Accelerate the journey from design to market with Smurfit Westrock’s Design2Market

Smurfit Westrock’s chief innovation officer, Arco Berkenbosch, goes into detail about Design2Market – a fast, data-driven, collaborative approach to packaging development designed to launch new products – in this edition of our ‘In Conversation With…’ series.

Arco Berkenbosch, 

chief innovation officer at Smurfit Westrock

Design2Market has reportedly completed 150 projects in three years. What would you say are the common factors incentivizing brands to take this approach?

Speed has emerged as a fundamental competitive advantage. Design2Market is an accelerated process which transforms an idea into a first-time right prototype in record time with low risk, so a design process that would typically take months is streamlined into two weeks.

Design2Market offers the fastest way to get a customised packaging solution in collaboration with a hands-on, experienced team, and it’s why our customers are using it time and time again.

We were the first to launch this unique service in 2022, but we have seen other companies starting to adopt a similar approach.

Regarding the two-week turnaround from concept to prototype, how important are performance, sustainability, and cost efficiency?

These are always critical considerations for any pack, and our remit is to optimise across all three alongside automation and user experience.

At the most basic level, our paper-based material is inherently sustainable, but we also look at how we can reduce the amount of packaging needed or adjust the paper grade. Performance is the bedrock of the design process, as the pack obviously has a job to do in bundling, protecting and promoting the product.

The speed of the Design2Market process does not mean we need to compromise on any of these considerations because we can draw on a world-class product portfolio with unique, state-of-the-art tools. There are also built-in cost efficiencies because we are arriving at the right solution faster.

German street food chain Frittenwork’s innovative delivery box was developed in just six weeks using the Design2Market process.

Smurfit Westrock says that 70% of projects are considered a success, and 40% reach the market. What does success mean to you, and have you gained any insight from the packaging designs that never reach the shelf?

Sometimes an idea is great on paper but isn’t feasible in the real world; but, in truth, we learn as much from the products that don’t make it to the shelf as those that do. The beauty of Design2Market is that we recognise quickly if something isn’t working and can use the insights to inform how we change our approach.

This process allows a product to ‘fail fast’ without the risk and expense of a lengthy design process. Customers see the value of this, and it’s why they come back to repeat the process.

How has Design2Market’s data-driven approach influenced decisions in the design process?

The data-driven approach is the bedrock of Design2Market. We have millions of data points at our disposal, and these enable us to benchmark a project’s market position against factors such as cost, sustainability, supply chain efficiency and consumer impact.

We use the data and insights to refine the best idea into a customised value proposition at speed. It was the first service of its kind in the industry, and we’re incredibly proud of it.

Polish coffee distributor eRDe’s shelf-ready pack went from conception to completion in just 10 days.

What type of projects is Design2Market most suitable for?

Design2Market has wide applicability, and there is considerable variety in the projects that we have worked on. These include new product launches, material changes, transport boxes and displays.

Sometimes a customer will come to us seeking to comply with PPWR legislation or industry guidelines. Our customers transcend all sectors from beverage and confectionery through to pet food and beauty.

How do you expect Design2Market to develop in the future? Do you have any plans to expand the programme beyond Europe?

Now that the concept has been proven in Europe and we have seen how much our customers value it, we are well-positioned to implement it in other regions.

With our global network of 2000 innovators and 32 Experience Centres, there is a Design2Market capability in each of the regions in which we operate.

The big data that underpins this pioneering and value-adding service is utilised by our global network, along with a database of 10,000 product designs.

To learn more about Smurfit Westrock’s Design2Market service, click here.