1. Market Analysis
One of the main activities carried out during the FS has been the assessment of the beverage market and its different sub-markets, looking for the most relevant and optimal industry within it for initial penetration of OPENJOY.
For the purpose of OPENJOY, only those products distributed in glass bottles can make use of crown caps (or easy-open system compatible with crown caps). In this sense, the beer market is the most important market for OPENJOY.
We have carried out also a study on the most suitable countries for the commercialization of OPENJOY within the beer sector. Taking into account our already existing and future strategic partnerships in local markets, we have selected 6 target regions, leaders also in beer production and consumption.
We also addressed the exercise of estimating the sizing of the beer market for OPENJOY:
- Market size for beers distributed under easy-open & crown caps = €192,85 billion.
- Market size for beers distributed under easy-open caps only = €28,92 billion
Finally, during the FS we have conducted and assessment on the technology needs to bring OPENJOY from the current TRL7 to TRL9 and we carried out intensive contacts with relevant manufacturers of metal fittings, capping machines and caps plastics parts.
2. Internationalization and business development strategy
During the execution of Phase 1 we have further developed the preliminary study on OPENJOY’s commercialization strategy. After the selection of the key regions for OPENJOY commercialization, we have defined the 3 main commercialization stages for penetrating in each of those markets.
We have conducted an intense activity addressed to the involvement and engagement of potential commercialization allies and distributors of OPENJOY in Spain and Europe, as a first stage. We have been focussed on engaging relevant actors within the beverage industry (in special, within the beer industry) in view to the future commercialization of OPENJOY. In that sense, we have made relevant progresses obtaining interest in the use of OPENJOY from relevant caps manufacturers and beverage companies, including micro-breweries and large international companies.
One of the most relevant achievements during Phase 1 is the confirmation of our Unique Selling Points (USP), both for end-users and industry. in that sense, we plan to promote intensively the project and its findings during Phase 2. To this end our objectives will be to capture attention, to highlight and enhance the benefits of the SME Instrument, to attract business and potential partners and to create market demand.
3. Technological needs and product validation definition
During the FS we have conducted and assessment on the technology needs to bring OPENJOY from the current TRL7 to TRL9.
As part of the activities carried out during the FS we conducted a preliminary assessment of potentially suitable materials to be used in the plastic and metallic bodies of OPENJOY.
As a result, the study concluded that during Phase 2 two main technical activities well need be carried out to make OPENJOY commercially ready for the beer sector and we have defined 5 main technological activities for Phase 2
4. IPR and legal issues analysis
As part of the activities carried out during the FS, we have conducted a preliminary Freedom to Operate (FTO) analysis on our target countries. As a result, we have found 216 patent families. For Phase 2, we plan to hire an expert IP consultancy firm to further analyse these results and provide an opinion.
