7.4.3 Stage 3: Product commercialisation

Product factory trials were conducted, starting on 25 August, using members of the development team along with other local staff, as they were available. Innovation was needed to move from a substantially manual process line to a much more automated one. Some ingredients presented problems, for example plum pulp to maintain the desired consistency for a high-class product. There was extensive testing of the factory product, with the necessary adjustment of detailed procedures and formulation and ingredients to reach the texture, appearance and flavours desired for the product. Quality assessment and statistical process control procedures, that were substantially available, could be adapted and changed in detail to accommodate the special features of the new products.

Major attention continued to be devoted to the packaging. The hot-filling of a sauce with particulates into a difficult necked glass bottle was a new experience for the team, as was providing the deep plastic-wrapping round the screw caps. This involved checking and upgrading of skills and equipment, and careful attention was required to the glass capper and the in-line labeller. Finished product assessment could finally be undertaken by 29 August.

During this time there had been major activity on the marketing side. One very significant issue was the generic name of the new product platform sauces. That finally chosen was suggested by design consultants, and was 'A Bit on the Side'. The choice was the subject of some controversy. It was a departure from the tradition of largely straightforward descriptive titles. As a new adventurous product, displaying zip to a younger adventurous age group the title needed pep; but so much? In the event it was the platform name chosen, along with appropriately spicy individual sauce names incorporating rather minimal description, on mildly funky but clear labels, to maintain both interest and distinction for each of the six sauces.