CASE STUDY · FEC-C03 · FOOD & DRINK MANUFACTURER · EUROPE
Selling more and making more, from the same factory.
The planSell more and make more without pushing more orders through a factory already at its limit, relying on referrals to win new clients, or making the business even more dependent on its founder.
- Time to get an order out2–3 days1–1.5 daysSEEN ON THE FACTORY FLOOR + DISPATCH RECORDSDISPATCH RECORDS AFTER THE REDESIGN
- New partnership clients0–1 a month4 a monthMANAGEMENT'S COUNTCRM RECORDS4 a month, 3 months in a row.
- SECTOR
- Food and drink manufacturing
- REGION
- Europe
- THE AGREED WORK
- OPERATING JUDGMENTAGREED CHANGESAGREED BUILDSCHECK AND KEEP WATCHING
WHY IT MADE SENSE, AND WHAT WAS IN THE WAY
The company had a strong local name, steady customers in hospitals, schools and restaurants, and good supplier relationships. Its revenue was steady.
But steady revenue hid a weaker position. Larger retail chains were winning the same buyers with better prices and delivery, the factory was at its limit, and almost everything depended on the founder. Growing on top of that would have made each problem bigger.
9 of 9parts of the business we examined needed changes before the company could carry the growth plan properly.
The company, before and after
Scroll to see how the company worked, what would have stopped the plan, what changed, and how it works now.
- 01Before
- 02The problems
- 03The changes
- 04After
What we found
The company had a strong local name, established customers and supplier relationships. But all 9 parts of the business we examined needed changes before the company could carry the growth plan properly.
- THE FACTORYThe factory was already close to its limit. During busy periods, 20–40% of orders were delayed, and a normal order took 2–3 days to get out.
- PACKING AND DISPATCHPacking and dispatch (sending orders out) both depended on the same tight part of the factory, so work got stuck there.
- SALESSales had no CRM (software that keeps track of every customer and possible customer), no one clearly in charge and no target. The company was gaining only 0–1 new client a month, mostly through referrals.
- KNOWLEDGEImportant supplier, customer and production knowledge lived mainly in the founder's head.
- DECISIONSMost decisions outside the normal daily routine still came back to the founder.
- CUSTOMERS AND COMPETITIONMost sales came through hospitals, schools and restaurants. Larger retail chains were competing for the same buyers with better prices and delivery.
- PRODUCTS AND PRICESThe company had no exclusive product channel (nothing that only it was allowed to sell), no product brand of its own and little control over its prices.
- HANDING OVERThere was no working plan for handing over to the next leaders. The person picked to take over was hardly involved in running the company.
- MEASURESNobody measured sales results, factory output or how long dispatch took, so problems stayed hidden until they hurt.
What we changed and built
What FEC leaves behind: what was there before, how it works now, and who runs it.
01FACTORY FLOW · REDESIGNED
WHAT WAS THERE BEFOREPacking and dispatch shared one tight part of the factory, work crossed back over itself, people worked around blocked walkways, and 20–40% of orders were delayed at busy times.
HOW IT WORKS NOWEach stage of the work got its own zone, in the order the work is done. Packing moved next to production and dispatch moved to the exit. Storage was rearranged so the materials used most often sit closest to where they are used, and keeping walkways clear became a daily rule.
WHO RUNS IT NOWThe same factory team, with the same equipment. Clear walkways are checked in the daily factory report.
02SALES SYSTEM · BUILT
WHAT WAS THERE BEFORESales had no CRM, no one in charge and no target, and waited for referrals.
HOW IT WORKS NOWWe installed a CRM and built a clear sales process: contact → qualify (check they are a good fit) → proposal (an offer) → close (sign the deal). Every possible new customer and every existing customer was added to the system. The team was trained on real possible customers, real calls and real proposals while we were working with the company.
WHO RUNS IT NOWOne person in charge of winning new clients, with a target of 4 new partnership clients a month, working from the CRM.
03WHERE IT SELLS · CHANGED
WHAT WAS THERE BEFOREThe company sold as one of many suppliers to hospitals, schools and restaurants, with nothing only it could sell.
HOW IT WORKS NOWWe helped secure an exclusive franchise deal with an eight-figure (tens of millions) Arabic sweets manufacturer: within the company's city, only this company could sell that manufacturer's premium product line.
WHO RUNS IT NOWThe company, as the only seller of that product line in its city. Its existing customers were kept.
04NEW BRAND · BUILT
WHAT WAS THERE BEFOREThere was no working plan for handing over to the next leaders, and the person picked to take over was hardly involved.
HOW IT WORKS NOWWe built a new fitness drink brand from zero, with two new ways to sell: wholesale through gyms (selling in bulk to gyms) and direct to customers. Running it means learning buying supplies, pricing, production, sales and looking after customers inside the parent company.
WHO RUNS IT NOWThe person chosen to take over, with the new brand as an operating business line to run.
05COMPANY KNOWLEDGE RECORD · WRITTEN DOWN FROM THE FOUNDER
WHAT WAS THERE BEFORESupplier, customer and production knowledge lived mainly in the founder's head.
HOW IT WORKS NOWWe wrote down supplier contacts, negotiated terms (the deals that had been agreed), delivery schedules and quality standards. Production standards were written down for each product line, and each customer's needs, order history and relationship notes were recorded in the CRM.
WHO RUNS IT NOWPassing step by step to the managers and the person picked to take over, from the written records and the CRM.
06WEBSITE · REBUILT
WHAT WAS THERE BEFOREThe website still showed the company as a traditional local manufacturer.
HOW IT WORKS NOWA new website shows the full range, the franchise and the fitness brand, and lets customers buy the brand directly.
Results
Time to get an order out
2–3 daysSEEN ON THE FACTORY FLOOR + DISPATCH RECORDS
1–1.5 daysDISPATCH RECORDS AFTER THE REDESIGN
The factory layout changed.
The team did not. The equipment did not. The amount of work did not.
During the period measured, the team, equipment and amount of work remained the same. The material operating change was the factory layout.
Orders handled per day
35–50
50–70MEASURED ON THE FACTORY FLOOR + DISPATCH RECORDS
The same factory could handle more orders after the layout was changed.
At the same time:
Orders held up at the busiest times 20–40% → below 15%
More results from our work with this company
- New partnership clients
- 0–1 a month, mostly ones who came to the company themselves → 4 a month, 3 months in a row
- MANAGEMENT'S COUNT → CRM RECORDS
- The CRM tracked every new client from first contact to signed deal. The records showed that the new clients came from the company reaching out to them (outbound sales), not from more clients coming to it on their own.
- Number of clients
- About 30 → About 40–50 within 3 months
- MANAGEMENT'S COUNT → CRM RECORDS
- New fitness brand
- €0 → Selling at €8,800 a month by month 2
- FINANCIAL RECORDS
- The brand did not exist before we started work with the company. By month two, it was selling at a rate of €8,800 a month, from bulk-selling contracts with gyms (wholesale) and direct sales to customers.
- Gyms selling the drink
- 0 contracts → 5 gym contracts
- SIGNED CONTRACTS
- Each gym agreed to order at least 500 bottles every order cycle (each regular round of orders).
- Who the company sells to
- Hospitals, schools and restaurants only → Existing customers + exclusive franchise with an eight-figure sweets manufacturer + sales to gyms + a brand sold direct to customers
- PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT + COMPANY RECORDS
- This was a partial change, not a finished one. The original institutional customers (hospitals, schools and restaurants) still brought in most of the company's revenue. The new ways of selling made the company less dependent on them; they did not end that dependence.
How we know
Every number on this page, where it comes from, and what it cannot prove.
| SOURCE | WHAT IT SHOWS | WHAT IT CANNOT PROVE |
|---|---|---|
| SEEN ON THE FACTORY FLOOR + DISPATCH RECORDS | A normal order took 2–3 days to get out before the redesign. | – |
| DISPATCH RECORDS AFTER THE REDESIGN | 1–1.5 days after the redesign. During the period measured, the team, equipment and amount of work remained the same. The material operating change was the factory layout. | – |
| MEASURED ON THE FACTORY FLOOR + DISPATCH RECORDS | Orders handled per day up from 35–50 to 50–70. | – |
| DAILY FACTORY REPORTS | Orders held up at the busiest times down from 20–40% to below 15%. | – |
| MANAGEMENT'S COUNT → CRM RECORDS | New partnership clients up from 0–1 to 4 a month, 3 months in a row, and about 30 clients growing to about 40–50. | The starting numbers are management's own count. The CRM covers everything after. |
| FINANCIAL RECORDS | The new fitness brand selling at €8,800 a month by month 2. | A monthly rate at month 2, not the total over two months. |
| SIGNED CONTRACTS | 5 gym contracts, each for at least 500 bottles every order cycle. | – |
| PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT + COMPANY RECORDS | Who the company sells to now. | A partial change: hospitals, schools and restaurants still bring in most of the revenue. |
Bring us the plan.
Tell us what the company is trying to do next.