Step 1 of 7 · IRP Operating Model

The gap between
strategy and shelf

In Retail CPG, 20–40% of NPI projects miss their targets. 25–35% of NPI budgets are wasted on inefficiency. The problem isn't ideas — it's execution.

Today's Reality
Excel files & email chains
Category Mgr → Packaging → QA → Supply Chain → Finance — all disconnected
Manual approval cycles
3–6 weeks lost per approval loop. Late-stage changes cause cost overruns
No AI anywhere in the process
Supplier discovery, concept modelling, risk — all manual. Always was, still is.
12-month average NPI cycle
Competitors with AI-native workflows reach shelf in 6 months
InnovMates IRP Answer
Single platform — concept to shelf
All functions in one workspace: Category, Packaging, QA, SC, Finance, Suppliers
AI Digital Assistant in every step
Dedicated NPI Concept Modeller AI — not generic ChatGPT, purpose-built
Governed, Client data-policy compliant
client data policy compliant. No data leaves the governed environment.
20–50% faster time-to-shelf
McKinsey / BCG / Gartner NPI benchmarks. Typical payback: 4–8 months.
IRP Operating Model — 6 Phases · Applied to NPI
🔭
PHASE 1
Discover Opportunities
Market scan · Consumer trends · Category opportunity · Heatmap creation
🤝
PHASE 2
Mobilise Ecosystem
NPI team setup · Supplier onboarding · AI assistant config · Governance
📋
PHASE 3
Build Business Case
Concept modelling · Financial case · Spec development · QA framework
🧪
PHASE 4
Simulate & Validate
Concept simulation · Risk analysis · Go / no-go · Cost validation
🚀
PHASE 5
Launch Pilots & Innovate
Shelf execution · Sales ramp · Supplier scale · Continuous NPI improvement
⚙️
PHASE 6 — ORCHESTRATE & SCALE · Transversal across all phases
Multi-agent AI orchestration · MCP server management · Portfolio reporting · AI governance · Knowledge management · Vendor-neutral integration · Benefits tracking
Active from Phase 1
20–50%
FASTER TIME-TO-SHELF
25–40%
NPI COST REDUCTION
50%
FEWER FAILED LAUNCHES
4–8 mo
TYPICAL PAYBACK

* References: BCG (2025) — The Role of AI in Reshaping Product Innovation: three-quarters of yearly CPG product launches fail; AI accelerates innovation cycle and improves launch success rates. BCG (2024) — Innovation Systems Are in Need of a Reboot: 83% of companies rank innovation as a top-three priority; only 3% are ready to translate priorities to results. McKinsey (2024) — From Blueprint to Breakthrough: CPG and retail digital & AI leaders show 3× greater total shareholder returns vs peers. McKinsey Global Institute — CPG NPI benchmarks: launched products have a failure rate of 25–45%; AI-assisted workflows reduce NPI cycle time by 20–50%. Mintel GNPD (2024) — Only 35% of global CPG launches in 2024 were genuinely new products; innovation at lowest level since 1996 tracking began.

⏱ ~3 min
Step 2 of 7 · Innovation Cockpit

The Retail Innovation Client
NPI Command Centre

One view of all active IRP projects inside a single client workspace — internal teams, external suppliers, AI assistants — all in the same governed environment, live.

staging.innovmates.space / retail-client / npi-cockpit
● LIVE
RETAIL INNOVATION CLIENT
📊 NPI Dashboard
📦 Product Portfolio
👥 NPI Team
🏭 Suppliers
✅ Tasks & Approvals
AI ASSISTANT
🤖 NPI Concept Modeller
NPI Portfolio Overview — Q2 2025
Retail Innovation Client · Filieres: Grocery, Fresh, Health
14 Active NPIs
14
Active NPIs
6
On Track
5
At Risk
3
Delayed
NPI PROJECTFILIERESTAGETIME-TO-SHELFSTATUS
Organic Olive Oil — Private Label Grocery DISCOVER 18 weeks → 11 wks AI On Track
Plant-Based Deli Range Fresh BUILD 22 weeks → 14 wks AI On Track
Low-Sugar Breakfast Cereals Grocery MOBILIZE 16 weeks → 13 wks AI At Risk
Functional Beverages — H&W Health & Wellness LAUNCH 24 weeks → 13 wks AI Launched
Belgian Craft Beer — Own Brand Beverages DISCOVER 20 weeks → 12 wks AI Delayed
⏱ ~3 min
Step 3 of 7 · Innovation Halls

Five halls.
One IRP journey.

The IRP platform organises innovation execution into five purpose-built collaborative environments — each aligned to a phase of the operating model, all connected through one workspace.

🔭
Discovery Hall
Identify and prioritise innovation opportunities before mobilisation. AI market scanning, heatmap creation, opportunity backlog and executive alignment.
PHASE 1 — DISCOVER OPPORTUNITIES
Opportunities Heatmap Market Scan Events Discuss
🏛️
Exchange Hall
Mobilise the innovation ecosystem. Convert opportunity leads to portfolio. Onboard team, partners and assets into the programme workspace.
PHASE 2 — MOBILISE ECOSYSTEM
CRM Portfolio Contacts Suppliers Calendar Live Chat
📚
Learning Lab
AI-powered NPI training, concept modelling courses, team capability building and business case development.
PHASE 3 — BUILD BUSINESS CASE
NPI Courses AI Training Knowledge Base Certifications
🧪
Practice Lab
Simulate NPI concepts before committing. Model financials, test concepts, validate risk and run go/no-go assessments.
PHASE 4 — SIMULATE & VALIDATE
Concept Models Financials Risk Sim Go/No-Go
🚀
Innovation Hall
Execute pilots. Track KPIs. Manage approvals. Scale across categories, filieres and markets.
PHASE 5 — LAUNCH PILOTS & INNOVATE
Projects CRM Finance PMO QA
NPI Team Structure — Retail Innovation Client Pilot
👤
VP Category
NPI Sponsor
👤
Cat. Manager
Project Lead
👤
Packaging
Design & Spec
👤
QA Manager
Compliance
👤
Supply Chain
Sourcing
🤖
AI Assistant
NPI Modeller
⏱ ~3 min
Step 4 of 7 · AI Innovation Assistant

Meet the NPI Concept Modeller

A dedicated AI assistant built for Retail Innovation Client — NPI workflows — not generic AI. Purpose-built, governed, Ahold Client data-policy compliant.

Live AI Session — Olive Oil NPI
I need to develop a new private label organic olive oil for the Belgian market. Help me build the NPI concept and find potential suppliers.
🤖 NPI CONCEPT MODELLER
Olive Oil Private Label — Concept Analysis

Based on Belgian consumer trends (2024–25) and Client category data, here's my recommended NPI approach:
  • Concept: Organic Extra Virgin, Greek/Spanish origin, 500ml + 750ml SKUs
  • Target Consumer: Health-conscious 35–55, premium private label, €6.50–8.50 price point
  • Competitive Gap: Authentic PDO certification — currently absent in Client own-brand range
  • Time-to-Shelf estimate: 18 weeks standard → 10–11 weeks with AI workflow
  • Risk flag: Spanish harvest volumes down 20% (2024) — diversify to Greece/Tunisia

Shall I now scan for qualified suppliers and model the financial case?
Yes — find me the best suppliers and model the P&L
🤖 NPI CONCEPT MODELLER
Scanning supplier network... ●

Found 8 qualified organic olive oil suppliers across 4 origins. Top 3 recommended based on: certification, capacity, ESG score, Client vendor criteria.
  • Gaea Products (Greece) — PDO certified, BRC AA, 85% ESG score
  • Sovena Group (Portugal/Spain) — ISO 22000, scale capacity 500K L/yr
  • Oleifici Barbera (Italy) — DOP Sicilia, premium positioning, artisan story
P&L model generated → see Practice Lab. Go/no-go confidence: 78%
What the AI Assistant Does
🔍
Market & Consumer Intelligence
Trend scanning, category gaps, competitor analysis, Belgian market data
🏭
Supplier Discovery & Scoring
AI finds, scores, and ranks suppliers by certification, capacity, ESG, and Client criteria
📊
Financial Modelling
P&L simulation, margin modelling, pricing scenarios, budget tracking
⚡
Workflow Orchestration
Creates tasks, assigns teams, triggers approvals, tracks milestones automatically
"This is not a generic AI tool. It is built on InnovMates' Intelligence Layer — connected to your NPI platform, your supplier network, and your team — and governed by client data policy. Claude, Copilot, or any approved model can power it."
— Vendor-neutral. No lock-in. Your AI strategy, your control.
⏱ ~4 min
Step 5 of 7 · AI Innovation Modules

AI modules across
the full NPI workflow

Each module is purpose-built for a specific NPI function. Together they eliminate the Excel/email fragmentation that costs 25–35% of NPI budgets.

MODULE 1

Supplier Discovery

Active
AI scans global supplier networks, scores against Client criteria, generates a ranked shortlist. Previously: 4–6 weeks manual. Now: 2 days.
LAST SCAN — Organic Olive Oil
Suppliers found8 qualified
Countries covered4 (GR, ES, PT, IT)
BRC/IFS certified6 / 8
MODULE 2

NPI Learning Programme

Learning Lab
AI-assisted training for the NPI team. Courses on AI-powered NPI methodology, concept modelling, supplier qualification, and compliance.
PROGRAMME — Retail Innovation Team
Modules active6 of 9
Team completion67%
Next moduleAI Concept Scoring
MODULE 3

Financial Modeller

Practice Lab
AI builds the P&L for each NPI concept — COGS, margin, pricing scenarios, break-even. Updated live as sourcing decisions change.
OLIVE OIL — P&L SNAPSHOT
Target RSP€7.49 / 500ml
Gross Margin38.2%
Break-even volume4,200 units / mo
AI confidence78% go
MODULE 4

Compliance & QA Tracker

Innovation Hall
AI monitors regulatory requirements, supplier certifications, labelling compliance. Flags issues before they cause delays.
COMPLIANCE STATUS
EU Organic cert✓ Verified
Nutri-Score✓ A-rated
FSMA compliance⚠ Pending
MODULE 5

Approval Workflow Engine

Innovation Hall
Replaces email approval chains. AI routes decisions to the right stakeholders, tracks sign-offs, escalates automatically.
PENDING APPROVALS
Concept brief✓ VP Approved
Supplier shortlist⏳ Cat. Mgr review
Budget releaseAwaiting P&L
MODULE 6

KPI & Reporting

Live
Real-time NPI portfolio dashboard for VP Category, Steering Committee, Finance. AI-generated weekly summaries.
PORTFOLIO KPIs — THIS WEEK
Avg. time saving38% vs baseline
Cost saved (pilot)€47K estimated
NPS — team82 / 100
⏱ ~4 min
Step 6 of 7 · NPI Use Case — Detailed View

From concept to shelf:
Organic Olive Oil

A real NPI example — the olive oil concept started with an AI supplier scan, structured in the platform, and now running as a live NPI project at Retail Innovation Client.

✓ Ph1 DISCOVER
✓ Ph2 MOBILISE
● Ph3 BUILD
Ph4 SIMULATE
Ph5 LAUNCH
Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil — Private Label
Grocery Filiere · Category Manager: [Cat. Mgr] · AI-assisted NPI
BUILD STAGE
Wk 5
CURRENT WEEK
11 wk
AI TARGET T2S
78%
AI CONFIDENCE
€47K
COST SAVED
TASKOWNERAI ASSISTDUESTATUS
Market opportunity scanAI + Cat. Mgr AI Generated Wk 1Done
Supplier discovery — 8 foundAI + Supply Chain AI Sourced Wk 2Done
NPI concept briefCat. Mgr + VP AI Drafted Wk 3Approved
Packaging spec + design briefPackaging AI Assisted Wk 5In Progress
P&L model + pricingFinance + AI AI Modelled Wk 6Pending
QA / compliance reviewQA Manager AI Flagged Wk 7Not started
Supplier contract + samplesSupply Chain AI Shortlisted Wk 8Not started
AI-Discovered Suppliers — Organic Olive Oil
Gaea Products
🇬🇷 Greece · PDO Kalamata
92/100
AI MATCH SCORE
BRC AA Organic EU
Sovena Group
🇵🇹 Portugal + Spain
87/100
AI MATCH SCORE
ISO 22000 High Volume
Oleifici Barbera
🇮🇹 Sicily, Italy
81/100
AI MATCH SCORE
DOP Sicilia Premium
↑ Suppliers originally identified by AI scan, validated and entered into the platform by the supply chain team. Future integration: real-time SAP vendor data via API.
Business Impact — Pilot Results
Time-to-Shelf
-38%
18 wk → 11 wk
Execution Cost
-31%
vs baseline NPI
Supplier Discovery
2 days
vs 4–6 weeks manual
Team Efficiency
+1.5 FTE
saved per NPI
Revenue Uplift
+18%
faster sales ramp
Next Steps — Retail Innovation Client
Pilot: Olive Oil NPI
Weeks 1–6 · In progress
Business Case Sign-off
Week 6 · VP Category + Finance
Scale: 3 Filieres
Month 3 · Grocery, Fresh, H&W
Full NPI Portfolio
Month 6 · All Category Managers
Future: S/4HANA Bridge
When Client migrates to S/4HANA RISE, InnovMates becomes the AI innovation layer above it — connecting NPI workflows to SAP master data, vendor management, and finance in real time.

No Joule dependency. No BTP lock-in. Vendor-neutral AI — already running today.
Ready to Start

Prove value in 4–6 weeks.

Run the AI NPI pilot with one product concept. InnovMates delivers the AI assistant, business case, and supplier shortlist — in weeks, not months.

Step 1
Run the Pilot
4–6 weeks · 1 NPI concept
Step 2
Run the Use Case
4–6 months · concept to shelf
Step 3
Scale & Grow
All filieres · full portfolio
⏱ ~4 min · Total ~25 min
Step 7 of 7 · IRP Programme Architecture

One reference.
Every record. Every client.

How InnovMates orchestrates workspaces, projects, channels, events, and AI actions across the full programme lifecycle — from first conversation to scaled innovation.

🔑
The Golden Thread
Every record across every model carries one reference: irp_ref
RETAIL
IRP-2026-RETAIL-001
Innovation Lead · Retail
SAP / ERP
IRP-2026-SAP-001
S/4HANA RISE Programme
FMCG / NPI
IRP-2026-NPI-001
Retail Innovation Client — NPI
FMCG / CPG
IRP-2026-FMCG-001
Heineken Programme
Programme Structure — 3 Levels
LEVEL 0 — PLATFORM
Methodology Templates
Archived · Ray / Developer only
📋 TMPL — SAP S/4HANA RISE
DISCOVER PREPARE EXPLORE REALIZE DEPLOY RUN INNOVATE
📋 TMPL — Retail Innovation
DISCOVER ASSESS DESIGN PILOT SCALE
📋 TMPL — NPI / CPG
DISCOVER MOBILIZE BUILD SIMULATE LAUNCH
Created once by Ray/developer. Archived immediately. Never modified.
LEVEL 1 — WORKSPACE
IRP Programme Container
is_workspace = True · AI-created
IRP — Retail Innovation Client
irp_ref: IRP-2026-RETAIL-001
IRP 5 phases as task columns:
1.0 Discover Opportunities
ACTIVE
2.0 Mobilise Ecosystem
3.0 Build Capability & Business Case
4.0 Test in Simulation
5.0 Launch & Scale
Tasks 1.1–1.6 nested under Phase 1 as subtasks. Deliverable 1.6 = Heatmap trigger →
LEVEL 2 — OPPORTUNITY PROJECTS
Heatmap-Activated Projects
workspace_id → Level 1 · Duplicated from template
PMO — IRP Governance Setup
REALIZE
Row: Project Management & PMO
irp_ref: IRP-2026-RETAIL-001
AI Extensibility — Copilot Studio
INNOVATE
Row: AI Extensibility
irp_ref: IRP-2026-RETAIL-001
Finance — Cost Optimisation
EXPLORE
Row: Finance & Controlling
irp_ref: IRP-2026-RETAIL-001
Each project inherits template columns. irp_ref propagates automatically via related= field.
Orchestration — One irp_ref Across All Platform Records
DISCOVERY HALL
🔭
IRP Workspace
project.project
🎯
CRM Leads
crm.lead
🗺️
Heatmap Posts
blog.post
📡
IRP Webinar
event.event
💬
IRP Channel
discuss.channel
EXCHANGE HALL
📋
Workspace
project.project
🎯
Opportunities
crm.lead
📅
Events & Webinars
event.event
💬
Discussion Channels
mail.channel
🗓️
Workshops
calendar.event
LEARNING LAB
📚
Blog Posts
blog.post
🎓
Learning Programmes
slide.channel
📝
Assessments
survey.survey
🗣️
Forums
forum.forum
PRACTICE LAB
🔬
Proof of Concept
project.project
🧪
Simulation Projects
project.project
📊
Scored Opps
crm.lead
INNOVATION HALL
🚀
Opp. Projects
project.project
✅
Governance Tasks
mail.activity
💰
Financial Records
account.move
📈
Sales & CRM
sale.order / crm
🔑 Every record above carries workspace_id (relational key for the assistant) and irp_ref (human-readable golden thread — auto-propagated via Odoo related= field). The assistant queries any model with a single domain filter: workspace_id = 19.
AI Digital Assistant — IRP Orchestration in Action
Innovation Lead · Retail · IRP-2026-RETAIL-001
What's the status of our retail innovation programme and what has been set up so far?
🤖 IRP DIGITAL ASSISTANT
IRP-2026-RETAIL-001 — Programme Status

Here's everything I've set up for your programme so far:
  • Workspace: "IRP — Retail Innovation Client" — Stage: Ideation ✓
  • Phase 1 active: 6 deliverables created (1.1–1.6), Anita assigned ✓
  • Workshop scheduled: Executive Alignment · 11 Jun 2026 · 09:00–12:00 ✓
  • Pending (admin): Discussion channel · Programme webinar · Phase kanban columns

Next action: shall I run the 1.1 Industry & Market Intelligence scan for retail?
Yes, and can you show me what heatmap cells are available once we activate the retail template?
🤖 IRP DIGITAL ASSISTANT
Running retail market scan... ●

Once we activate the Retail Innovation heatmap, each cell you select triggers a new opportunity project — automatically named, structured, and linked to your workspace under IRP-2026-RETAIL-001.

For example, selecting Supply Chain × DESIGN creates:
→ "Supply Chain — Demand Forecasting AI"
with 5 methodology columns pre-loaded and your team pre-assigned. Go/no-go confidence: 82%
Custom Fields — Added to project.project
irp_ref
Char · index=True · copy=False
e.g. "IRP-2026-RETAIL-001"
is_workspace
Boolean · default=False
True on Workspace Area projects only
is_template
Boolean · default=False
True on archived methodology templates
workspace_id
Many2one('project.project')
domain=[is_workspace=True] · index=True
heatmap_row / heatmap_phase
Char · traceability fields
e.g. "PMO" / "REALIZE"
Propagated to ALL linked models
mail.channel calendar.event event.event crm.lead blog.post survey.survey forum.forum slide.channel
Each carries workspace_id + irp_ref (auto via related=). Developer adds two fields per model — ~30 min total.
Developer Checklist — innovmates_irp Custom Module
Phase 1 — Fields (project.project)
□ Add irp_ref Char field
□ Add is_workspace Boolean
□ Add is_template Boolean
□ Add workspace_id Many2one
□ Add heatmap_row + heatmap_phase Char
Phase 2 — Propagate to linked models
□ Extend mail.channel
□ Extend calendar.event + event.event
□ Extend crm.lead + blog.post
□ Extend survey.survey + forum.forum
□ Extend slide.channel
⏱ ~5 min · Total ~25 min