Oregon Cherry Growers

Learn About Our Client’s Success

Food

Oregon

Engagement Summary

2008:

OA conducted a comprehensive Marketing Assessment
Recommendations were not implemented due to a severely poor harvest affecting the company’s operations

2009:

The VP of Sales & Marketing exited the company, creating a leadership vacuum
The CEO sought to bring OA in as interim leadership, but the proposal was rejected by the CFO and Board of Directors

2010:

The company suffered a surprise loss of a large customer, Sonic, at the beginning of the year
The CEO re-engaged OA to perform a holistic review of the company’s revenue generation capabilities, including leadership evaluation

Phase One (90 days):

Conducted a thorough assessment of sales management and team capabilities
Developed and implemented a new sales process and methodology
Integrated various departments to eliminate operational silos and improve collaboration

Phase Two (7 months):

Established a robust business development culture within the organization
Professionalized the management of the sales team, enhancing their effectiveness
Targeted large prospects through strategic relationships, significantly increasing the prospect funnel
Improved sales processes and leadership, resulting in the acquisition of several major accounts

Phase Three (4 months):

Managed the existing sales organization to achieve new levels of performance
Secured $7 million in hard orders of incremental business
Expanded the sales funnel to $24 million, a significant increase from the $2 million funnel when OA initially engaged
Hired a new VP of Sales to ensure continuity of OA’s initiatives
Led the Executive Team and Board of Directors through a comprehensive 5-year Strategic Planning Process
Transitioned strategy, systems, and processes to the new leadership team

New Major Accounts Landed:

- McDonald’s: Successfully expanded relationships beyond Chef’s to include Purchasing, strengthening the business partnership
- Costco: Persuaded buyers to switch to more expensive Sweet Cherries, aligning with Costco’s strategy of offering superior products in all categories
- Sonic: Regained the Sonic business by leading the customer engagement process and developing a proprietary product with a new specification and flavor profile
- Sysco: Despite not being the price leader, OA increased the share of Sysco’s Cherry business to 80% by reengineering the product to minimize sugar content amid rising sugar and commodity costs
- Susan B Komen: Innovatively created a “Pink” Cherry product for use in multiple outlets, tapping into the brand’s recognition and supporting their initiatives

Performance Metrics:

- Transformed the sales organization, achieving unprecedented performance levels
- Secured $7 million in incremental business orders
- Expanded the sales funnel to $24 million, compared to $2 million at the start of the engagement

Strategic Impact:

- Successfully transitioned the company’s strategy, systems, and processes to the new leadership team
- Facilitated a thorough 5-year Strategic Planning Process with the Executive Team and Board of Directors, positioning the company for sustained growth and success