Ideating the Future of Dried Cranberries

Challenge

Unearthing and pressure-testing actionable innovation ideas for a dried fruit brand and develop a 2025+ pipeline to drive growth and incrementality.

Our client, a global dried fruit brand, sought to unearth actionable innovation ideas and develop a 2025+ pipeline to drive growth and incrementally. As a household name with a rich product heritage, they needed to understand the future of dried cranberries and identify areas for innovation to meet evolving consumer tastes.

Approach

We began by immersing ourselves in the client’s previous innovation ideas through stakeholder interviews and extensive research. Our analysis covered both successful products and concepts left on the drawing board, providing a springboard for ideation. We then engaged with dried fruit enthusiasts to understand their needs, which led to the identification of five innovation opportunity spaces. A market sizing and prioritization exercise revealed the full potential of these spaces. The project culminated in an immersive two-day workshop where we generated hundreds of concepts, refining them through engaging “Shark Tank”-style sessions with consumers.

Outcome

Our work illuminated five white spaces that the client can explore as they continue shaping the dried fruit landscape in the future. We provided over 100 immediately actionable product concepts, some of which the client has already begun innovating on. Additionally, we delivered big ideas for long-term product development that might take longer to reach shelves. The market sizing and prioritization insights for each opportunity space equipped our client with a roadmap for future innovation. These outcomes have already spurred innovation within the client’s organization, setting the stage for continued leadership in the dried fruit category.