Leveraging Actionable Consumer Insight to Achieve Profitable Growth with the “Flavor Saviors”

Research shows that nearly 70% of companies struggle with data overload, which stifles decision-making rather than enabling it — this is especially acute in mid-sized businesses that collect consumer insights from several sources.

Such was the case for Dave, a 38-year-old VP of Products at a $100M B2B nutritional company. 

As a rapidly growing business, Dave’s company relied on multiple data sources including trend forecasters, third-party B2B volumetric reports, and industry research to make informed, strategic decisions. 

However, when it came to identifying the most promising strategy to best sense opportunities, prioritize potential new customers, and build agility into sales to grow their business, Dave’s team failed to leverage the disparate data sources effectively.

As a rapidly growing business, Dave’s company relied on multiple data sources including trend forecasters, third-party B2B volumetric reports, and industry research to make informed, strategic decisions. However, when it came to identifying the most promising strategy to best sense opportunities, prioritize potential new customers, and build agility in to sales to grow their business, Dave’s team failed to leverage the disparate data sources effectively.

How did Dave cut through the noise of overwhelming data and uncover actionable consumer insights to drive his company’s growth? Let’s find out.

The Risk of Being Overly Dependent on a Few Key Customers

So far, Dave’s company has sustained and scaled by catering to a small, yet dependable customer base — over 80% of the company’s revenue was generated from just five key customers. 

The majority of their products were sold directly to these retailers, who then incorporated them into their private-label brands or used them to create food-service solutions such as smoothies, shakes, and baked goods renowned for their high-nutrition value.

This heavy reliance on a handful of clients left the business vulnerable to shifts in demand or changes in these customer relationships.

Over 80% of the company’s revenue was generated from just five key customers. This heavy reliance left the business vulnerable to shifts in demand or changes in these customer relationships. 

To mitigate this concentration risk and ensure sustainable growth, Dave sought to identify profitable, scalable opportunities to diversify its customer base and strengthen its market position.

As a contingency plan, Dave and his team developed an innovative product pipeline targeting senior nutrition and healthy living — products that could diversify their offerings and open up new market opportunities.

The Struggle to Turn Overwhelming Consumer Insights into a Clear Growth Strategy

Daves's fear became a reality when one of their top clients, contributing nearly 25% of revenue, announced they were reevaluating their supplier relationships and planned to bring more product development in-house.

This put a lot of pressure on Dave and his team. They realized that it was time to expedite their plan to de-risk their business from their 5 key customers. 

However, Dave’s team was held back by a lack of a clear strategy. 

Despite access to vast amounts of data, they struggled to identify actionable consumer insights to prioritize opportunities. This gap in execution was further compounded by their overstretched sales force, which lacked the bandwidth to focus on cultivating high-potential accounts.

Despite access to vast amounts of data, they struggled to identify actionable insights to prioritize opportunities. This gap in execution was further compounded by their overstretched sales force, which lacked the bandwidth to focus on cultivating high-potential accounts.

Dave briefly considered traditional consulting firms to help address the crisis. However, during initial conversations, it became clear that their approach involved conducting entirely new research—a process that would take months and require additional resources. With time and budgets already stretched thin, Dave couldn’t afford such delays.

Instead, he began searching for a solution that could move more rapidly while utilizing the loads of data his company had already cultivated. 

Dave needed a partner who could help his team cut through the noise, prioritize opportunities, and create a strategic roadmap for growth—without wasting precious time or resources.

How CURVEJUMPER’s Rapid Strategy Turned Consumer Insights into Growth Strategy

While researching, Dave connected with an old colleague who suggested CURVEJUMPER. Intrigued by their agile approach to strategy consulting services and turning consumer data into actionable strategies, Dave decided to implement it.

CURVEJUMPER implemented an agile growth platform, tailored to Dave's business through three focused 3-week sprints:

1. Outside-In Perspective
CURVEJUMPER analyzed existing data and applied advanced modeling to identify growth opportunities across traditional and new channels, particularly  Foodservice companies. They developed a forecast growth strategy prioritizing high-growth customer segments and facilitated workshops to align Dave’s team with these opportunities. 

Additionally, expert interviews in the Foodservice industry uncovered crucial competitive factors such as assortment, culinary expertise, and scalable fulfillment capabilities.

2. Inside-Out Perspective
Building on outside-in consumer insights, CURVEJUMPER helped Dave’s team overlay market demands onto their product portfolio and innovation plans. This process revealed their competitive advantage: a unique blend of core nutrition, superior taste, and culinary expertise.

Furthermore, interviews highlighted that downstream customers increasingly sought supplier partnerships, such as joint product development and shared warehousing strategies, rather than simple procurement relationships.

3. Brand and Action Plan Development
CURVEJUMPER crafted a design target, "Flavor Saviors," focusing on retail and foodservice operators combining functional nutrition with taste.

They created a one-page brand statement outlining strategic intent, target customers, and unique positioning. To address senior consumers specifically, they launched a joint product development program, enabling downstream customers to test ideas before significant investments like menu or assortment changes.

The growth platform drove a 30% year-over-year growth for Dave’s company over two years. 

Their joint product development program evolved into a competitive advantage, operating through an application-based process. This credibility boost, aligned with the "Flavor Saviors" strategy, solidifying their position as a trusted partner in the industry.

The growth platform drove a 30% year-over-year growth for Dave’s company over two years. 

Their joint product development program evolved into a competitive advantage, operating through an application-based process. This credibility boost, aligned with the "Flavor Saviors" strategy, solidifying their position as a trusted partner in the industry.

CURVEJUMPER crafted a design target, the “Flavor Saviors”, focusing on retail and foodservice operators combining functioal nutrition with taste.

How CURVEJUMPER Turns Consumer Insights into Revenue

Thanks to CURVEJUMPER’s expertise, Dave transformed his approach to consumer insight development. He moved from overanalyzing data to leveraging actionable insights to drive demand and expand his clientele. 

Dave’s success story underscores why CURVEJUMPER is different from traditional consulting firms. With its customized services, focus on agility, and extensive industry experience, CURVEJUMPER enabled Dave to achieve results three times faster, at a fraction of the cost of big consulting firms.

CURVEJUMPER’s unique methodology—centered around rapid consumer insight development, actionable strategies, and a bias for execution—empowered Dave to unlock a growth leap ahead of the competition. 

Unlock results three times faster while saving up to 60% with CURVEJUMPER!

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Brian Myers

Founder and CEO of CURVEJUMPER

Brian Myers is the Founder and CEO of CURVEJUMPER Growth Foundry who has specialized in Growth Acceleration, Business Design, World Class Marketing, Brand Management, Innovation, Design, and Growth Strategy for over 25 years. Brian has an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management, serves on the Kellogg Advisory Council, and is a prior SMD / Practice Leader for Accenture, Partner with Prophet, and General Manager / Brand Manager with SC Johnson and Son.