Case Study : New Product Development Essay

The premium chocolate industry is a large market in the United States and continues to grow around 10% annually. It is also populated with very strong

Barry Callebaut is one of the largest cocoa producers worldwide with an average annual production estimated to be around 1.7 million tons of coca. In year 1996, the merging of Belgian chocolate producer Callebaut and French company Cacao Barry took place. In the present the company’s headquarter is in Zurich, Switzerland. The company’s mission statement is clear, which is to improve the life conditions of their farmers and the community, through improved productivity and helping in community development. In order to do so, they ensure that their farmers are earning an equitable income, in addition caring for their health and the well-being of their families too. Since cocoa communities are mostly located in remote areas, they often have limited infrastructure development. Barry Callebaut is concerned with this issue

There is a high bargaining power of suppliers because of the need of the key ingredients required for chocolate manufacturing and limited number of suppliers for this industry. Since cocoa trees require tropical climate, it forces the main producers in the west to import them from countries in West Africa or other hot places

Technical Consumer Products, Inc (TCP) makes and distributes energy-efficient lighting products. Emily Bahr was TCP’s district sales manager in Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota when the company announced the details of a bonus plan. A district sales manager who achieved 100 percent year-over-year sales growth and a 42 percent gross margin would earn 200 percent of his or her base salary as a bonus. Bahr’s base salary was $42,500. Her final sales result for the year showed 113 percent year-over-year sales and a 42% growth margin. She anticipated a bonus of $85,945, but TCP could not afford to pay the bonuses as planned, and Bahr received only $34,229. In response to Bahr’s claim for breach of contract, TCP argued that the bonus plan was too indefinite to be an offer.

The Hedo-Falls shower system is the first of its kind. This kind of shower has not been seen before in the market. It offers something totally unique with no direct competition. No company has been ambitious enough to integrate so much into a device that has remained virtually the same for decades. The developers at Quantum Studio decided to take a chance and tap into a new and exciting market. Their risk paid off greatly. There is no direct competition for the Hedo-Falls shower system at this time, but there is secondary competition, such as other basic shower units.

Vital partnership is an attestation between no less than two relationship to team up in a specific business activity, so that each preferred standpoint from the characteristics of the other, and builds high ground. The improvement of key unions has been seen as a response to globalization and growing unsteadiness and diverse quality in the business environment. Key unions incorporate the sharing of data and ability amongst assistants and likewise the reduction of danger and costs in reaches, for instance, relationship with suppliers and the headway of new things and developments. A key association together is here and there contrasted and a joint meander, yet intrigue may incorporate contenders, and generally has a shorter future. Essential association is an immovably related thought. This article separates significance of key union, its points of interest, sorts, system of course of action, and gives two or three cases examinations of key associations together. This paper tries to join the degree and piece of publicizing limits in the confirmation of sufficiency of key organizations. A couple of proposals from an advancing viewpoint concerning the examination of association together process are point by point. On the preface of the suggestions, a framework is made for future

Increasing international growth and commitment to the environment and their employees are major strengths for the company. Growth opportunities are present in the organic market, which is projected to grow 9% (Scott-Thomas, 2012), and the smoothie market, which will see a potential growth of 1.6% through 2013 (Technomic, 2012). Some of the weaknesses facing the company are its narrow target market in the organic product industry and lack of traditional advertising. Major competition from Odwalla and Naked Juice are threats to growth and the volatile market for fruit and other natural ingredients may cause unpredictable price increases and as well as an unpredictable future. Also, shifts in popularity of the trendy organic product movement may cause a decline in future revenues. However, both the smoothie and the organic/health food markets are growing rapidly and Clif Bar can secure a larger share in these markets with the introduction of Simply Clif.

Research has proved that humans have been consuming cocoa for over 2600 years from once upon a time being used as currency to becoming serious pirate loot to being the key ingredient along with sugar in producing chocolate today.

With the increasing trend in healthy diet preference, the underlying drivers of change of competition in premium chocolate industry at the strongest level are the buyers’ preferences for differentiated, refined products, instead of standardized ordinary products that are no longer demanded. In addition, baby boomers - generation with their disposable income are spending a lot on high quality premium chocolates.

The premium chocolate market has been growing at 20% annually, showing that buyers are willing to pay more for a better tasting and better quality chocolate. The declining growth of the overall chocolate market and rapid growth of the premium chocolate market is positive for current producers of premium chocolates in that the decline

The Economies of Scale in the chocolate industry is high due to the increase of output of existing chocolate companies that will lower the cost of the cacao production. New entrants in order to compete, they need to produce more in a lower cost possible compared to the actual industries. This may not only be the barriers to entry, but also companies such as Sharffen Berger’s or Godiva, they have a high number of customer loyalty due to their brand names, product quality and reputation that may require new entrant a larger capital investment in order to attract new customers.

The following analysis is written for Dakota Office Products to evaluate current business operations and recommend future actions necessary to ensure company success. In our analysis of the company we will identify inefficient business practices that have led to the companies first profit loss in its history. We will evaluate the company’s current pricing structure, ordering methods, shipping and delivery process, and deficiencies in cash flows.

As of October 2012, Andrea Torres, director of new product development at Montreaux Chocolate USA, needs to recommend whether or not the company should pursue a new product launch in the United States. The new product, a 70% cocoa dark chocolate with fruit product, has been tested because of “its heightened revenue potential, better alignment with health and wellness initiatives, and strong consumer acceptance of the proposition” (Quelch 7). This memo will address the

By October 2012, it had been over 15 months since Apollo Foods, a global consumer packaged-goods firm, had obtained the rights to distribute the well-known European chocolate company, Montreaux, in the United States. Andrea Torres, the director of new product development at Montreaux Chocolate USA, is presented with the

After a thorough analysis of Apollo Foods business situation, a decision plan regarding the launch of a new chocolate product for its new branch acquisition Montreaux Chocolate USA has become clear. This decision plan is based on the following key challenges and marketing issues that need to be addressed. These challenges and marketing issues can be best summed up by a decision on what brand the product will be home to, whom the product will be marketed to, the ingredients and formulation of the product, the packaging of the product, can the product perform well enough in a sales forecast plan to exceed a $30 million dollar hurdle rate, and finally to launch or to test market the product. After reviewing Apollo Food’s data, their market research findings, and sales forecasts. A decision plan that addresses all of the key issues and marketing points has been created and will be