The Strategic Role of R&D in FMCG and Retail

Research and Development is often underestimated in fast-moving consumer goods, but it's the backbone of long-term brand relevance. Consumer preferences shift fast, and only brands that invest in understanding unmet needs will stay ahead.

From reformulating healthier products to testing eco-friendly packaging or exploring localized taste variants, R&D enables brands to build products that resonate with modern consumers. But product innovation without consumer validation is risky.

R&D should be paired with deep market research, sensory testing, and competitor benchmarking to ensure success in the market. In retail, R&D includes testing new store layouts, formats, and customer engagement tactics, before scaling them.