Aperture Grew Granny Squibb’s Revenue by 2x in Under a Year
Aperture was hired to develop a growth plan which included a comprehensive business audit, sales and marketing strategy, and recommendations to execute.
In November 2018, the new owners and founder of Granny Squibb’s, a Providence-based organic iced team company, wanted to take the company to the next level. The ownership didn’t have the beverage industry background and sought out someone who could help propel the business to new levels.
After immersing ourselves in the brand and business, Aperture developed a plan that would help the company grow in 2019 and beyond.
Fractional CEO
After reviewing the plan with the Granny Squibb’s team, Aperture was asked to facilitate with execution. After providing management consulting services for five months, Granny Squibb’s hired Jamie Schapiro as their Fractional CEO to lead the team and execute the plan.
"Working with Jamie to launch Granny Squibb’s at Newport Folk Festival was one of the great partnership success stories of recent memory.”
-Billy Glassner, Festival Partnerships, Newport Folk Festival
Granny Squibb’s Became the “Official Iced Tea” of the Prestigious Music Festival in Newport, Rhode Island.
As the official iced tea at the Newport Folk Festival in July, Granny Squibb’s debuted the new RTD cans to 30,000 attendees. Just as the festival has been a New England staple for more than sixty years, so has Granny Squibb’s iced tea recipe.
The event lasted three days, but the company treated this sponsorship as a five-month marketing activation. The impact of this event was monumental to the recent growth of our business.
Granny Squibb’s was sold throughout the festival at 12 different vendors and the product was also sold and sampled at our activation. The vendors sold 3,000 cans and our team sold another 1,500 cans. In addition, 3,000 cans were distributed to the artists' trailers, hospitality tents, and other VIP areas.
The new 12oz can was developed out of the necessity to service non-glass product at the Newport Folk Festival, one of the requirements of becoming a partner.
The development of the new RTD (ready-to-drink) can was monumental in transforming the business.
“Working with Aperture was instrumental in effectively articulating our growth goals as a business, developing & implementing a plan to reach those goals, and equipping us to sustain that growth into the future.”
- Kelley McShane and Nick Carr, Managing Partners, Granny Squibb’s Iced Tea
New Retail Displays Lead to a 300% Increase in Sales
In addition to the on-site activation, we tested branded Granny Squibb coolers in select accounts, maximized shelf presence with shelf tags, multiple facings, and dual placements, and built a custom end cap display at Clements’ Marketplace (Portsmouth) in July.
Sales at Clements’ grew 300% as a result of this new retail display.
Throughout Rhode Island, the team placed window stickers and table cards at key retailers promoting Granny Squibb’s as the Official Iced Tea of the Newport Folk Festival.
New impressions at retail stores not only drove awareness and sales, but it propelled the company to a whole new level. New sales distributor relationships were created including Horizon Beverage, a liquor distributor. Jamie led on-boarding sales presentations with distributors.
Results
Company revenues grew 2X during five-month consumer activation
Expanded Aquidneck Island distribution by over 2,000%
Launched two new distributors to generate 31% incremental revenue
Spearheaded the development of new 12 oz can format which opened new doors to distribution opportunities
Received 19 strategic media placements
Redefined entire sales methodology by implementing a new price structure, reformatting customer accounting process, and initiated regular sales blitzes
