Every January, brand teams inherit a gift-set SKU list that marketing proposed in October. Finance sees margin erosion. Sales sees out-of-stocks on core packs. The argument happens in a conference room with no shared chart.
We use a simple role map: hero (margin-positive, stable base velocity), filler (acceptable margin, supports aisle presence), candidate (below margin floor or above cover ceiling). Roles are assigned before seasonal charts are drawn, not after someone advocates for their favourite pack.
A worked example from packaged foods
A snack brand carried fourteen SKUs into Lunar New Year 2025. We classified three as heroes, six as fillers, five as candidates. The team delisted two candidates early and reallocated production slots to a 12-pack hero that had been short for eight weeks in Q4.
Post-holiday memo noted one regret: a premium gift tin was classified filler but outperformed on margin when sold through department-store concessions. The classification was wrong for that channel, not globally. We added channel-specific role tags the following year.
What to decide before calling us
- Margin floor (percent or absolute per unit)
- Maximum acceptable weeks of cover after peak
- Which channels matter for the reset (hypermarket-only decisions differ from omni-channel)
Those three numbers save a full revision cycle on the chart book.