What challenge(s) do our clients face?
The need for depth and insight before an important business move.
When our clients want to explore opportunities that lay outside their current operational scope, Market Scan projects help them to take informed decisions and reduce risk.
In a constantly evolving business landscape, organizations need to adapt and change to survive and to thrive. Choosing the right direction is not always easy. It may involve:
- Expansion of geographic footprint
- Widening of the product portfolio to include new categories
- Assessment of new market trends
- Appraisal of competitors and new market entrants
- Or even more radical changes to business operations to meet market needs, e.g. digital transformation demanding moves into online channels, new business models, among others
In order to address these needs or opportunities, a deep understanding of the market dynamics in which the company wants to operate is required.
How do we help?
We combine expert interviews, field insights, market data, strategic hypothesis, and advanced analytics to determine the attractiveness of a market and design possible entry scenarios.
Integration supports companies across industries to identify the best strategy in terms of entering a new market or segment (or not) and defining the best model to do this. In order to achieve this goal, we provide our clients with:
- UNDERSTANDING of the market in the geography the company is evaluating – through a combination of in-depth interviews with main players in the business ecosystem (clients, suppliers, regulatory agencies and other links), fields assessments to have the realistic view of the business and database / trends-mapping with advanced analytics (Alteryx / Tableau).
- ANALYSIS of the attractiveness of the market opportunity – considering internal strengths and weaknesses and analyzing the size and concentration of the market, competitors and their positioning, consumer segments and needs, regulatory environment, risks, shifts, and value chain requirements.
- RECOMMENDATIONS for implementable entry strategy scenarios based on the opportunities and risks presented. Here we also consider and assess possible partners (e.g. distributors and co-packers) and acquisition targets and their capabilities to enable the market entry.
Dependent on the needs of the client, we can then, helpfully, detail the Market Entry Strategy – designing the optimum route-to-market considering partnerships, distribution methods and regions, product positioning, portfolio and activation strategies with an associated roadmap for implementation.
What are the benefits?
Ability to prioritize business opportunities, make Go/No Go decisions, and conduct informed strategic planning as a result of:
- Ability to size and value market segments according to current and potential category offerings
- Clarity on the competences required to capture market opportunities
- Improved evaluation of risk and opportunity
- Accurate financial models which are finetuned to reflect market realities and drivers (and which can be adjusted based on the changing environment)
Increased likelihood of success in market moves as a result of:
- Identification of the best entry strategies in a new market according to the strategic objectives of the company and expected gains
- Improved connection and relationship with important market players who can facilitate the move
- Identification of synergic categories which can create gains in scale and consequent dilutions in cost.
How does it work?
Our pragmatic hands-on approach ensures a tailored solution which is clear in its recommendations and implementable in its design.
Integration brings a high level of expertise in market scan having worked with multiple multi-million-dollar companies across many geographies. Our proven methodology provides a broad perspective which allows the company to define the best market entry strategy based on a structured modelling of scenarios and an in-depth assessment.
The project is usually delivered in four main steps; whilst the depth of analysis in each step will be adjusted according to the needs of our clients:
We bring both mind and heart, connecting technical knowledge and in-depth analysis, with a commitment to creating tailored solutions that truly reflect our client’s pain points and needs.
Our strength lies in bringing original and perceptive insights – Integration teams don’t work sat in a room, looking at widely available industry reports, but out in the field, interviewing experts, talking to potential partners, and surveying real customers.
SUCCESS STORIES
CHALLENGE
A plant-based food startup hired Integration to size the market potential for plant-based hamburgers and to create a plan to take these new products to the Brazilian and European Markets. In particular, they asked for our support in understanding consumer behavior in this booming market where there was limited data.
APPROACH
Given the lack of available market data, Integration focused on building a large body of primary research to help our client. By studying plant-based food dynamics in Europe and North America, interviewing experts, and conducting statistically significant surveys with consumers, we were able to develop an insightful and original understanding of the market dynamics and create various market entry scenarios.
RESULT
Our work provided detailed information about potential income per category, price sensitivity, potential risks, main competitors, and market size per region in the client’s geographical areas of interest.
In parallel, Integration developed a detailed implementation roadmap and the commercial model design. With this information, it was possible for our client to understand and address the success factors needed to develop the category in Brazil and Europe and kick-start their operations and sales.
CHALLENGE
One of the largest American suppliers of construction materials was interested in entering the Mexican market but had limited experience of operating in the region. They asked Integration to help their assessment of whether the market was attractive for their current portfolio and operating model, and where/how they should concentrate their strategy.
APPROACH
Integration carried out a quantitative and qualitative understanding of the Mexican market, creating reliable estimations about market size (per city) and potential growth through a sophisticated statistical model that considered variables such as foreign direct investments, public infrastructure budget, number of households, and car use and infrastructure projects pipeline.
RESULT
The financial modeling and qualitative success factors allowed the client to make the decision to enter the country. Furthermore, with our understanding of compliance in Mexico, government and regulatory influence, players, and pricing positioning per region the client was able to prepare fully for this entry and accelerate the development of their GTM strategy.
OUR INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE
Integration’s market scan track record includes a large range of regional and international companies from diverse industry sectors such as Consumer Goods (especially Food, Beverage, Personal Care, and Tobacco), Financial Sector, Technology, Retail, Services, Real Estate and Transportation.
Furthermore, as Integration has grown internationally, we have developed a valuable understanding of market dynamics, consumer trends, regulations, and local practices across different geographies. This broad experience allows us access to experts worldwide according to the industry and region in order to provide reliable and updated benchmarks to our recommendations.
TALK TO US
André Valente
André Valente is a senior director at Integration and a leader within the Marketing & Sales Practice. With nearly two decades of experience supporting clients across diverse sectors and geographies, André is a specialist in the topics of innovation management, digital and data solutions, go-to-market models, market-entry strategies and global marketing approaches.
Daniel Rodrigues
Daniel is a Partner within our Marketing & Sales practice and leader of Integration’s Tech & Digital Lab. Over the course of over 10 years with Integration, Daniel has helped clients from diverse industries and countries with digital and commercial challenges ranging from Go-to-Market Strategy to Commercial Due Diligence. Through his extensive business experience Daniel [...]
Guido Solari
Guido Solari is a partner at Integration and the head of our LATAM offices. Guido joined the company in 2006 and is part of the Marketing & Sales Practice. He has carried out over 250 projects across Latin America, North America and Europe, serving clients in the areas of mass consumer goods, agribusiness, pharmaceuticals, media [...]
Ian Specht
Ian Specht is a Senior Manager at Integration and has been working in the Marketing & Sales practice since July 2019. His experience includes Strategic Management and also has the following certifications: White Belt; Financial Management/ Investments.
Jonathan Ezban
Jonathan Ezban is a director at Integration and has been working since July 2011 in the practice of Marketing & Sales. Prior to Integration, Jonathan was an Analyst at The Friedman Group, where he developed projects related to Sales Budgets for retail companies in Mexico. Within Integration, we can highlight his experience in Market Scan [...]
Jorge Gomes
Jorge Gomes is a senior director and a highly experienced professional in our Finance & Management practice having joined Integration in 2008. Jorge has travelled to countries around the world in support of our clients, leading projects related to revenue management, strategic planning, M&A and more. He has a well-rounded experience having completed multiple projects [...]
Lucas Jordan
Lucas Jordan is an senior manager at Integration in the Marketing & Sales Practice. Prior to Integration, Lucas worked at Ambev and Credit Suisse. His primary experience includes structuring and revision of go-to-market models, market scans, strategic planning and entry and expansion strategies.
Luis Bernal
Luis Bernal is a director in the Marketing & Sales Practice. Originally from Columbia, Luis is an entrepreneur at heart, and has worked in several start-ups in Colombia, receiving his MBA from IPADE. He has accumulated international consulting experience whilst working across the United States, Mexico, Caribbean and Central America, Colombia and Brazil in industries [...]
Paulo Guimarães
Paulo Guimarães is an engagement manager in Marketing & Sales, working in the company since October 2014. His experience includes projects related to strategic planning, go-to-market design, market sizing, commercial model & structure revision, financial simulation, due diligence and commercial policy in sectors such as technology, durable & nondurable consumer goods, infrastructure, private equity and [...]
Robin Griffiths
Robin Griffiths is an engagement manager at Integration’s UK Office and has worked with the company since 2018. His experience is focused on Growth and Transformation projects, including Commercial Strategy, Go-to-market Strategy, Organization Design, Market Scan & Entry Strategy, Project Management, and Change Management. This experience has been built working across a diverse set of [...]
Roger Saltiel
Roger Saltiel is a partner at Integration and has been working since 2002 in the Marketing & Sales practice. Considered an authority in the Indirect Channel and Partner Relationship Management (PRM), he is a member of the Associação Brasileira de Atacadistas e Distribuidores (ABAD) [Brazilian Association of Wholesalers and Distributors], working in the leadership of [...]