Implementation
Implementation in Supply Chain
Materials and suppliers
The SlimFit consists of several different parts made from specific materials, mainly plastics and a polyester canvas. The lunchbox and bottle design use materials, mould, and production techniques already available at current EMSA factories. For the polyester canvas a supplier within the holding company of EMSA was selected; the SEB group. The WearEver company was encountered during research, they are specialised in circular clothing. They can supply EMSA with a durable and sustainable form of polyester canvas.
Production
Our aim is to produce ten thousand products the first year. Based on the results of our survey we expect demand for our product to be at least this high. For the production of our product some new injection moulds have to be made to be made. The most expensive part to be produced, the lid, is the same as the lids EMSA currently use in their Clip & Go line. This means we save cost on production here. We estimate the total production cost to be around €50.000,-.
Distribute/Sell
EMSA already has a distribution and transportation network we can utilize for the SlimLine. It can fit in the line of products EMSA currently has in their portfolio, so it is unnecessary to find new retailers, set up a new distribution and transportation network. There probably will be additional inventory costs at a percentage of the sell price. A marketing plan was also designed for the SlimLine, this can be found at the end of this chapter.
Sustainability of the supply chain
Sustainability is an important part of the new SlimLine project, which has large impacts on the supply chain. There are several ways to increase the sustainability of our product and our supply chain, namely new product design and slowing resource cycles.
New Product Design
Since previously existing EMSA designs for the lunchboxes were used as a basis, it was difficult to implement new sustainable solutions through new product design. The choice to build on EMSA existing designs was made to keep costs low in parts of the supply chain and to eliminate mayor investments needed for new machinery and/or whole production locations. Most freedom of the freedom came in selecting a supplier for the SlimFit’s polyester canvas. A sustainable solution for this part of our product was sought. Within the SEB Groupe (which EMSA is part of) there exists a textile company with a lot of experience and the goal of eliminating waste, called WearEver. WearEver tries to contribute to a circular economy, closing the resource cycle which is suitable for a sustainable product. They can produce the polyester canvas for EMSA. In general outsourcing to companies within the SEB group can be more beneficial than outsourcing to other companies. Companies within the SEB group share the same goals and can be considered more trustworthy.
Slowing Resource Cycles
Most of the SlimLine’s plastic products are made of foodsafe PP. Since this is a rigid, low-wear material it extends the product’s lifetime which makes it unnecessary to replace the product on a short term. The SlimLine products are standardised with other EMSA products. This makes it easy to dis- and reassemble parts and replace parts that have broken or have worn to much. Making it possible to swap and replace products, it is not necessary to produce and purchase a whole new product and so contributing to sustainability.
Marketing
Mission
Making the life of young professionals easier by creating flexible lunching options better suited to their lifestyle, thus bringing them an everyday smile.
Goals
To make the life or young professionals easier through creating an easily accessible, laptop bag compatible series of lunchbox products called the SlimLine. These will be contained in the SlimFit sleeve, and allow flexibility in what to bring to work.
In the first year we want to sell 10,000 of these laptop bag containers.
Target group
Young professionals, students with laptop bags.
Product
SlimLine - a line of products consisting of two lunch boxes, one for snacks and one for lunch, that are designed to fit inside laptop bags without spilling. A thermos/drinking bottle will be included as well. All the products have the same height and depth, only varying in width. They match in their professional design. SlimFit - The SlimFit is the sleeve complimentary to the SlimLine products, designed to contain them in the bag. It makes it easier to take everything out, adds a level of security against spilling, and keeps the lunchboxes in place and accessible. It allows for flexibility in what to take, as the boxes are proportional in width, meaning that 2 snack boxes equal the width of 1 lunch box.
Price
Ideally, a full product set (1 lunch box, 1 snack box, 1 thermos bottle and 1 SlimFit sleeve) should cost around €30.
Promotion
Promotion will largely be done through social media. Young professionals are a group aged between 20 and 30 years. These people don’t watch that much television anymore. Television advertisement is also very expensive, so that seems like a waste of money. Instead, a focus is put on social media. Young professionals make use of social media platforms, like Instagram or Facebook. Therefore, advertisement will take place on such platforms, which is also a lot cheaper. For the promotion, it is essential that the viewer feels the added value of our new product and how it not only improves their lives but also enhances their image as a professional. In the advertisement a focus on utility and professional atmosphere will be present.
So first, current problems are highlighted; badly designed lunch boxes that appear childish and do not fit inside laptop bags. After highlighting the problem, the solution is shown: EMSA’s new SlimLine. Inside the container, everything is ordered and you will have a good working well designed water bottle. Young professionals with an everyday smile.
For a complete detailed marketing strategy, click here.
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