Case Study
From the grounds up, Crisp helped Verve maximize every opportunity.
By using Crisp, Verve gets a high level, harmonized view of all their retailer and distributor data, allowing them to take action at every level.
Situation
Roasts from coast-to-coast
Verve Coffee is a Santa Cruz-based roaster renowned for creating exceptional coffee experiences at cafes in California and Japan. Recognizing the growing demand for their products, Verve made a strategic move into grocery stores in 2018 to bring their coffees, nitro cold brews, oat milk lattes, and craft instant coffee to a wider audience.
However, as Verve ventured into the competitive realm of grocery retail, they faced a significant challenge: efficiently managing their precious (and perishable) inventory across multiple new retailers. Ann Leahy, Head of Sales and Business Development, along with Julia Goebel, Senior Sales Manager, described their sense of uncertainty as “flying blind” from their Northern California headquarters.
Upon discovering Crisp, Verve recognized the value of having a centralized source of truth for their data from retailers Target, Whole Foods, UNFI, and KeHE. Now, Crisp’s visually striking and user-friendly platform provides Verve with a harmonized view of retailer and distributor data, empowering them to make informed decisions and streamline operations on a weekly and daily basis.
Solution
Visualizing expansion
“Being able to look at business from a high level and drill down has been huge,” explains Julia. “Crisp’s visuals help us identify ‘low hanging fruit’ and take action at every level.”
Using Crisp, Verve has gained valuable insights into sales trends and growth opportunities, which the team uses to optimize their presence in national retail accounts. At Target, Verve increased sales by closely monitoring trends and capitalizing on the existing placement of their top three items – ultimately driving a 60% velocity increase. At Whole Foods, the team strategically introduced two new items to over 40 stores in the Northern and Southern California regions, leading to a remarkable 48% surge in sales.
Crisp’s inventory dashboards have also proven instrumental in helping Verve effectively manage out-of-stocks and optimize inventory. This has helped the brand achieve maximum revenue potential while also demonstrating Verve’s value as a supplier – leading to new opportunities through their distributor partners. With Crisp, the team was able to expand into one new distribution center through UNFI, securing 40 new contracts, along with five new distribution centers through KeHE, bringing in contracts with 30 new retail chains.
Results: Hitting the bullseye
- 53% sales increase at Target
- 48% increase in sales and a 31%
boost in sales velocity at Whole Foods - Increased distribution with UNFI by 383%
- Increased distribution with KeHE by 521%
Favorite Insight:
Sales Dashboards
Identify trends and opportunities for expansion within existing accounts
“We’ve been experiencing double-digit year-over-year growth, and Crisp is the main tool we use to facilitate that. It has truly been a game changer.”
Ann Leahy
Head of Sales and Business Development
Always be Data Ready with Crisp
Crisp allows food brands and retailers to stay ahead of rapidly evolving consumer behavior, identify potential supply chain disruptions, track inventory and product performance. It’s easy and quick to get started so you can be Data Ready.