Launching a new product is a critical and complex process that requires meticulous planning, coordination, and execution to ensure its success. This Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) is designed to guide our teams through the three main phases of product introduction: from the initial proposal and testing to the finalization of the product recipe, culminating in a structured rollout managed via Asana.

• No products should enter the menu or be available for sale without meticulously going through this SOP.
• The main purpose of this SOP is to prevent potential damage to company culture or public reputation by haphazard, disorganized, and uncoordinated attempts to sell untested product.
• Any untested products that enter the menu or are made available for sale must be given unanimous approval from senior management.

Phase 1: New Product Proposal

The journey of bringing a new product to market begins with the New Product Proposal Form. This initial step is about capturing innovative ideas that have the potential to meet market needs and align with our business goals. Team members from various departments are encouraged to submit their proposals, which should include a comprehensive overview of the product concept, target market analysis, a preliminary budget, and an initial competitive analysis.

Upon submission, proposals are reviewed by a cross-functional team to assess their viability, market potential, and alignment with our strategic objectives. Selected proposals will move forward, while others may be returned for revision with constructive feedback.

• Any team member with creative impulse is encouraged to fill out one of these forms.
• The proposals should meet the following criteria:
  • New dough types will only be tested by the primary dough production facility.
  • Any ingredients used in the product must:
    • Not contain artificial ingredients or excessive preservatives.
    • Not contain yeast artificial leavening, or dough conditioners. Baking soda and baking powder are acceptable under some conditions.
    • Available to order from established vendors.
  • Theoretical workflows must be well-thought-through, efficient, and nondisruptive towards existing workflows.
  • Theoretical cost-of-goods-sold (CoGS), in terms of pure ingredient cost, should not exceed 25% of the projected price of the product.
• These proposals must be approved by a consensus of the Systems Director, Director of Operations, and the Bakery Manager of the relevant testing facility.
• The proposals have the option of being escalated to Ownership if no initial consensus can be made.
• Approval for the proposal only grants permission to begin initial testing, purchase test ingredients, and allocate labor for testing. It does not grant permission for the product to be sold at any point of time, unless specifically overridden by a consensus of senior management.

Phase 2: Project Management (Asana)

Once the product is approved, a project must be created using the New Product Launch SOP in Asana. This project template is created specifically for the product launch, detailing all tasks, milestones, and deadlines. Team members are assigned specific roles and responsibilities by the assigned project manager, ensuring clear communication and efficient execution of the launch plan.

This phase emphasizes the importance of implementation and monitoring, allowing us to track progress, address any issues promptly, and ensure the launch stays on schedule. Following the launch, a post-launch review is conducted to gather insights on sales performance, customer feedback, and overall market reception. This review is essential for understanding the product's impact, learning from the experience, and identifying areas for improvement.

• The timeline between the product approval and the product launch date should ideally be one month. This gives adequate time for all departments within the company to ensure smooth operations and effective communication.

Phase 3: Initial Product Testing

Once a proposal is approved, the focus shifts to creating an Initial Test Batch. This phase is documented through the Product Testing Worksheet, detailing the formulation, sourcing of materials, and the production process. The initial batch serves as a prototype for internal testing, ensuring quality, safety, and compliance with company standards.

Feedback is a crucial component of this phase; both employees and customers (offered as a sample and not sold) can provide valuable insights into the product's performance and market appeal. Based on this feedback, necessary adjustments are made to refine the product, with the goal of achieving a version that meets our high standards and customer expectations.

• Procurement/supply chain management should be closely involved in this process to ensure vendor availability of products.
• Any test product, especially those produced in facilities with shared walk-in refrigerator or other storage spaces, must be labeled very clearly with the following:
  • Name of the conductor of the test batch.
  • Date the batch was created.
  • Name of the product.
• The conductor of the test must also take extra effort to properly communicate with all other members of the facility so that they are aware of what is happening.
• Any product at this phase of the product testing process should only be given to other employees within the company, and not sampled or sold to the public to avoid the higher risk of failures associated with initial testing phases, unless given permission otherwise by a consensus of senior management.

Phase 4: Product Recipe Finalization

The culmination of the testing phase is the completion of the Approved Product Recipe Data Collection Form. This document serves to definitively prove that the recipe, while proven in one or several instances at small scale, is capable of being scaled up and reliably reproduced in a variety of conditions. It outlines the finalized recipe, detailed manufacturing processes, and product standards and specifications. It also ensures that the product complies with all regulatory requirements and has obtained the necessary certifications.

• The conductor of the product test must sign off that they claim responsibility for any project failures due to inaccurate product dataor incompetencies in the testing process.
• Any product created from this phase can be given to employees or sampled to the public. No product should be sold at this phase.
• This form must be reviewed by senior management. All individuals must sign and give unanimous approval upon reviewing the results of the form above before the product reaches the launch phase.

Conclusion

Adherence to this SOP is crucial for the successful launch of new products. It ensures a structured approach, from the initial idea to the product's market introduction, and provides a clear framework for our teams to follow. We encourage all team members to provide feedback on this SOP, as continuous improvement is key to refining our processes and achieving greater success in future product launches.