Company Background
Wexford Home Preserves is a family-run business based in New Ross, Co. Wexford. Tom and Laura Sinnott took over the running of the business from Tom’s Aunt Eileen who had been making artisan jam since 1988 and have continued the tradition of making top quality, award winning, jams marmalades and savoury preserves. The company uses traditional recipes handed down through the generations and pride themselves on working with the best of local ingredients and suppliers.
The Challenge
Wexford Home Preserves have consistently achieved recognition for the quality of their product and this quality has been rewarded by inclusion in the Dunnes Stores Simply Better range as well as a presence in over 350 shops nationwide. Tom and Laura felt, however, that there was further potential to diversify the product offering and target market segments to allow for further growth into the future. Presented with this untapped potential, the company needed to decide which direction they wanted to take and make definite strategic decisions for their business to strive forward and expand.
The Solution
The team at RIKON visited the premises to see first-hand the artisan production technique. It subsequently engaged in a series of workshops with the company where, through brainstorming and detailed examination of the business model, a roadmap was devised for the future strategy of the business.
The agility of the company’s production process was identified as a core strength allowing new product development in line with market preferences. This agility was focused upon to allow for diversification, in particular into previously unexplored market segments, new retail segments and a focus on the export market.
Benefits for Wexford Home Preserves Ltd:
Wexford Preserves Limited obtained the following benefits from working with RIKON:
- Interrogation of the existing business model to identify any existing inefficiencies, in particular surrounding distribution
- Tom and Laura were introduced to new market segments previously untapped with the product offering
- Detailed interrogation of the business to business landscape for potential route to market opportunities
- Investigation of consumer trends and tastes and exploration of their impact on the medium-term retail outlook
Laura Sinnott, Owner, Wexford Preserves Ltd …
“The team at RIKON helped us to focus on new business strategies and provided insights into untapped areas of the market that offer vast opportunities for Wexford Home Preserves. After working with Mary Clare and Vladislavs we now have a clear strategy to follow which we have already started to work on and put in place”.