The Growth Challenge

In an increasingly competitive global cosmetics market, Schwan Cosmetics faced the critical need to unlock new business growth opportunities. The leadership recognised that enhancing capabilities in product innovation and Joint-Business-Planning (JBP) was essential to maintain its competitive edge and drive strategic development in the OEM cosmetics landscape.

The Company

Schwan Cosmetics, a key player within the Schwan Stabilo Group, operates as a global Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) in the cosmetics industry. With a complex B2B business model, the company needed to develop more sophisticated approaches to identifying market opportunities and creating value for its customers.

The Approach

Step 1: Comprehensive Understanding

The engagement began with understanding current capabilities, challenges, and potential growth opportunities. This diagnostic phase provided critical insights into the specific learning needs and strategic context of Schwan Cosmetics.

Step 2: Targeted Competence-Building

We designed two specialised training modules to address key strategic capabilities:

Product Innovation Masterclass

The first module focused on creating a robust product innovation framework, addressing:

• FMCG approaches to identifying new business opportunities

• Techniques for uncovering meaningful consumer insights

• Methodology for developing compelling value propositions

• Best practices in new product development

Joint-Business-Planning (JBP) Workshop

The second module provided a comprehensive exploration of JBP, covering:

• Fundamental JBP framework and strategic importance

• Approaches to developing actionable customer segmentation

• Strategies for differentiation in a competitive market

• Implementation methodologies

• Organisational capabilities required for effective JBP

Step 3: Strategic Action Planning

Following the training modules, we developed targeted recommendations for approaching new strategic opportunities, including a structured action plan for implementation.

The Results

The masterclass delivered significant strategic value and immediate impact:

• Learning Outcomes: All initial learning objectives were comprehensively met, with leadership and participants providing highly positive feedback.

• Organizational Capability: The training significantly increased the team's confidence and understanding of:

  • New product development processes

  • Consumer-centric innovation approaches

  • Joint-Business-Planning methodologies

• Immediate Impact: The first pilot projects launched shortly after the masterclass.