About MSPrebiotic
MSPrebiotic is a family business based in Carberry, Manitoba.
Third-generation potato farmers Derek and Earl McLaren started the company in 2014 to commercialize a prebiotic fiber supplement made from resistant starch naturally extracted from potatoes.
Resistant starch is a carbohydrate that feeds healthy bacteria in the gut microbiome. MSPrebiotic is available on Amazon.ca, Amazon.com and health food stores across Canada.
Sector: Dietary Supplements
- More than doubled Canadian and U.S. Sales (YOY)
- Over 4x growth in ad campaign sales
- Over 300% increase in customer impressions (YOY)
Key results
- Amazon.com’s Overall Pick as a new seller in the dietary fiber category
- 3.1x average ROAS
- 20% of Amazon.ca customers are completely new to the brand
The Challenge: “We just didn’t know enough about Amazon.”
Prior to working with Beacon Commerce, MSPrebiotic sales had ground to a halt on Amazon.ca as the company sorted out marketing details related to product claims.
The company had discontinued use of its Health Canada Natural Product Number (NPN) in order to revamp its packaging to provide more clarity about the resistant starch ingredient on the label.
However, despite MSPrebiotic being recognized by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) as a dietary fiber source of resistant starch, initially Amazon would not allow the company to reintroduce their product without the NPN.
With the CFIA recognition, “we could actually say ‘resistant starch’ on the label, which we weren’t allowed to do before,” says Amanda. “We planned to continue with a claim on the front of the pouch about how MSPrebiotic supports gastrointestinal health, because we have the scientific data to back it up. However, Amazon flagged it, saying that to make that kind of claim, we still needed an NPN.”
(Learn more about selling Natural Health Products on Amazon.)
How Beacon Helps
As the MSPrebiotic team struggled to find a solution, they met Beacon founder Don Thompson at the Canadian Health Food Association (CHFA) Trade Show and Conference in Vancouver in early 2023.
Over the next few months, the Beacon team helped revamp their labeling strategy to satisfy Amazon’s requirements.
Beacon also optimized inventory and pricing strategies, and managed relationships with resellers to regain control over all MSPrebiotic’s sales channels, including brick-and-mortar retailers.
Beacon Services
MSPrebiotic is taking its next leap forward with Beacon’s full Amazon account management services and PPC advertising. In addition to creating and managing all PPC ad campaigns, we track brand performance relative to competitors and hone strategies for growth. Plus we ensure account health through customer review management and 24/7 support.
Amanda Cabral
Don gave us the confidence to try again with Amazon; he gave us counsel on how to do it. He knew how to work the systems to get approved… He’s amazing, very fast to respond, has helped us beyond expectations. They’re also really good with the reporting, and just keeping us abreast of things and getting our feedback as well.
Results
Six months after becoming a Beacon client, sales of MSPrebiotic on Amazon.ca recovered to their previous level and have been growing ever since. Beacon has helped the company assert control over the Amazon sales channel and focus on how to increase sales for every dollar in online ad spending, earning an average 3.1 Return On Ad Spend (ROAS).
“Don gave us the confidence to try again on Amazon, and he gave us counsel on how to do it. He knew how to work the systems to get [the marketing claims] approved,” Amanda says.
“It’s been a very positive experience, and has kept us going. We’re a small company with just the two product SKUs. So his impact has been very large, especially now with a slower economy on the retail side. Getting back to selling on Amazon was essential.”
What’s next for MSPrebiotic?
MSPrebiotic launched on Amazon.com in late 2023, and continues to expand into the U.S. marketplace. Beacon is currently helping the company address a rash of reseller activity in the U.S. market.
“Cracking the U.S. market is trickier, much wider scope and it’s super competitive,” says Amanda. “Don is counselling us along the way. It’s slowly gaining traction, but the U.S. is definitely a different beast. We are looking forward to introducing MSPrebiotic to a whole new group of U.S. customers.”