Valio is one of Finland's most loved brands, and to remain so in the future, Valio sought to strengthen its consumer-centric approach. Knowit supported Valio in creating consumer-centric growth platforms to achieve this goal.
A growth platform is a company-wide tool focused on growth through consumer needs. It focuses on consumption occasions, helping to identify new opportunities and guide actions – beyond traditional category boundaries.
These platforms are based on insights into consumer needs, future trends, market dynamics, and Valio’s strategic priorities. Today, consumer growth platforms guide, e.g. business and category planning, brand development, marketing and innovation.
Predicting consumer behaviour is more difficult than before. Putting consumer segments into fixed boxes is no longer sufficient, as consumer behaviour is driven by individual needs that vary in different consumption situations.
The competitive landscape has changed, and new agile players have entered the market. For these reasons, companies must become more demand-driven, not just supply-driven, to see bigger growth opportunities in mature categories.
To be an innovative leader in the consumer-centric dairy and food industry, Valio needed to adopt a comprehensive, consumer-centric approach across all its activities and break down traditional category-based silos.
The primary objective of the cooperation between Valio and Knowit was to create a shared framework that aligns the whole organization around consumer needs and occasions, provides a clear direction for the future and lays the foundation for steering the transformation journey in different Valio functions. This would allow the market to be redefined from a consumer perspective.
Comprehensive qualitative and quantitative consumer studies uncovered key eating and drinking occasions in Finland and Sweden. These insights were enriched with market analyses, category growth projections, and Valio’s strategic priorities, creating six consumer-centric growth platforms.
These platforms are now the cornerstone of Valio's daily operations, serving as a strategic tool that
By embedding these platforms into all processes, Valio ensures that every decision is rooted in real consumer needs.
“These platforms have given us a unified, consumer-centric framework across the organization and clarity for the company’s innovations and brand development. They help us identify demand, adapt to evolving consumer needs, and drive growth – ensuring Valio stays relevant in a competitive and ever-changing market.”
- Ismo Nikkola, EVP Brand, Sustainability and Communications, Valio
Growth platforms are a strategic tool for steering growth through a consumer-driven view. They are based on the understanding of consumer needs and future trends as well as market and channel dynamics, combined with the business perspectives of the company, combining human and business perspectives.
We at Knowit have witnessed how growth platforms can fundamentally change companies' business.