How InnovAsian mastered CPG deductions and cut aging balances by 50%
Key takeaways for consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies
Successful trade promotion optimization (TPO) changed fragmented spreadsheets into a competitive advantage for InnovAsian by enabling:
Streamlined accounts receivable, deduction management and collections: Gained clear sight into trade plan spend vs. actuals which led to a 50% reduction in aging balances within six months.
Rapid scenario planning: Reduced the time for promotion planning and to build and evaluate multiple annual trade scenarios to just 1 to 1.5 hours.
Data-driven post-promotion analysis: Leveraged weekly data to build trade equity by using objective insights to drive sales and profit growth for retail partners following promotional activities.
Weekly consumer insights: Shifted from reactive planning to weekly analysis of consumer behavior, buying patterns and the impact of price changes.
Optimize your trade spend
Executive summary
For organizations managing trade promotions and multiple retail partners, a lack of standardized trade processes often leads to hidden spend, inefficient retail executions and unresolved CPG deductions. InnovAsian, a leader in frozen prepared meals1, faced this hurdle. Before partnering with TELUS, the company lacked a centralized system, including a promotional calendar, to track or optimize their promotions.
By implementing TELUS Trade Promotion Optimization (TPO), InnovAsian updated their relationship with data. This newfound real-time visibility allowed the accounts receivable department to resolve deductions much faster, cutting aging balances by half in six months, while simultaneously giving the sales team the weekly data needed to adjust strategies based on consumer buying patterns.
Software used
TELUS Trade Promotion Optimization
Key capabilities delivered:
Automated planning and integration: Replaced manual Excel-based planning with a system that uploads final annual plans for future promotions into the trade promotion management system overnight. Visibility and accountability: Provided immediate visibility into planned vs. actual promotional spending ensuring promotional guidelines are followed.
Weekly performance analytics: Enabled weekly mining of baseline results and promotional impact to support retail partners with fact-based analysis.
About InnovAsian
InnovAsian is a premier provider of frozen prepared meals featuring two primary brands: InnovAsian Cuisine (frozen grocery prepared meals) and Latin Kitchens (frozen deli/foodservice). With over five years of dedicated revenue management leadership the company operates across both direct and indirect distribution channels. Today, InnovAsian is a leading provider of frozen Asian-inspired meals, appetizers and side dishes1.
The Challenge: Limited visibility and unresolved CPG deductions
Prior to the TELUS implementation, InnovAsian’s trade promotion strategies were hampered by a lack of usable tools and inconsistent processes.
"We had nothing [before TELUS Trade Promotion Optimization (TPO)] except a trade system that was not being used as designed, leading to a lack of good processes."
Jon Vasatka
Director of Revenue Management
Key challenges included:
Zero visibility: No way to track annual planned spend against actuals when the current leadership joined.
Manual inefficiency: Complex Excel spreadsheets linked annual planning, making scenario analysis slow and cumbersome.
Financial leakage: A high aging balance in accounts receivable due to a lack of transparency in trade plans.
Underutilized assets: The team lacked post-promotion analysis because they were not using existing capabilities.
The Solution: Streamlining CPG deductions with automated trade data
TELUS Trade Promotion Optimization (TPO) provided the framework for InnovAsian to modernize their trade marketing. Our solution focused on three core pillars: automation, visibility and data mining.
1. Rapid scenario modeling
The TPO tool allowed the team to build multiple annual what-if scenarios in under 90 minutes. This agility was critical during market uncertainty. It enabled the team to update forecasts and plans almost instantly as consumer patterns shifted.
2. Cross-functional transparency
By making trade plans visible to the accounts receivable department, the system bridged the gap between sales and finance. This ensured the accounts receivable department resolved deductions and balances based on documented plans rather than guesswork.
3. Dedicated data mining
InnovAsian used the system so thoroughly that they added two dedicated roles to mine TPO data weekly. This team provides the sales department with constant insights into how price changes affect the base business and consumer buying patterns.
The Results: Faster resolution of CPG deductions and 50% lower aging balances
The implementation of TELUS Trade Promotion Optimization (TPO) has been a primary driver in InnovAsian’s ability to grow sales for six consecutive years.
Strategic capabilities:
Competitive edge: The ability to quickly see weekly promotion and baseline results allows InnovAsian to suggest adjustments to retailers that increase both sales, profits and market share.
Trade equity: Providing retailers with fact-based information regarding plan execution has built significant trust and trade equity fostering deeper retail relationships.
Seasonality optimization: Developed clear promotional guidelines to determine exactly when, and when not, to promote based on seasonal trends.
Operational improvements:
50% reduction in aging balances within the first six months.
Significant time savings in planning moving from days of spreadsheet work to 1.5 hours of system modeling.
Positive impact on profit margins through optimized timing and analysis.
"The efficiency gained has allowed us to provide accurate KPI insights to our sales team which in turn has helped us to significantly grow our sales six years in a row."
Jon Vasatka
Director of Revenue Management
TELUS Trade Promotion Optimization (TPO) delivers actionable insights for CPG companies
TELUS TPO helps consumer goods companies replace manual processes with automated, fact-based insights through AI-powered scenario planning, baseline management and predictive analytics. By integrating trade promotion management (TPM) with optimization, organizations can model the impact of promotions on definable KPIs at multiple levels to drive more profitable growth.
Ready to turn your trade spend into a competitive advantage like InnovAsian? Discover how TELUS TPO can help you eliminate visibility gaps, increase forecast accuracy and build stronger retail partnerships by providing the objective data needed to maximize ROI across both retail and foodservice channels.
