Observations in the marketplace and visits to several beverage facilities continue to present a broad and unprecedented array of beverage products to consumers. These observations are evidence of the SKU explosion and provide a factual basis for assessing the impacts of alternative perspectives regarding the approach to evaluating new products and modifying existing ones.
While making these observations and discussing day-to-day operating problems with first-line personnel, many questions were raised regarding the old nemesis of SKU proliferations, product longevity and space. Once products enter the market, how are before- and after-the-fact evaluations made to determine success or failure of this variety of packaged products?