Why Competitor Production Studies Are the Most Underrated Advantage in CPG
- Erik Glitman
- Jan 13
- 3 min read
In the CPG world, competitive intelligence is often focused on the obvious: pricing, packaging, distribution, and marketing. All important, but incomplete. What truly differentiates leaders in this space is understanding how competitors actually produce what they sell.
This is where most companies struggle, and where Fletcher has built a capability few can match: the ability to look inside competitors’ production operations with depth, accuracy, and discretion.
Production Insights Answer the Questions That Matter Most
It’s one thing to know what your competitors make. It’s another to understand how they make it.
Production studies provide clarity on:
Cost structures and margin advantages
Ingredient sourcing and variability
Line speeds, yields, labor approaches
Automation levels and capital investments
Quality control processes
Operational vulnerabilities and constraints
These are the factors that explain why a competitor can price aggressively, innovate more rapidly, or maintain consistent quality.
Operations Shape Strategy, But Most Companies Only See the Surface
Packaging changes and marketing claims are the visible parts of the iceberg. The hidden part—the operational engine—is often where competitive advantage is created. When you understand that engine, you can anticipate moves long before they hit the market.
For example:
A competitor upgrading automation may signal upcoming cost leadership.
A supply chain shift might reveal a new strategic direction.
A capacity expansion could indicate a forthcoming category push.
These early signals are the difference between reacting and staying ahead.
Competitor Profiles Become 10x More Powerful When You Add Production Intelligence
Traditional competitor profiles answer “who they are” and “what they sell.” Production studies answer “how they operate” and “how far they can push.” Combined, they create a full-picture view of a competitor’s true capabilities, limitations, and strategic intent.
That’s the level of insight leadership teams need to make confident decisions.
Our Clients Rely on Us Because We Can See What Others Can’t
What we do isn’t guess work. With over 35 years of experience, industry networks, and a methodology designed specifically for sensitive operational intelligence, we surface details that would otherwise remain hidden.
Clients come to us when they need:
A technically accurate assessment of production workflows
A clear understanding of a competitor’s throughput and efficiency
A realistic read on what a competitor could produce—but currently isn’t
Evidence-based projections of where competitors might expand or struggle
In a market where small operational advantages compound into major commercial wins, this intel is invaluable.
Working Example: Forecasting a Competitor’s Category Expansion Before It Happened
Another client — let’s call them “Harbor Naturals” — suspected a competitor might enter an adjacent product line but couldn’t confirm it.
Our production study revealed:
A brand-new processing line capable of formats the competitor had never sold
Ingredient sourcing changes aligned with the suspected new product
Staffing increases in technical roles associated with that category
Six months later, the competitor launched exactly the product we had forecasted. Harbor Naturals was already ahead — packaging developed, supplier contracts negotiated, and messaging refined — because they understood the move long before the market did.
Why This Matters Now
As categories consolidate and supply chains shift, the companies that understand their competitors at an operational level will own the next decade. They’ll price smarter, innovate faster, and avoid costly misreads of the competitive landscape.
Production intelligence isn’t just a deeper view—it’s the right view.
Reach out to us for a free audit on your competitors production, and how you can leverage Competitive Intelligence in today's complex consumer goods environment.
