Summary of Client & Challenge They Faced

A large milk processor which produces a food product for the retail market wanted to ensure they were strategically positioned against the emerging competition. The leadership team was aware of strides being made in alternative proteins that might compete with their traditional processing techniques.

The company sought to gather intelligence on the alternative protein market, specifically emerging technologies that could pose a threat to their business. This data would be used to determine when they might enter the alternative protein space through investment or acquisition. The milk processor required a comprehensive survey of known companies in the alternative protein market producing competing products, estimates of when price parity with their products might be reached, and an assessment of when these companies might reach commercial viability.

Our Approach to the Solution

LEC Partners (LEC) experts surveyed the market of alternative protein companies in the milk product space and broadened their search to include alternative proteins in adjacent industries which could pose a competitive threat to the milk processor.

Each potential competitor was assessed by LEC including:

• Technology capability and viability
• Barriers to entry
• Production capacity
• When they may reach cost parity
• What regulatory barriers they may face

The information gathered was provided in a slide deck and spreadsheet that was ready to be presented to the leadership team.

Client Results & Benefits

The milk processor participated in several progress meetings with LEC to review the target competitors and information gathered and to make sure it was presented in a format that upper management could easily review and understand. The company reported that they were more confident in its ability to monitor the alternative protein market and decide when it would make sense for them to pursue an investment, partnership, or acquisition.