Category management does not stop at the border
How to preserve a brand's logic while rebuilding range, price and space around a new market.
04Start with the local mission
Customers may use the same category differently across markets. Purchase frequency, household size, climate, channel and income change what good value, convenient format and relevant variety mean.
Build a range with jobs
Every SKU should have a reason to enter: traffic, margin, core volume, premium trade-up, seasonal relevance or differentiation. This prevents the launch range from becoming a miniature version of the home-market catalogue.
Review with real sell-through
The first assortment is a decision, not a permanent truth. Store feedback, rate of sale, availability and substitution reveal where to add, remove or reposition products.
01Translate customer missions, not only labels.
02Give every launch SKU a commercial job.
03Let sell-through improve the second range.