Establish clear parameters to guide ideation efforts, ensuring alignment with strategic goals.

• Activities:

  • Identify must-haves (e.g., key consumer needs, cost constraints, production feasibility).

  • Define guardrails to focus efforts (e.g., ingredient restrictions, brand alignment).

  • Map organizational capabilities and limitations.

Identify key areas of opportunity as the foundation for ideation.

• Activities:

  • Leverage insights from Opportunity Framing.

  • Highlight consumer/operator trends, unmet needs, and market gaps.

  • Define priority focus areas for ideation.

Generate a diverse range of concepts within identified dig sites

• Activities:

  • In house concept list generated for client review.

  • Conduct ideation sessions (virtual or in-person) with cross-functional teams.

  • ​Develop a preliminary list of concepts addressing defined focus areas.

  • NEW - AI Enhanced Hybrid Ideation

Group related concepts into broader platforms with shared attributes and strategic priorities.

• Activities:

  • Analyze concept similarities and complementary features.

  • Strategic opportunity cross framing with concepts.

Validate concept & platform potential and focus resources on high-impact areas.

• Activities:

  • Conduct qualitative research (e.g., consumer focus groups).

  • Use quantitative surveys to assess appeal, relevance, and differentiation.

  • Facilitate internal stakeholder alignment sessions.

Stretch concepts into a portfolio of offerings to cover close-in and far-out innovation.

Activities:

• Develop variations of core concepts (e.g., flavor profiles, execution formats).

• Create a spectrum from incremental to breakthrough innovation.