Elias Aoun

It took me a few years to learn this, and I'll teach you in 5 seconds... Your customers aren't just buying a product-they're buying an experience. How memorable is yours? In today's market, customer experience is everything. It's what differentiates your brand and drives loyalty. I help leaders craft customer-centric strategies that go beyond transactions to create lasting connections, ensuring your business remains the first choice in a competitive market. FOLLOW Enrique Lopez Been there, done that...so, message me and Let's structure your thinking to create an actionable path to sustainable success. COMMENT: Enrique Lopez #business #businessowner #entrepreneurquotes #entrepreneur #ceo #online #marketing #fail #smallbusinesstips #customerexperience #customer #strategy #you #smallbusinessowner #investinyourself

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 I had 52 meetings lined up at VitaFoods Europe—that's a personal best! 🙌 Now, I'm gearing up for #SupplySideWest with 51 slots available. To make the most of it, I've shortened my meeting times from 30 minutes to 20 minutes, freeing up more opportunities. 📅✂️ ✅ 14 meetings booked 🟢 37 slots still open I've blocked off October 30 during the first 4 hours to walk the floor and connect with even more people. 🔍👟 I have slots on the 30th until 7 PM so we can meet at Pacific Ballroom E while I'm eating a samosa, lighting a diya and getting some henna (just don't shake my hand after the henna... 😂 ) Next week, a wave of emails is scheduled for clients and prospects to secure meetings. This process takes a lot of work and team coordination, but it’s been a game-changer for boosting our ROI at these events! 💼🚀 If you’re attending #SupplySideWest, let’s connect and make the most of it! 🤝 Pick one of those 37 slots here and let's talk FDA, Health Canada, EFSA and whatever else is on your mind: https://lnkd.in/g9sNA7TG #TradeShows #Networking #SupplySideWest2024 #BusinessDevelopment #MeetingsMatter #IndustryEvents #Efficiency #ROI, #FDA, #HealthCanada, #HeretoServeyou

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CPG Is Constantly Changing - Except When It's Not (part 19 in a series) Why Are 75% of Your Trade Promotion $'s Going to Increasing Others' Profitability? Seems crazy, no? Isn't the role of trade promotion in CPG rather simple when you break it down? Isn't it to get consumers to look at your brand, try your brand and keep putting more of your brand in their shopping carts, their cars, their homes and eventually their stomachs. You're spending a lot of $ to do this to, right? Look at the last invoice you sent out and what you got back - most of that difference (deduction) is trade promotion. Now, look at the difference between your list price and your net price on the invoice going out. There might be a 15% difference on a lot of them. Now add the two together - probably well over 25%. What are you getting for this? No, in real results. By retailer. If you're like most, 15% of this 25% you are spending on trade is for OI's. Recognize 15% once a quarter is pretty much 15% on everything - analyze it. What are you getting for it? No, not in 'soft' benefits - this is business. In real extra cases. With details. I'd challenge any brand or broker to challenge this will real facts and feel very confident >90% cannot do this. Next, look at all the fees and other charges that are related to scans, MCB's, etc. It's significant. Probably over 5%. Well, just with that, we're at 75% of your trade promotion budget - that's close to 20% of your gross revenue - you could probably use this for other brand building activities, no? Maybe to get consumers to look at your brand, try your brand and keep putting more of your brand in their shopping carts, their cars, their homes and eventually their stomachs. Seems crazy, huh? Let's develop some objectives, a strategy and a process to address this - quickly and painlessly - before 2025 planning hits. We'd look forward to assisting. __________________________________________________________________________________ For more information visit us at www.schroedercpg.com, contact me at fred@schroedercpg.com or just send me a DM - why wait?

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Hello Canada 👋 🍁 🇨🇦 ! 💡 Fact of the day: 40% of Canadians admit to throwing out food past the Best-Before dates at least once a week (Léger, 2023) 😯 And yet: if stored correctly, products with Best-Before labels can be good even past their date. Best-Before dates are about optimal quality. This is what the ‘Look-Smell-Taste’ date label is about: reminding everyone to adopt a common-sense approach and to look, smell and taste before deciding to discard food or not. 🤝 To create awareness, we’ve teamed up with some of the country's favourite brands like Bel, Dr. Oetker and Greenhouse to encourage everyone to trust their senses and reduce food waste. Keep your eyes (nose and mouth) peeled for the Too Good To Go label on your favourite products and ‘Look-Smell-Taste before you waste’ to make a positive impact on the planet! And well done to Sien Van den broeke and the Canadian Team for a fantastic launch! For more information, visit https://lnkd.in/dArjvREw #LookSmellTaste #Sustainability #ClimateAction

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Very proud of everyone at Indiva for achieving these impressive results! Congratulations to everyone on my commercial team for growing Pearls to become Canada's favourite gummy, for launching one of the most disruptive brands in No Future, and for making some of the most delicious and margin-rich products in the cannabis industry! Just wait until Pearls Red Razzleberry 1:1:1 (THC/CBG/CBD) launches in the weeks to come ... INDIVA REPORTS RECORD NET REVENUE, IMPROVED GROSS MARGINS, AND POSITIVE EBITDA FOR Q4 2023 AND FULL YEAR 2023 FINANCIAL RESULTS SELECTED HIGHLIGHTS: Q4 2023 * Record quarterly net revenue of $10.9 million, a YOY increase of +16.8% vs Q4 2022 * Pearls Q4 2023 net revenue grew 360%+ vs Q4 2022 * Growth in Pearls and the launch of No Future gummies and vapes generated an incremental +$6.7 million in net revenue, more than offsetting -$4.6 million in lost lozenge sales and declining revenues from Wana * Record gross margin before inventory write-down for the quarter of 38.5%, a +9.2 percentage point improvement vs Q4 2022 * Operating expenses decreased to 28.9% of net revenue vs 41.7% in Q4 2022 * Record EBITDA of $0.9 million * Record adjusted EBITDA of $1.5 million FULL YEAR 2023 * Record annual net revenue of $37.6 million, a YOY increase of +9.2% * Record gross profit before inventory write down of $13.2 million, a YOY improvement of +26.9% * Gross margin before inventory write down improved almost 5 percentage points to 35.1% of net revenue (vs 30.2% for 2022) * Operating expenses decreased to 33.7% of net revenue, down from 41.4% in 2022 * Record EBITDA of $1.6 million (vs -$4.8 million in 2022) * Record adjusted EBITDA of $2.4 million (vs -$1.5 million in 2022) MARKET SHARE & EVENTS SUBSEQUENT TO 2023 * Indiva was the #1 LP in edible market share in Ontario, Alberta, and BC, in Q4 of 2023 * Indiva owned the #1 and #2 ranked edible SKUs (Pearls Blue Razzleberry and Pearls Blackberry Lemonade) in Q4 2023 * Since launch in August of 2023, No Future gummies have sold more than 3.6 million units across Canada, and is already the #2 brand in BC, #3 in Alberta, and #7 in Ontario where the brand launched in October of 2023 * No Future launched two new flavours of gummies (The Red One and The Pink One) in April of 2024 * Pearls added to its 25pk lineup with the launch of Lemon Dream CBN, to flank Marionberry CBG and Peach Mango CBD * No Future also added three new vapes (Grape Ape, Peach Punch, and Tropical Island Haze) to its lineup that now has a total of nine 1.2g 510s * No Future launched a new chocolate product called Fatty Patty, a chocolate covered chocolate chip cookie dough with 10mg THC * Indiva Blips Tablets added to its lineup with a value-rich 55pk launched in AB and BC and also arrives soon in Ontario (June 2024) https://lnkd.in/ex-i42Jg

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Why trying to walk the path alone, when you can jumpstart it by taking the experience trom someone who already has done it before? I've been getting the attention of Executives and Entrepreneurs who are seeking support in overcoming business challenges, while clearly demonstrating the specific value my coaching provides. I can help you structure the way for you to expand and reach your goals faster. Message and we can arrange a call for better finding the way to help you achieve it. #business #businessadvisor #fail #comfortzone #entreprenuer #valuecreation #fear

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Canadians are planning their grocery shopping habits in advance to help manage spending. As a result, consumers are cutting back on their impulse purchases, 36% in 2023 vs. 73% in 2022. 5 strategies brands can implement on How to Entice the Impulse Consumer to Purchase?

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A few good lessons to run your business life, worth reading

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I think it is fair to say that our industry still has a lot of work to do to help consumers realize that better quality almost always represents better value. Especially in cannabis. And, I would add that at least some insight into our customers' needs and wants is at least as important as product knowledge, as we strive to help them along the path to --dare I say it-- cannabis enlightenment. ;-)

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Business Culture 2024! The idea is to establish fruit baskets in offices as a norm. If there is a coffee machine in your office, there should be a fruit basket nearby for your employees' health. 😃🥳🍊🍓🍎🍌 https://lnkd.in/eW-kWgYt Workleap Workleap Officevibe #fruitobureau #onremplacelesbeignes #mtl #healthatwork

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 "🍁 Invest or Indulge in 240,000 Liters of Canada's Finest Rye Whiskey! 🍁 Whether you're expanding your investment portfolio or looking to add a premium blend to your collection, our exclusive rye whiskey offers unparalleled quality. Act now to secure your share or purchase in bulk! #CanadianWhiskey #InvestmentOpportunity #PremiumWhiskey"

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Perhaps a dumb question: Given it’s fairly common for sub-scale Canadian CPG brands to go public on the Canadian stock exchange… Could a sub-scale U.S. CPG brand IPO on the Canadian market? And if so, why don’t more brands doing, say, $25-75M in revenue do this? (considering alternative exit paths have been close to nil since Jan, 2022) Mike Fata - any ideas? #canada #canadianstockexchange

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This past weekend, my company Aviva Alt-Dairy participated in the Montreal Expo Manger Santé et Vivre Vert. In last years’ Expo we learned that our product, which we had presented 6 months before at the Montreal Vegan Fest with great success, was too niche for the broader market looking to reduce their dairy intake, but who weren’t vegan. There were improvents to make mainly in the products’ texture. We got to work on the formulation the day after last year’s Expo ended. This year with our improved recipes we sold in the first day what we had sold in the 3 days of show last year, and we quadrupled last years’ sales. I can’t explain how rewarding this is. Sometimes it’s hard to decide when a product is ready, specially when we’re trying to mimic a product as beloved as dairy cheese, but I think this Expo and the increased velocity we’ve had in stores, are a sign that we got it. There’s always going to be improvements to make but now, we’re tackling the next challenge: Scale up. Entrepreneurship is a marathon. #entrepreneurship #productdevelopment #vegancheese #montrealstartup

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Stop Hesitating-Your Next Move Could Be the One That Changes Everything! Never be afraid of stepping into unknown territory. I did it after 20+ years in the corporate world, and believe me-it's been worth it. Fear held me back, but once I faced it, the rewards came, especially for those I love. If you're stuck in that same spot, stop struggling and start thriving. There are cheat codes to success, and those who've walked the path already have them. DM me, save time, and let's unlock them together. Time to move beyond your comfort zone-your breakthrough is waiting. Send me a message and show me you're ready to start your personal expansion process. We can jump in a FREE CALL and understand how can I guide you to boost your performance as a professionist or as a business owner. #finance #financialfreedom #business #businessowner #entrepreneurquotes #ceo #fail #fear #smallbusiness #strategy #you #smallbusinessowner #invest #investinyourself

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Alain Bouchard, founder and Executive Chairman of Alimentation Couche-Tard has recently stepped into the global spotlight due to the company’s ambitious bid for Seven & i Holdings the parent company of 7-Eleven seeking to further disrupt the fast-growing convenience market. While long a key figure in the convenience store industry, Alain has suddenly gained heightened attention as Couche-Tard attempts to acquire the world’s largest convenience store chain, following a rejected $39bn offer. Alain founded Couche-Tard in 1980, growing it from a single Quebec-based store into a $53bn international giant with over 16,700 locations across North America, Europe, and Asia under brands like Circle K and Statoil’s service stations in Europe. His growth strategy, characterised by mergers and acquisitions, has been the driving force behind Couche-Tard’s rapid expansion. Although he retired as CEO a decade ago, he remains deeply involved in strategic decisions, particularly when it comes to major acquisitions, positioning Couche-Tard to achieve $10bn in EBITDA by 2028. Bouchard’s rise, from humble beginnings, highlights his entrepreneurial journey and his relentless drive to keep Couche-Tard at the forefront of the global convenience industry and to reshape global retail. Fascinating. [I’m hoping that a big bit of Couche-Tard customer service and store experience rubs off on North America (from my limited experience)] 😉🦉 Couche-Tard’s Alain Bouchard, ‘pathological entrepreneur’ swooping on 7-Eleven https://on.ft.com/4eFKsLx #FMCG #ConsumerGoods #Retail #RethinkRetail #RethinkRetailTopExpert #TheCPGGeek

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In the competitive landscape of the Canadian craft beverage industry, running an efficient business is essential to boost profit margins and sustain long-term growth. In the beer market alone, more than 120 new breweries entered the industry last year—and that’s not counting similar percentage increases in cideries, distilleries, and elsewhere. As the industry continues to evolve, savvy producers are turning to comprehensive software solutions to streamline their operations, reduce production and business costs, and boost their bottom line. Leveraging the power of integrated systems and data-driven insights allows these craft beverage makers to unlock new levels of efficiency, productivity, and profitability. To achieve these goals, craft beverage producers are finding systems specifically designed to help them drive long-term, sustainable success. Generic management software for agnostic industries isn’t cutting it. Craft beverage software built by experts who understand breweries has become such an important component in the success equation in Canada and beyond. Head to https://hubs.ly/Q02GK46D0 to learn more! #goekos #newblogpost #blogpost #ekosblog #canadianbrewerymanagement #canadianbreweries #brewerymanagementsoftware

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Alimentation Couche-Tard is strategically expanding its footprint, making significant moves by bidding for 7-Eleven stores and acquiring GetGo Café + Market. This aggressive expansion underscores Couche-Tard's commitment to growing its presence in the convenience store and café market. 🌎🏪 Couche-Tard's acquisitions are not just about increasing the number of stores; they're about enhancing the retail experience and offering more services and products to a broader customer base. As they deploy their substantial war chest, it will be interesting to see how this reshapes the competitive landscape of the convenience retail sector. #RetailStrategy #BusinessExpansion #CoucheTard #ConvenienceStore #FoodTrends https://lnkd.in/gQ8zsw7P

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🙈 🙉 🙊 Day 10 of the LCBO Strike... Last night, we had a small win from the LCBO. The announcement confirms that local distilleries, wineries, cideries, and breweries approved by the LCBO can now sell directly to LCBO Convenience Outlets, which we were previously blocked from selling into. We'll take this temporary victory! Dear Participant of the LCBO Direct Delivery Program   As OPSEU’s strike continues, LCBO acknowledges the impact on small businesses looking to shop with us and on Ontario’s beverage alcohol industry. LCBO Convenience Outlets (LCOs) continue to be a valued option for Ontarians to purchase alcohol, as are local producers.     To support small businesses looking to increase access to products and those looking to sell, effective immediately and for the duration of the strike (but not beyond September 4 2024), we are temporarily expanding the LCBO’s Direct Delivery Program to include LCOs. This means that as a manufacturer authorized to participate in the Direct Delivery Program, you can now fulfill orders for Ontario-produced cider, wine, ready-to-drink, and spirits directly to LCOs.     All Direct Delivery Program policies and processes apply to LCOs, as they do for all other businesses that are eligible for direct delivery of your products. Here is a list of eligible program participants you can contact directly to fulfill your orders.    Note: LCO pricing is the same as it is for other licensees. That is a 10% discount from the basic price as calculated in the “Calculator” worksheet of the Reporting Template.    We have provided LCOs with a list of manufacturers authorized to participate in the Direct Delivery Program and have advised them to be in touch directly for ordering. We appreciate your partnership and support as we make the best decisions possible for our customers during OPSEU’s strike.    Should you have any questions about the Direct Delivery Program, please reach out to lcbo-policy@lcbo.com. We will continue to be in touch with further information as required.     Thank you.  

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