Industry expertise

Consumers, purchasing behaviour, brand strategies, distribution, retail power, globalisation, digitalisation. All of these issues – and more – are central topics when working with consumer goods, both durable and short-lived. Depending on the product, the focus of the measures is sometimes toward the consumer, sometimes toward the sales agent. Saturated markets, consumer reticence and hybrid buying behaviour are putting pressure on consumer goods manufacturers. When developing countermeasures, our knowledge of the orchestration of marketing instruments helps us just as much as the multivariate analysis of data-rich consumer information and an experience-based assessment of relationships with retailers.

In our work, we draw on our broad knowledge gained from numerous value enhancement, restructuring and transaction projects in this diverse industry.

A few examples from our project experience:

The food industry is one of the most important industrial sectors in Germany. However, the price sensitivity of customers in particular puts a lot of pressure on producers, many of whom are medium-sized, as does the highly concentrated nature of the food trade. The success of private labels is therefore well established. In order to constantly stimulate purchases, the food industry draws in consumers with innovations and new trends. Whether healthy, natural and sustainable, portioned and convenient, individual and pleasure-orientated – some trends offer good growth impulses even in saturated markets. German producers are no longer concentrating solely on the domestic market, but are increasingly orientating themselves internationally towards less price-sensitive sales markets. Mergers and acquisitions with the aim of achieving rationalisation and benefits from synergies are creating additional industry dynamics that must also be taken into account.

With our expertise in the food industry – in manufacturing as well as in wholesale and retail – we can help you increase the value of companies, quickly conduct sound commercial due diligence and expertly prepare portfolio decisions. We analyse in detail, among other things, the market, competition, brand management, category management, catchment areas, micro-geographic consumer data, supply chain management and identify, for example, opportunities to increase efficiency. Our expertise is not limited to Germany. We also explore interesting foreign markets for our clients often with a view to acquisition opportunities.

A few examples from our project experience:

In recent years, we have built up a deep understanding of the fashion industry. We have successfully carried out many projects covering almost all segments along the value chain and also in many interesting niches, and in both manufacturing and retail. Clients benefit from our intensive industry experience in areas such as: womenswear, menswear, trousers, denim, traditional costume fashion, underwear, workwear and technical textiles to ancillary ranges such as shoes, bags, sunglasses, costume jewellery and other accessories to various retail concepts and forms of space management. After all, clothing & textiles are among our “oldest” industries.

A few examples from our project experience:

Especially in light of pervasive eCommerce technologies, retail is being subjected to special challenges with regard to assortment planning, private label policy, purchasing and verticalisation, location control and addressing a large number of customers. In addition, German retailers, in particular, are dealing with customers who are price sensitive. Central components of our work are the evaluation and optimisation of the location network of chain stores, often by means of intelligent analysis of micro-geographic data (e.g. relevant purchasing power in the catchment area and competitor stocking). We develop realistic roll-out concepts as well as differentiated closure scenarios.

Over the past 20 years, we have supported projects in various channels as well as across channels – starting with high street retail and wholesale, through direct sales, teleshopping, mail order and, most recently, increasingly in eCommerce. This included online pure players and platforms as well as high street retailers with online activities as part of a comprehensive omnichannel strategy. Here we analyse the customer journey based on KPIs, evaluate web metrics and online marketing and also make recommendations based on our deep experience.

A few examples from our project experience:

The German packaging industry is dominated by small and medium-sized enterprises. There are a few large, internationally active companies, but most are medium-sized operations, in some cases working in considerably attractive niches. Nevertheless, there is a continuing trend towards consolidation, which is mainly fed by the high level of fragmentation. In addition, growth is often only possible internationally, which can stretch many of the SMEs to their financial and conceptual limit. At the same time, the requirements of regulations and consumer attitudes are increasing, such as products being recyclable, environmentally friendly and produced sustainably, or having  functionality such as reclosability, flexible filling sizes and much more.

A few examples from our project experience:

The health care market is one of the most promising markets in Germany – and not only against the background of demographic change. The German health care system also has a differentiated and fragmented provider structure. Whether in the “first health market”, whose products are mainly reimbursed by statutory health insurance, or in the “second health market”, whose products are privately financed – we feel at home in the many sub-sectors of the health industry.

We have already carried out many projects on both the manufacturer and the trade side as well as for service providers. This gives us a detailed knowledge of the regulatory framework and trends. With us, you are in the best position to grasp the complexity of this highly regulated and constantly changing market and to use it to your advantage. We have a deep understanding of the financing and reimbursement system, can access an extensive pool of specialised demographic and medical data, and we maintain close contacts with experts, government agencies, health insurers and associations. This helps us to always ensure the best possible level of detail and delivery of the project to demanding deadlines. This enables us to analyse any potential impact on our clients’ business model and growth strategy with a well-founded process and to develop pragmatic solutions.

A few examples from our project experience:

The majority of our projects are in the service sector. This includes services for companies (B2B) as well as for private customers (B2C). In these increasingly digital and fast-moving times, the mature consumer has ever higher demands for service, advice, quality, information, and that it is holistically and always available. In projects in this sector, a holistic assessment of services, market positioning, fulfilment of customer needs and, last but not least, agility are of particular importance.

A few examples from our project experience:

The majority of our projects are in the service sector. This includes services for companies (B2B) as well as for private customers (B2C). The ongoing concentration of many companies on their core businesses continues to lead to great opportunities in so-called business process outsourcing (BPO), i.e. the transfer of functions of a company such as customer care to specialised companies. Since the quality of services is difficult to measure in principle, the process analysis of service provision is of particular importance in projects in this sector.

A few examples from our project experience:

The increasing digitalisation of the global economy and the associated spread of digital services among consumers, business and government has not only created millions of new jobs, but also ensured a significant increase in the gross national product. The flow of information and networks has developed across borders in ways that would have been unthinkable before the days of the internet, the global spread of mobile telephony, social networks and the rapid growth of broadband networks. Business models have been redefined, start-ups have morphed into large corporations and the entire function of society (education, health, security and privacy) is changing. Networking as well as the intelligent use of “Big Data” and with that increasing privacy and security issues, have significantly changed the use and offer of telecommunications services. The so-called “Internet of Everything”, an intelligent connection of people, processes, data and objects, affects all industrial sectors and is a driver for innovation and increased productivity. Ever-changing rules of the game and market participants are creating dynamic global competition. This forces companies to constantly adapt and realign.

A few examples from our project experience:

Mechanical and plant engineering is one of the largest and most important industries in Germany. Products and services “Made in Germany” enjoy a high reputation worldwide. This is reflected in an export quota. Even though the German mechanical and plant engineering sector is well positioned internationally, it must work to maintain its position in the future. Against a backdrop of increasing competition, German machinery and plant manufacturers should focus above all on greater automation of production, continuous process innovations and integrated solution concepts. We help them to meet those challenges.

A few examples from our project experience: