A simple refresher at Starbucks?  Maybe not so simple.  From a drink you order at the coffee shop to a sports car that represents your identity, consumers of all industries are craving customized products.  With this trend, people are pursuing increasingly delicate tailoring and exclusivity. From the producer's perspective, is customization not a challenge? Is it even possible to make a profit whilst meeting the individual needs of each and every customer? 

 The answer was more straightforward than I expected.  With the development of technology after the fourth industrial revolution, I can make my own cup of coffee from Starbucks before I put on my shoelaces at home. I can make a reservation through an application that brings a well-known tailor made shirt to my doorstep. Using NikeId, I can make my own customized Air Force 1s that reflect my color preferences and let me enjoy my sense of exclusivity. It is not as hard as a customer. But it has not been so easy for producers. Since each individual person has a different preference when compared to the next, companies must spend resources in tailoring their products and marketing to fit the myriad tastes of their customers. How do they manage this?

For further insight on this trend, I was lucky enough to interview Eric Bae, the former beverage expert at Nestle, and currently the Country Manager of Monin for Korea, a beverage supplement company which services thousands of food and beverage businesses and outlets by supplying customized beverage supplements.  Monin has been servicing countries across the globe with their know-how and experiences from over 100 years. Their main strength is their ability to produce tens and thousands of end-products with their original prototypes. It can be noticed in their business motto as well. “At MONIN, we believe that one size doesn’t fit all. As an artisan producer, which has traditionally catered for all shapes and sizes of customers, we have become experts in creating bespoke, tailored solutions, to suit individual needs. We believe that it’s this personal approach that has enabled us to build trusted partnerships that really are a great fit.”

As the company’s quote states, Bae also emphasizes the importance of exceeding what customers expect. “Customized approach is definitely the current trend of the beverage industry.  Countless businesses utilize our solution to create ‘customized’ beverage products to satisfy the consumers’ growing demand and need for customization”.  Further, he noted, “Remember when most cafes in Korea were actively promoting ‘blue lemonades’ on their menu board? And also back in the days when ‘hazelnut’ coffee was a big trend? Monin was always in the picture as our syrup products are the key to pick up the right taste and aroma”. The company’s customization of flavours contributed to their increase in annual sales every year in Korea and in the rest of the world showing that customization benefits companies in the long run.

To conclude, the ever growing demands for customization can be seen in many industries in which makes it important for today’s businesses to cope with such market trend.  As a future marketing expert, I dream of dedicating my utmost to study, adapt, and cope with unconditional demands of individuals.

 

 







Chanjin Yoon
11th Grade
Yale Secondary

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