Turning Excess Inventory into Consumer Trial
Faced with a surplus of short-coded product, a quick and cost-effective solution was implemented by activating high-traffic YMCA partnerships, ensuring samples reached millennial families that matched the brand’s target audience.
Introduction
Sir Kensington’s partnered with Aha! to strategically distribute sauces, transforming excess inventory into a high-impact sampling program.
The goal was to leverage surplus product to drive awareness, encourage first-time trial, and create positive brand impressions among families, turning a time-sensitive inventory challenge into a marketing opportunity.
The Challenge
Sir Kensington’s faced the challenge of moving excess inventory quickly and efficiently. The program needed to reach families in settings where trial would feel natural and memorable. Success required balancing time-sensitive product distribution with meaningful consumer engagement that drove awareness, trial, and recommendation.
Our Approach
Aha! developed a full-size sampling strategy that delivered Everything Sauce directly to consumers at YMCA locations. By integrating distribution into everyday touchpoints such as check-in, check-out, and local events, the program enabled families to experience the product firsthand, generating authentic trial across multiple meal occasions.
This approach ensured surplus inventory became a strategic tool for awareness and engagement—delivering value to both consumers and the brand while reinforcing Sir Kensington’s as a better-for-you choice.
Insights for Food & Beverage Brands
This program demonstrates that surplus inventory can be leveraged to achieve both immediate and long-term marketing goals. For better-for-you food and condiment brands, Aha! helps drive:
- Strategic use of full-size product to turn excess inventory into trial
- Hands-on experiences that build awareness and encourage repeat use
- Access to trusted community environments for credible, high-intent engagement
- Scalable, turnkey programs for efficient, time-sensitive execution
- Insights on consumer behavior, preferences, and post-trial intent
Sir Kensington’s results show that thoughtfully executed sampling can transform surplus stock into measurable consumer engagement, generating awareness, trial, and brand loyalty—all without compromising product value.
