Strategic design analysis of the company Groene Loo BV for the offline products’ packaging design in order to reach the US supermarkets

Abstract

Groene Loo BV was founded in 2006 in partnership with Perfotec. The latter company supplies to Groene Loo BV a Respiration Control Packaging (RCP) technology. The technology make use of nanopores to improve the living conditions of perishable products in a natural way. The RCP controls the amount of oxygen the perishable product has available inside the package so this is just enough for the product to survive but not to start its natural degradation process. In other words, the products enter into hibernation or “Sleeping” mode. The result is that shelf-life is extended and the products arrive fresher and last longer at consumer’s house. Groene Loo developed a floral product in a package that fits through the mail box. This is called “Letterbox flowers (Brievenbusbloemen)”, and enabled the company to commercialize flowers (Roses and Tulips mainly) all over Europe through the Internet. The company got recently a patent that protects its technology and business model in the United States (US) and made this a key market to reach. While Groene Loo BV is taking care of replicating the European on-line business model in the US, the project hereby detailed was carried out in order to provide the company with strategic design advice regarding the introduction of a floral product to the US supermarket which must satisfy the needs of the different stakeholders involved in this new retail environment (Supermarkets). The main question this project will address is: How could Groene Loo BV introduce a new floral product in an unknown context such as the US supermarkets while maximizing retailers profit margin, meet their logistic demands and communicate to consumers the product’s unique selling points so it can stand out from the competition?