11-06-2025
When you’re feeling peckish, you might grab a snack of popcorn, meat sticks or sunflower seeds. Odds are, you’re munching on a Conagra Brands product. Conagra is a leader in the food industry, strategically using data and science to track and respond to consumer trends — a priority that drives how the food giant invests and delivers products to market. As Melissa Napier, Segment CFO, explains, Conagra’s robust approach to research begins with specialized internal teams and is strengthened by external partnerships.
“It's a constant balance of evaluating products and brands that are growing in sales or margin, and using data to advance new ideas and new innovation in other areas where maybe we don't have as established a presence and we want to continue to grow,” Napier recently told an Executive Forum audience.
Conagra’s unique Demand Science group collects and analyzes extensive data from both inside and outside the company. This team partners with external research organizations and brings regular updates to Conagra’s leadership.
“They'll talk about broader consumer categories, not just food and where people are spending money,” says Napier. “And they'll break that into different demographics. They'll break it into age demographics. They'll break it into ethnic demographics. They really provide a clear picture of where you, as an end-consumer, are spending your money."
These insights help the company anticipate which products and categories will see changing demand. Every quarter, the insights they develop inform forecasts for volume, net sales and manufacturing needs, ensuring shelves are stocked with the right mix.
Responding to the modern shift away from three daily meals, Conagra has leaned into snacks and “grazing” trends, adjusting package sizes and acquiring new brands, such as FATTY® Smoked Meat Sticks, to meet consumer demand for convenience and taste. Clean labeling is another trend shaping product reformulations, with the company targeting the removal of artificial dyes and colors by 2027, a move that requires intensive research and development to balance taste and quality.
Each business segment holds periodic deep dives into brand and retailer performance, employing thorough competitive and market analyses. Data not only signals where to grow, but also informs how to protect leading positions and nurture innovation within emerging market spaces. Napier emphasizes that all teams, including brand managers, supply chain, finance, and more, are data-driven. This continuous analysis helps Conagra make agile, confident decisions in a dynamic market.
Napier answered questions from Executive Forum instructor Dave Randich, a strategic management lecturer at the Daniels School, as well as students. Guest speakers come to campus each week to share their career insights and experiences with the class.
View and listen to Napier’s Executive Forum class:
The Daniels School’s Executive Forum is held in person on the West Lafayette campus and is open to the public, as seating permits. Follow the business school on LinkedIn to learn about upcoming Forum speakers and more.
