Launching a $15M Private Brand Portfolio

Overview

Launching a new brand in a saturated category requires more than just shelf space; it requires a deep understanding of the "Why" behind consumer choice. When tasked with introducing Spring Valley—a successful US Vitamin & Supplement brand—into Walmart Canada, the challenge was to build an assortment that could disrupt established legacy players.

By synthesizing Usage & Attitude (U&A) studies with Nielsen Panel and POS data, I developed a market-entry strategy that moved beyond generic offerings to deliver a hyper-targeted assortment and pricing mix for the Canadian landscape.

The Challenge: Identify the "white space" within a category dominated by high-equity incumbents.

The Canadian Vitamin, Mineral, and Supplement (VMS) landscape is dominated by high-equity brands like Jamieson and Webber Naturals. To secure a successful launch for Spring Valley within Walmart Health & Wellness, we needed a data-backed recommendation on the ideal assortment, format, and pricing strategy to achieve immediate scale and retailer "buy-in."

The Discovery: Segmentation & The "Pack Size" Determinant

Through a deep dive into demographic and POS data, I identified three critical levers for the Canadian market:

• The Demographic Split: Nielsen Panel data revealed that Boomers (Heavy Users) focused on chronic conditions, while Gen Z (Light Users) focused on "Beauty from Within" and seasonal immunity.
• The Format Preference: Contrary to global trends, the Canadian consumer still maintained a strict preference for traditional pill formats over gummies.
• The "Club" Leakage: Consumers were migrating to Amazon and Costco specifically for larger pack sizes—a key determinant that was currently underserved in the GDM channel.

The Strategic Action

Designing a "National Brand Equivalent" (NBE) strategy to reclaim the pantry load.

I translated these insights into a comprehensive "Launch-to-Win" playbook for the retailer, focusing on:

• Optimized Assortment: Curated a mix that balanced high-volume Boomer "necessity" products with high-growth Gen Z "lifestyle" vitamins.
• Pack Size Strategy: Recommended larger-format configurations to compete directly with Club and E-commerce channels.
• Price-Tier Architecture: Positioned Spring Valley as a high-value alternative that offered premium quality at an accessible price point through a $share-per-price-bucket analysis.

The Impact

Securing a top-tier foothold with 4% market share in just six months.

The data-driven launch exceeded entry expectations and established Spring Valley as a formidable Private Brand competitor:

• $15M Brand Launch: Successfully spearheaded the entry of Spring Valley into the Canadian market.
• Rapid Penetration: Achieved a ~4% market share gain within the first 6 months of launch.
• Omni-Channel Defense: The large-pack strategy effectively slowed household leakage to competitors, securing Walmart's position as a destination for VMS shoppers.