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Differentiated Products. AG BM 102. Commodity Products. Consumer (or buyer) doesn’t care who made commodity products Commodity products are sold on price Quality matters but many sellers can provide a given quality Producers have very little customer loyalty
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Differentiated Products AG BM 102
Commodity Products • Consumer (or buyer) doesn’t care who made commodity products • Commodity products are sold on price • Quality matters but many sellers can provide a given quality • Producers have very little customer loyalty • Barriers to entry low – at least in comparison
Differentiated Products • These products have a distinct identity • The manufacturer has some control over the price • It need not sell for the same price as the competitor’s price • Keys to success are product characteristics • Entry very difficult
Advertising • Backbone of differentiated products – remind consumer of the differences • Costs a lot of money • Lots of effort spent
Growth • Hard to win customers from competitor • May raise prices for a while • Entering new markets can be difficult • New product strategy common
Rationale for New Product Development • emerging demands • counter competitors • broaden product line • product life cycle
Types of New Products • Innovative – Lite Beer • New to firm – Sprite for Coke copied 7Up • Product line extension – Vanilla Coke • Product improvements – new Cheer
Leading Brands 2008 GM Cheerios 12.6% K Special K 5.4% P Honey Bunches of Oats 4.9% K Frosted Flakes 3.8% K Frosted Mini Wheats 3.5% K Kellogg Raisin Bran 3.0% K Froot Loops 2.6% GM Cinnamon Toast Crunch 2.4% GM Lucky Charms 2.4% Q Cap’n Crunch 2.4% • Source: Topher's Breakfast Cereal Character Guide
Inputs • Inputs are commodity products • Input supplier power is very low
Cereal Company Power • Moderate • Sole source of branded products • Some essential to store • Yet Kellogg needs store just like store needs Kellogg • Store has more power for new products
Supermarket’s Power • Supermarket’s power is medium • Is increased by supplier dependence on • Distribution channels • Shelf space • Consumers • Advertisements • Is decreased by buyer’s need for • Cereal products • Other food items produced by the companies
Threat of Substitutes • Threat of substitutes is medium • The threat is increased by • Increased pace of life • Fast food alternatives • Fewer people eating breakfast • Fewer manual jobs • The threat is decreased by • Health Awareness • Company Diversification
Threat of New Entrants • The threat of new entrants is very low • Barriers to entry include • Economies of scale • Product differentiation • Capital requirements • Buyer switching costs • Access to distribution channels • Brand proliferation
Intensity of Rivalry • Rivalry is very intense • Rivalry is increased by • A few similar sized competitors • Slow industry growth • High fixed costs • High degree of differentiation • Low consumer switching costs
General Mills • Largest market share in ready to eat cereal industry. • #1 in all but one out of the major product categories it has products • 1 out of every 11 boxes of cereal sold is Cheerios.
Strengths • Brand Names • Cheerios, Trix, Total, Lucky Charms, Wheaties, Golden Grahams, Cocoa Puffs • Innovation • Hamburger Helper, Fruit Rollups • Industry Focused • Divested all non-food products • Acquired Pillsbury
The Kellogg Company W.K. Kellogg ran a health resort where (Kellogg’s claims) cereal was invented Today, they are the world’s second largest producer of cereal
Strengths • Knowledge • In 95th year of producing cereal commercially • Founded by the (claimed) creator of cereal • Invested a lot of resources in R&D • Brand Name • Great reputation • Tony the Tiger, Snap, Crackle, and Pop
Post Cereal Company • Postum Cereal company started in 1895 by C.W. Post. • Grape-Nuts introduced in 1897 • Post now ranks 3rd in industry in market share. • Post took initiative in 1996 by lowering prices an average of 20 percent
Strengths • Established Since 1901 • Diversified • Gatorade, Rice A Roni, Aunt Jemima • Nutrition • Late entrant to cold cereals • Part of PepsiCo since 2001
Concluding Comments • Branded foods have special role in marketplace • Consumer loyalty • Grocer must carry strong brands • Gives manufacturer leverage • Requires investment in brand • Price competition rare