Rich’s

Discovering your just deserts

Problem
Rich Products was looking to break the code in the area of dessert creation, preparation, and service.

Process
The Rich’s team traveled to five cities across the United States, spending three days in each city testing every dessert in the best and most interesting restaurants. Imagine walking into a restaurant and ordering every dessert on the menu! Themes emerged from the research and Rich’s identified their BIG IDEA as the pursuit of single-handed dispensing. Busy kitchens need “more hands.” After internal brainstorming they went back into the field looking for ways to build and refine ideas. The feedback loop began to show dividends as the cross functional team n the field observed the use of the products. A series of linked innovations emerged.

Outcome
Rich’s built a platform of products around one-handed dispensing and temporary storage. None of the products involved changing the whipped topping formula. Rich’s demonstrated a willingness to participate in an open innovation process, to include ongoing customer participation and to support suppliers.