The book follows the story of the Big Beverage Company, a large multinational company, whose main source of profit is coffee. Their growth has stalled though in the face of increased competition from private label brands, and consumption shifts to different channels. As their growth has slowed so too the total categories, and so one afternoon their biggest retail customer, Shopmart, calls to ask for their help in getting the category growing again. This sets the Big Beverage Company and their management team on a journey from being a brand-focused business, to one that understands how a broader emphasis on the category and its shoppers can lead to greater growth for themselves and their retail partners.