Red Stripe recently launched its newest innovation, Red Stripe Melon, a variant of the company’s iconic lager. According to the company, “Red Stripe Melon is a line extension of Red Stripe lager beer. The liquid is a blend of a watermelon flavour, natural Jamaican ginger, Red Stripe lager beer, and inverted sugar.”

The new product is in keeping with a philosophy of innovation embraced by Red Stripe and comes at a time when there has been a renewed call for businesses, big and small, to put greater focus on innovations.

As this discussion continues in the business sector, the need for innovation was recently highlighted by Metry Seaga, immediate past president of the Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters Association (JMEA).

“It’s a matter of life and death,” he insisted.

“It is critically important for companies to innovate. Even more so for smaller businesses who need to do it better, faster and more efficiently. Companies need to keep reinventing themselves. That is the way to grow your business.”

The development of Melon comes amidst tremendous success from other Red Stripe flavours like Sorrel and Lemon Paradise. Nomonde Donsa, Red Stripe’s head of marketing and innovations, is bullish about the prospects for the newest variant of the ‘Great Jamaican Beer’.

“Melon was developed with insight from our consumers who told us exactly what they wanted,” she shared.

“It was a liquid three years in the making, because we wanted to get it right. We’ve come a long way in a relatively short time. Beer used to be seen as an old man’s drink. But innovations like Sorrel and Lemon have changed that perception.”

In relating this transformation, Donsa underscored the need for a company’s leadership to nurture the process of innovation.

“Without support from your management team and the right resources, all you will have is a bank of ideas that remain on a powerpoint slide, never to see the light of day,” she said.

The head of marketing and innovations also noted the barriers that exist in the current environment, which include getting raw materials from suppliers in a timely manner and in the quantities required.

“It therefore makes planning that much more important,” Donsa explained.

“Most innovations take you anywhere from 18 to 24 months from end to end, which has to include the lengthy approval process from local authorities to meet regulatory requirements. This too can present challenges to the innovation process.”

Metry Seaga also elaborated on other challenges faced by local companies stating that “the cost of importing raw materials can be a major hurdle for some companies, especially smaller operations.”

Jadesion Swiel, brand identity manager at National Baking Company, has also contributed to the discussion revealing that this challenging reality also affects larger enterprises.

“We develop a product, test the sample with consumers and it’s great,” he stated. “Then when you do the feasibility to determine the price, based on what you would pay for raw materials and other inputs, you recognise that the market is unable to pay that price.”

However, despite the challenges Donsa is still persuaded that new product development is essential to woo new consumers and excite existing ones.

“Yes, successful innovations translate into volume growth,” she said.

“But beyond the bottom line, if we can give consumers options they love, then that’s what success looks like for me.”

In addition to the right leadership, businesses need the right expertise and insight to successfully take product ideas from concept to consumer, a point that was underlined by Swiel.

“For us, consumer insight drives innovation for the most part,” he said.

“Then once you have produced, testing is critical. Your innovation pipeline has to deliver for growth, longevity and to stay relevant. Most important, innovation is how you keep your consumers excited about your brands and products.”

Seaga acknowledged that many companies come up with great ideas but fail to implement and therefore believes it is worth the time, talent and investment to push past what he describes as a culture of inaction.

“Set up implementation teams, give employees specific tasks and responsibilities, and don’t forget to measure it, because if it gets measured it gets done,” he emphasised.

The former JMEA boss also pointed to leadership as one of the key components to achieving success, noting that winning in innovation always begins with a clear strategy and a vision from the top.

— Alexis Monteith