What’s the real cost of launching without consumer research

Most CPG launches fail before they reach shelf. Find out what that risk is actually worth in dollars — before you commit the budget.

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Launch ROI estimate

• Dev cost: $250K
• Launch revenue: $1.2M
• Return on investment: 4.8x

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Why you need an ROI calculator for product innovation

80–85% of new CPG product launches fail. Most brands never put a number on what that risk actually costs — in wasted development spend, missed revenue, and the opportunity cost of a slower path back to market.

How to calculate your launch ROI

1. Development cost: What it actually costs to get this product to shelf — formulation, packaging, production setup, and testing. Most CPG launches run $50K to $500K or more.
2. Expected launch revenue: Your realistic revenue projection for the first 12–18 months post-launch, based on distribution, pricing, and expected sell-through.

Try it yourself

Enter your estimated development cost and expected launch revenue to see your projected return.

Calculate Your Research ROI

• Expected Launch Revenue:
• Product Development Cost:
• Research Investment:
• Failure Rate Without Research: CPG industry average: ~83%
• Failure Rate With Research: With validated concepts: ~35%
• Capital at Risk Without Research: $4.6M
• Capital Protected With Research: $2.6M
• ROI Multiple: Return on Research 52.8×

A research investment of $50K could protect $2.6M in launch capital.

Common ROI mistakes to avoid

• Skipping validation to save time.
• Underestimating the cost of failure.
• Treating research as a cost, not an investment.

Turn validation into your ROI advantage

Highlight helps you hit your ROI target by de-risking the launch before you spend on production.

• Validate concepts and claims before development dollars are spent.
• Catch issues early, when they’re still cheap to fix.
• Launch with the data that shows exactly what will resonate.

Common ROI calculator questions

1. What is a good ROI on product development? Most CPG brands target a 3–5x return on their development investment within the first 12–18 months post-launch.
2. How much does it cost to launch a CPG product? Typical launch costs range from $50K to $500K or more, depending on category, packaging complexity, and production scale.
3. What percentage of new products fail? Industry estimates put new CPG product failure rates between 80–85% — most of that risk is preventable with validation before launch.
4. How does consumer research reduce launch risk? It replaces guesswork with evidence — testing concepts, claims, and prototypes with real consumers before you commit to production, so you catch what won’t work while it’s still cheap to fix.