Marketing Research Paper – Kudler Fine Foods
University of Phoenix
MKT 421
Allan Hopkins
In the current retail food industry there are numerous competitors fighting for the same dollar. It is important for each company to identify their target market, identify their competitors, and then build their marketing plan. The information below will detail Kudler Fine Foods marketing strategy which includes expanding its services, improving its efficiency of operations, and increasing the customer purchase cycle. The paper will also discuss areas where Kudler Fine Foods needs to further their market research. Kudler Fine Foods is a specialty upscale food retailer operating in the state of California. Currently they are selling their
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The three questions listed above identified some key areas of opportunity for Kudler Fine Foods. It is obvious that Kudler Fine Foods needs to conduct further research in the areas of product selection, value of products, and customer service. Kudler’s current marketing strategy identified programs to focus on high end products and services through specialty cooking clinics and a high-end frequent shopper program. With the results of the 2008 survey it would be a waste of resources to implement these marketing initiatives. Through survey responses it seems that Kudler customers would much rather see a wider variety of products in the stores with better pricing. Kudler customers are looking for more selection and more value. One of the marketing initiatives did include customer training which was also identified by the survey. The Kudler customers stated that the employees were not very courteous, which will keep customers away from the stores. No matter what products your store has, if the customer service is poor, you will not be successful. It is critical for Kudler Fine Foods to know their market. Competitive intelligence is a means of knowing your customers, your competitors, and your market. Competitive intelligence can also help to identify what may happen in a market, or what a competitor may do in the future. When developing a marketing strategy and marketing
convey the information to the sales and marketing division to provide an opportunity to plan future marketing strategy. The ability for Kudler Fine Food to expand its business is part of the successful implementation plan with the potential of adding software and hardware as the need arises.
Next the evaluation of current and future opportunities available to Kudler Fine Foods would want to be evaluated. These opportunities could include technology upgrades, market positioning, diversification, or any other related areas. During this evaluation it might be useful to gather information from industry experts or consultants (MacVicar, 1996).
Kudler plans to expand these areas in the future, providing a multitude of specialized classes to its loyal customers. Offering cooking classes in many areas of the store makes customers more interested in shopping the store and learning new techniques in cooking healthy fares for their families. In addition to offering these classes, the employees are to be cross trained in many areas to provide a pleasant shopping experience for Kulder 's customers. The customers will also be provided with brochures of the dishes they will learn in the store that will provide the recipe and food suggestions that will go with the main dishes taught in the class. This suggestive information has been proven effective in marketing strategies; therefore, Kudler will use this suggestive marketing technique to increase the buying desires of the customers.
Being the monopoly can have some advantages and some disadvantages. The advantage is being the only store in the San Diego area that sells imported items is a plus. This allows Kudler to profit and grow with being the only international grocery store. So many people enjoy the imported products when they visit other countries but are not able to get this product again. This allows the tourist to enjoy foods they are use to eating at home when they visit. The only disadvantage is people having to travel to the San Diego area to get what they need. Kudler Fine Foods can really miss out if they don't expand. Kudler could be in trouble if they
Kudler Fine Foods has several issues that can be analyzed and broken down regarding how the problem started. From finding the root of the problem, the gourmet market now has several issues to debate. The issues, with clearly stated situations above, can be directed into positive goals with a problem-solving approach for each. These goals are all attainable to move the company forward in a positive tier for financial success.
Internal aspects relate to strength and weakness. Because Kudler is small, it is more manageable. Growth can only be effective if additional facilities operate under the same level of quality as the three existing locations. Notably, Kudler Fine Foods is based on Kathy's personal vision, and therefore she personally staffs her locations for appropriate selection. By way of Kathy's methodical selection and training, her mission of delivering quality products by knowledgeable employees builds loyal
Kudler Fine Foods is the brain child of Kathy Kudler. She envisioned a one stop gourmet food store and has grown to three locations to date. She continues to maintain direct control over large bulk purchase order items, stringent customer service policies, and hiring. This paper discusses how the organization competes in the marketplace and the strengths and weaknesses of the company according to the marketing surveys their customers completed. The following also discusses which market structure best applies to the organization and how that structure positively and negatively affects the firm, how the effectiveness of the competitive strategies in the market structure affect the
Kudler Fine Foods is an upscale store in the food retail industry,that was founded in 1998 by Kathy Kudler. They have now established three stores in three major locations in the San Diego Metropolitan area those three locations are La, Jolla, Del Mar and Encinitas. ( Apollo Group, 2009)
Kudler Fine Foods is an up-scale gourmet food shop that was founded in 1998 by Kathy Kudler and currently offers gourmet foods, beverages and products designed for gourmet cooking at the three stores locations in La Jolla, Del Mar and Encinitas, CA (University of Phoenix, 2007). The company has experienced significant growth and is now focused on expanding the services, improving the efficiency of its operations and increasing the consumer purchase cycle as a means to increasing the loyalty and profitability of its consumers. Kudler is interested in adding catering to
Kudler Fine Foods and it creation employs the modern technology in its best form. Kudler Fine Food implement steps in its strategic management process and able to identify what makes the organization have a sustained superior performance. For every decision employed at Kudler Fine Food, the external and internal environment data are used to determine the organization 's strategic intent, mission and its core
Kathy Kudler discovered a way to cope with the stress in her life by preparing gourmet meals and shopping for gourmet items. With no upscale gourmet food stores in her area she decided to open her own. She left her very successful day job and started a chain of Kudler Fine Food Stores. Kudler Fine Foods is an upscale store with three locations in the San Diego area, each in high-end shopping centers. The stores offer a fine selection of baked goods, pastries, fresh produce, meats, seafood, packaged goods, cheeses, and other specialty items. All items are made to order and baked goods and pastries are prepared on site. They offer over a
Kudler Fine Foods is an epicurean grocery store for the connoisseur in which noteworthy growth with a focal point on increasing revenue, advancement concerning the effectiveness of operations, and shortening the consumer acquisition cycle is Kudler’s main objectives. Enclosed in this term paper is the significance of marketing research pertaining to the expansion of Kudler Fine Food's marketing line of attack and identification of the regions in which Kudler calls for additional market research is necessary. In addition, a comprehensive analysis concerning the value of competitive intelligence and breakdown with relation to the improvement of Kudler Fine Foods marketing strategy and tactics is scrutinized.
Using Internet tools, Kudler can implement specific search strategies to gather competitive intelligence easily, quickly, and relatively inexpensively. Reviewing their competitor’s web sites Kudler can discover information about new products, alliances, trends, and advertising strategies. Using Porter’s competitive forces model Kudler can analyze the competition. Ways Kudler could respond to the strategy of competition is to use the cost leadership strategy with low prices, differentiation strategy by being unique in the industry, and focus strategy by selecting a narrow-scope segment and using a cost leadership or differentiation strategy in their niche market (Turban, 2003). “Price is not the primary differentiating factor for Kudler consumers; these consumers are focused on quality and finding specialized items” (Kudler, 2007).
I believe that Kudler’s Fine Food has an excellent opportunity to expand its gourmet specialty food store by adding a delivery service. An upscale store should provide upscale service, which will expand Kudler’s Fine Food services enormously. Being that the number one strategic objective of Kudler’s Fine Food is to expanded its services, this will surely accomplish this objective.