IRI®, a fast-growing global leader in innovative solutions and services for consumer, retail and media companies, announced the launch of the IRI Diversity Advantage Program™ (DAP) to inspire and empower rising minority- and women-owned consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies to achieve positive organizational growth.
 
The innovative, IRI employee volunteer-led program provides pro bono services to micro, diverse-owned CPG brands and is supported by the first wave of leading retailers, including Ahold Delhaize USA Companies, Amazon and Kroger, which are partnering with IRI to provide each DAP participant with pro bono data and market research, consumer and shopper insights, training and consulting services.
 
“Far too often, minority- and women-owned businesses are not given the same opportunities to succeed,” said Andrew Appel, president and chief executive officer for IRI. “In our industry, insights and data are table stakes for our clients. A small team of us saw a unique way for IRI to give back and make a real difference by leveraging our resources and relationships to help companies created by diverse leaders succeed and reach their full potential in the market by providing free access to our data, tools and expertise. I am so proud of the 60-plus IRI employees who are volunteering to support the program and its participants and am thankful for the first set of retailers that are helping to bring this initiative to light by offering the program to their diverse CPG supplier partners.”
 
“DAP is a distinctive use of our organization’s unique skills and resources as it allows us to give back to the community and support diversity, equity and inclusion in our industry,” said Boris Oglesby, executive vice president and practice leader for IRI. “We have big aspirations to rapidly expand the dozens of companies we are supporting to hundreds in the near future.”
 
IRI has received overwhelming support from many leading CPG and retail companies and the industry at large that want to help provide coaching and support to diverse-owned CPG companies:
 
“Conscious consumerism is at an all-time high, and trends are showing customers are actively seeking out diverse-owned brands,” said Kate Weaver, manager of supplier diversity for Peapod Digital Labs, the digital, e-commerce, and commercial company of Ahold Delhaize USA Companies. “DAP will serve as a key tool to empower diverse-owned CPG companies to work more effectively with retailers to get on the shelf, stay on the shelf and more importantly, into the basket.”
 
“Data and insights are key drivers for effective retailer/manufacturer collaboration; without data, manufacturers are at a disadvantage,” said Angel Colon, senior director of diversity & inclusion, multicultural development & supplier inclusion, The Kroger Co. “The DAP program is an extension of the Kroger Supplier Inclusion Program, which fosters the growth and development of certified minority- and women-owned business enterprises. This program will empower manufacturers to gain an in-depth understanding of our retail performance and our customer engagement through the 84.51° Stratum analytic solution. It also provides them with an impactful view of the market performance via the IRI Kroger Collaborative Gateway. This is a powerful combination of data and insights that will set our manufacturers up for long-term growth and success.”  
 
“I’m excited to continue supporting minority- and women-owned companies through this initiative with IRI,” said Kristi Crump, director, Amazon Fresh. “We’re thrilled that these brands will get the resources needed to grow and be discovered by more customers.”
 
IRI will be expanding its retailer and CPG manufacturer DAP partner network continuously with the goal of serving an increasing number of DAP recipients over time.
 
Participants in the program, known as “DAPers,” will receive, pro bono:

• Access to IRI market measurement services
• IRI consultative services to accelerate growth
• IRI solution training
• Access to participating IRI Retailer Collaboration Gateways to enhance ongoing fact-based collaboration with leading retailers
• Coaching to prepare for retailer meetings
• Collaboration and shared best practices with other participants
 
The initial cohort of DAPers include: BLK & Bold, Countertop Productions, Homefree – treats you can trust, La Fete du Rose, Mented Cosmetics, Peanut Butter & Co., Rosen Skincare, Scotch Porter and True Made Foods. More information about IRI’s DAP program can be found here.  
 
Companies eligible to participate in DAP include minority- and women-owned consumer goods companies with $1 million-$25 million in annual sales that are recommended by a participating retailer. Companies interested in participating in the program can email DAP@IRIworldwide.com.