SAOS - C2 - Cultivating Collaboration

Mark Bush - Summer Harvest Oils

When I saw the Winning Ways programme on the C2 website, I thought it fitted in really well with our company ethos.  We want to work with quality Scottish food companies on new products - we already collaborate with a food outlet on a range of dressings - and this seemed like an ideal way of developing that strategy.

The best thing about the process so far has been that it really makes you focus your attention on what you need to do to collaborate and develop your business.  I found the methods used very helpful - you pin down your thinking and by asking yourself a series of simple questions you are able to weed out the ideas with potential from those that are not going to deliver for your business. 

Winning Ways has more than lived up to my expectations - in some ways I wasn't quite sure what to expect when we moved on to the brainstorming part of the process. I don't think I fully appreciated how intense that would be but it was very exciting and positive working with new people from other businesses.  

Jill Clark - Connage Highland Dairy

When I heard about the project from Rona Sutherland I thought it could help us learn different ways of thinking about our company, Connage Highland Dairy.

When you run a small business, you have you head down concentrating on the day to day - we are either making cheese or selling cheese!  It is difficult to find the time to think about new products and ideas, or how working with other companies on new products might be possible. Winning Ways is something we have done together as a team and it has helped us to focus our thinking about the company and to act on it.

One of the best things about taking part so far is learning that you can collaborate and feel comfortable doing it.  The process you go through - brainstorming with the other companies to come up with ideas, evaluating them and then implementing the most promising - gives you the confidence to distinguish between worthwhile opportunities and those you should ditch.

It also gives you the ability to 'stand in the car park' and analyse your business from the inside out. 

The support of the Winning ways team from C2 and from Matrix is excellent - it is energetic, positive support and it is essential to the process.

It has given us a lift and helped us to look up and see the way we can develop the business.

Nicola Hainie - Border Biscuits

One of the real benefits of this process is that you increase the network of contacts whom you can speak to about a lot of possible lines of development - this means you don't waste time re-inventing the wheel.

It also helps you to realise very quickly which ideas are worth pursuing and those which you should kill off. You really don't have to go round in circles to get to this point.

Innovative new product development doesn't have to be a slow process.

Melanie Thomson - Thomas Thomson Ltd

All in all, taking part in the supply chain innovation project was a very good and helpful experience.

The brainstorming session was just right - it was good fun, not too many companies present so we didn't feel too shy. And, it was a good mix that didn't throw up any competitive clashes.

The biggest surprise was how many ideas came out of the woodwork and how much one  junior member of our staff came up with in terms of brilliant, original ideas - it was a good lesson in setting aside time to be creative and providing the environment for ideas to generate.

The subsequent sessions were very fast and punchy, very focussed on the market - and really good at helping you to get a message out to the consumer about what is special about your product. It really pushed us to the point of producing a concept run - and for me the product became a reality at that point. Completing the form on the website helped me see the product in its final form and realise what was needed to contribute to its success.