional foot traffic to stores and then basically ask if the customer "wants fries with that"...well there's not much new or controversial about that. Presumably, the innovation comes from being able to offer discounts that incentive customers on a hyper-local level. But you have to say all of that to everyone. And if you ever do find that you need to issue a statement clarifying a previous statement admit that the reason it was necessary was because you did not clearly articulate your initial message and not because the media"misconstrued" what was said. #corporatecommunications #clearcommunication #leadership #soapbox https://lnkd.in/gMEW7jP6

"Why do we often find Domino's and Pizza Hut or mobile and electronics stores situated next to each other? The answer lies in Game Theory: Nash Equilibrium." The Nash Equilibrium stands as a fundamental concept that explores the dynamics of strategic decision-making. Named after the brilliant mathematician and Nobel laureate John Nash, this equilibrium represents a situation where individuals, firms, or entities make choices that optimize their outcomes, taking into account the decisions of others. While the Nash Equilibrium has broad applications, one fascinating real-world example of its principles in action is the phenomenon of competitive businesses setting up shop next to each other. Each pizza giant knows that their success hinges not only on the quality of their pizza but also on their strategic positioning relative to their competitor. If Pizza Hut opts to establish a location on one side of city, Domino's recognizes that positioning itself nearby could take away potential customers. Conversely, if Domino's sets up shop elsewhere, Pizza Hut faces the same dilemma. In this strategic tango, both Pizza Hut and Domino's realize that the optimal choice lies in proximity to their competitor. By setting up adjacent to each other, they ensure they capture their fair share of the market while exerting pressure on their rival. This equilibrium isn't just about convenience—it's a calculated maneuver rooted in strategic foresight. Both Pizza Hut and Domino's understand that by coexisting in close quarters, they maximize their visibility, capitalize on shared foot traffic, and create a competitive atmosphere that spurs innovation. So, the next time you're craving a slice of pizza, remember the subtle dance of strategy unfolding behind the scenes. In the world of marketing, Nash Equilibrium isn't just a theory—it's a strategic playbook for success. 🎯 #MarketingStrategy #GameTheory #NashEquilibrium #PizzaWars Let me know in the comments, which other big business competitions have you seen to co-exist together?

McDonald's’s & Krispy Kreme: An Intriguing Doughnut Distribution Deal... McDonald’s is gearing up to diversify its menu by incorporating Krispy Kreme's #doughnuts nationwide by 2026. This follows a trial run at 160 Kentucky outlets, showcasing an opportunity for #menuexpansion without operational overhaul. 🍩 #StrategicRollout: McDonald’s aims to enhance its breakfast menu and introduce a new snack option, aligning with Krispy Kreme's extensive reach. 🍩 #KrispyKremesGrowth: This collaboration is projected to more than double Krispy Kreme’s access points, capitalizing on their existing Delivered Fresh Daily model. 🍩 #OperationalEfficiency: Krispy Kreme's CEO, Josh Charlesworth, highlights operational leverage through increased distribution density and production utilization. 🍩 #ExpansionPlans: Krispy Kreme is strategically adding production hubs in key areas like #Miami, #TwinCities, and #LA, with potential to cover 6,000 McDonald’s locations initially. 🍩 #McDonald’sAdaptation: Post shifting priorities to coffee and chicken, this partnership showcases McDonald’s focus on attracting customers during off-peak hours. This collaboration signifies a calculated move by both brands to optimize supply chains and diversify offerings in response to market demands. #FoodIndustryAnalysis #StrategicPartnerships #MarketTrends #SupplyChainOptimization #BrandDiversification #FacteusInsights

Remarkable Retail Dallas_Austin Part 2: Wrapping up the grocery stores in style, starting in Dallas at Central Market, the upscale grocery retailer occupying the same space as Whole Foods...big, bright stores with unique features like the "Tortilleria", vertical vegetable displays (think Whole Foods started that store design craze) and bespoke wine and alcohol section where I picked up some Luxardo S.p.A. Maraschino Cherries! Impressive section of local and international BBQ sauces, and a massive display of Bachan's BBQ sauces that confirms them as the flavour of the summer for 2024 across North America (just spotted a mega size offering at my local Costco here in Toronto...). From there went to the local Trader Joe's, where the big deal is everything purple Ube flavour flying off the shelfs, and a sure sign of the universality of food inflation, the Charles Shaw wine is now $3.99 a bottle!! Last but not least the O.G. bespoke grocery store, the Whole Foods Market flagship store in Austin. Impressive store, huge by the standards of the chain (last one I shopped in L.A. could fit in a single corner of the store!) and really, where a lot of these trends began and still lives. Some evidence of their Amazon ownership but have to think there is more opportunity there. #tre #leadersleap #retail #grocery #leadership #innovation #bbq

⬇️Starbucks & The Great Caramel Caper ⬇️ Picture this, you're responsible for launching a new drink, the Caramel Ribbon Crunch Frappuccino, at Starbucks. You're asked to generate waste data for Starbuck's current caramel sauce and you discover the current waste percentage is 212%. You're tasked with finding the root cause of this problem. How would you determine the cause of the 'wasted' caramel? Hear our co-founder, Steve Crowley discuss how Starbucks resolved this issue in Part 1 of The Great Caramel Caper! #ServicePhysics #Starbucks #starbuckscoffee #operationalexcellence #operations #problemsolving #operationalmanagement #buildbettertogether Brian Reece

Being a leader and making tough decisions go hand in hand. This is one tough decision that will always stick with me. We were working with a vendor who operated a series of micro food halls - that is ghost kitchens (I know, I know) that featured licensed food from a number of restaurants. Their operational model required us to sell them parbaked pizzas, and they would be essentially reheating them using a TurboChef oven, which is like a microwave and toaster oven exposed to radioactive liquid ala Spider-Man. Now this project started and stopped over almost a year, and finally, we were doing the final tasting. The team, myself, and my business partner at that time had given it our all, and the upside was significant - it could have added 7 figures to our top line. But, in the final tasting, I realized something important. I hated the product. No matter the innovations we'd come up with as a team to improve quality, the pies just didn't taste like ours did fresh. I had the Culinary team of that company cook some of our pizzas using their operating model, and then we all Ubered to our SOMA store, where we'd asked the team to cook some of our pizzas fresh for a comparison. After a side-by-side, I decided to pull the plug on hundreds of shared labor hours. To this day, I still think it was the right decision, but we'd developed a close friendship with that vendor, so it had an added complexity. Not to mention, our team had given it their all. But at the end of the day, it wasn't going to represent our brand effectively, and so it was the right call. What are some tough decisions you've faced as a leader that have helped you define who you are and what you represent? #Leadership #DecisionMaking #Integrity #BusinessStrategy