First Quality’s baby care team uses deep insights to innovate what matters most to consumers
When you visit First Quality’s product development lab in Macon, Georgia, it becomes clear that baby diaper design is anything but child’s play.
“The most important thing in developing a diaper is understanding consumers’ unmet needs,” said Arinne Lyman, who leads product development for the baby care business. “As we seek to meet those needs, we also need to keep in mind that a diaper is a system. Changing one aspect of a diaper will affect other aspects of it, too.”
For example, many people assume a fluffier diaper is more absorbent, or a softer-feeling diaper will be less likely to irritate a baby’s skin. The reality can be more complicated as materials, shape and other features work together to boost absorption, limit leaks and create comfort—all at a cost consumers can afford.
To solve this complex equation, First Quality partners with retailers on product design and innovations for leading store-brand diapers. At the same time, the company continuously innovates its own diapers brands, Cuties® baby care and Earth & Eden.
Lyman’s baby care product development team at Macon includes scientists and engineers, who bring all their expertise together to make life easier for parents.
“We put parents and caregivers at the center of our design. We get feedback directly from them on how they feel diapers could be better. Then we innovate solutions to make their lives easier,” Lyman said.
Building a better diaper
The product development team regularly meets with First Quality’s retail customers to develop new innovations for their diapers. That always includes conducting consumer-centric market research to truly understand the needs of the consumers buying those products today.
“We ask probing questions to discover the unmet needs of parents,” Lyman said. “These unmet needs become our problems to solve. We fall in love with these problems and dive deeply into understanding why they’re so important to parents.”
From there, the product development team tests prototypes with customers and consumers alike.
“We keep a very close read on market trends and insights, as well as what really resonates with consumers, so we can help our customers succeed,” said Eleonora Daireaux, marketing lead for First Quality’s absorbent hygiene business.
Lyman also said there’s a benefit to the fact that her team is located at First Quality’s diaper manufacturing facility in Macon, which just completed a major expansion. Working right alongside the production lines allows them to test out ideas and understand how diaper design will affect the manufacturing process. That way, customers’ orders can be filled on time and in full, so consumers can get those diapers with the new features they want.
Investing in the future
No matter how trends in diapers continue to evolve, Lyman is excited to work for a family-owned company like First Quality that’s continually investing in the business and in its team members.
“First Quality’s mission to ‘Make Things Better’ is very powerful to me. As a product developer, it’s the mantra that we live by every day,” Lyman said. “It’s great to work for a company that invests to make that happen.”
Looking for a meaningful career making products that families use every day? Learn more about careers at First Quality.
About First Quality
The First Quality Group of companies is a family-owned, diversified group of companies manufacturing, selling and distributing branded and private label absorbent hygiene, paper and packaging products into the healthcare, retail and commercial channels. First Quality is dedicated to meeting the demands of the market by providing innovative and high-quality products manufactured utilizing state-of-the-art technology. For more information, please visit www.firstquality.com
First Quality and Make Things Better are registered trademarks of First Quality Enterprises, LLC.
