Healthy Snacks for the Family with Vilma Livas of Nature’s Bakery
In this conversation, Vilma Livas, Chief Marketing Officer at Nature's Bakery, discusses the brand's purpose of providing healthier snack options for families and the importance of convenience, taste, and value in their product development process. We touch on the impact of the company's acquisition by Mars and how it has allowed for growth and innovation, particularly with new products like the Oatmeal Crumble and Hearty Bar. Vilma shares insights into her consumer-centric approach to product development and the importance of both consumer insights and retail partnerships in launching new products in the CPG industry. She shares the background behind the development of Nature's Bakery's newest innovation — the Hearty Bar. Then we wrap up by discussing Vilma’s involvement with Women on Boards, advocating for greater representation of women in leadership roles, and her vision of a better world which includes democratizing access to healthy food options for all consumers.
Takeaways:
Nature's Bakery aims to nourish families and make healthy snacking accessible.
The brand focuses on convenience, offering products that are easy to consume on the go.
Consumer research revealed a full family audience for their snack bars, from toddlers to grandparents.
The product design emphasizes great taste and better-for-you attributes.
The acquisition by Mars has provided resources for scaling and innovation.
Nature's Bakery maintains a commitment to its brand purpose despite ownership changes.
The product development process starts with identifying consumer needs and iterating ideas.
Collaboration with diverse teams enhances creativity in product development.
The Oatmeal Crumble was developed to address the need for convenient breakfast options.
A consumer-centric approach is crucial for successful product innovation. It's crucial to put personal bias aside for better outcomes.
Retailers have their own goals that must be understood.
Empathy in business relationships leads to better partnerships.
Involving retailers early in product development increases success.
Healthy snacks must appeal to both parents and children.
Women are underrepresented in board positions despite their influence.
Accessibility to healthy food is a significant issue.
Consumer demand drives the need for better food options.
Chapters
03:00 - Introduction to Nature's Bakery and Brand Purpose
06:03 - Understanding the Family Focus in Healthy Snacking
08:58 - The Importance of Convenience and Product Design
12:12 - Balancing Taste, Value, and Health in Product Development
14:55 - Navigating Brand Growth and Acquisition Challenges
18:07 - Leveraging Resources from Larger Corporations
21:08 - Innovations: Oatmeal Crumble and Hearty Bar
23:51 - The Product Development Process Explained
26:56 - Iterating Ideas and Consumer-Centric Design
32:30 - Consumer Insights and Retail Partnerships
38:12 - Innovating with the Hearty Bar
43:28 - Empowering Women on Boards
48:38 - Personal Favorites and Future Trends
53:47 - A Better World Through Accessible Food
Sound Bites
“Everything we do is this balance of three things that we hold dear: 1 - great taste; 2 - better-for-you; and 3 - accessibility.”
“Start with the consumer. What's the job to be done? What is the problem we're trying to solve here?”
“Being owned by a much larger organization has allowed us to accelerate the rate at which we can scale.”
“Stay focused on the goal, not the path that we're taking to get there.”
"Retailers are gatekeepers to the shelf."
"Be empathic, show up and learn."
"Kids are very discerning about their snacks."
“If you think about the purchasing power of women, you would expect to see that they also influence the direction and course of companies, but they're not at the table.”
“A better world is one where we've democratized better for you food, by making it available and accessible to all.”
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