Tootsie Roll Essay

Fuzzy Dice Inc. (“Fuzzy” or “the Company”) manufactures novelty items that it distributes to wholesalers and large online and direct-mail retailers. Fuzzy operates in an area where several other light manufacturers operate, one of which is Tiny Tots Toys LLC (“Tiny”), an educational children’s toy manufacturer. Tiny has been unable to turn a profit for the past few years and has recently filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

In March of 2012 Steve Parkland was hired as the new president at Charles Chocolates. He was immediately faced with numerous decisions about the future of the company. The board of directors had tasked Parkland with doubling or tripling the size of the company over the next decade, but the board and the senior management team had different opinions about the strategy that would accomplish this goal. The main issues that Parkland faced were how to increase the company’s operations while maintaining the traditional culture and support of the board.

Tootsie Roll faces a number of key issues concerning its strategy. One of such strategic issues relates to how it can maintain its marketplace success and sustain its competitive advantages, in light of (i) the company’s growth prospects in U.S. and foreign markets, (ii) intensity of the competition, and (iii) the fact that the two key leaders of the company are not getting any younger.

Tootsie Roll Industries is an American manufacturer of confectionery products. The company's history date back to 1896 when Leo Hirschfield began making and selling individually wrapped, chocolate flavored candy named after his daughter "Tootsie". The product became an instant success and demand quickly exceeded supply. To increase output, Hirschfield merged operations with local candy manufacturer Stern & Staalberg (1). In 1917, the company changed its name to The Sweets Company of America and began advertising nationally. In 1966, the company’s name changed again to what it is known by today, Tootsie Roll Industries. (2)

Tootsie Roll’s total PP&E at the end of 2015 was $499.535 million and their accumulated depreciation was $314.949 million, so the net PP&E was $184.586 million.

Tootsie Roll Industries is financially strong and with this loan plans to expand its brand, and reach a larger customer base. Tootsie Roll Industries plans to create new flavors that will set the company aside from competitors and increase its market share.

While Europe and the United States account for most chocolate consumption, the confection is growing in popularity in Asia and market forecasts are optimistic about the prospects in China and India (Nieburg, 2013, para 9). According to the CNN Freedom Project, the chocolate industry rakes in $83 billion a year, surpassing the Gross Domestic Product of over a hundred nations (“Who consumes the most chocolate,” 2012, para 3).

Tootsie Roll Industries, Inc. has been engaged in the manufacture and sale of confectionery products for 113 years. Our products are primarily sold under the familiar brand names: Tootsie Roll, Tootsie Roll Pops, Caramel Apple Pops, Child’s Play, Charms, Blow Pop, Blue Razz, Cella’s chocolate covered cherries, Tootsie Dots, Tootsie Crows, Junior Mints, Junior Caramels, Charleston Chew, Sugar Daddy, Sugar Babies, Andes, Fluffy Stuff cotton candy, Dubble Bubble, Razzles, Cry Baby, Nik-L-Nip and EI Bubble.

This strategy of acquiring and improving upon unique brands helps the company avoid the first pitfall of utilizing a differentiation strategy as brands cannot be easily or quickly copied. However, the obsession with reputable and older, recognized brands makes this maneuvering come off as defensive. Coupled with Tootsie Roll’s lack of recent innovation both in products and marketing, as well as staying within the confectionary industry and not making attempts to experiment outside of this sector, causes the company to seem antiquated and

I have reviewed the past two years liabilities and stockholders’ equity sections of Tootsie Roll Industries, Inc. and compared the balance sheets using Debt to Equity Ratio and Times Interest Earned. The calculations presented in thousands:

Overall Tootsie Roll has better liquidity. Liquidity measures the short-term ability to pay obligations as they are expected to be due within the next year.

When looking at profitability from 2006 to 2007, the ratios show that performance suffered. Profit margin, return on assets, and earnings per share have all dropped. However, net cash provided by operations exceeds 2006 amounts and almost matches that of 2005. Taking all of these ratios into account, Tootsie Roll’s financial standing is strong but could be improved by taking on a loan and investing wisely.

According to Exhibit 5, from 1985-1989, Orange crushes’ market share decreased from 22% (1985) to 8% (1989), this data shows that prior to the entrance of Coca Cola’s Slice and Pepsi’s Minute Maid, Orange Crush had more of the market share which at the time, they were positioned toward groups between the ages of 13-40. Since 1985, Crush repositioned itself to target individuals between the ages of 12-17.

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