CUTCO Corporation Case Study INSTRUCTIONS: Read the case study below and then answer the questions included in the Writing Prompt which follows. CUTCO Corporation, the largest manufacturer and marketer of high-quality kitchen cutlery and accessories in the United States and Canada, celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2009. Over 100 kitchen cutlery products are sold under the CUTCO name as well as a variety of kitchen gadgets, utensils, and flatware. The company also carries a line of cookware, sporting/pocket knives, and garden tools. Boasting over 15 million satisfied customers and annual sales of over $200 million, CUTCO's commitment to quality and innovation is evident throughout the manufacture and marketing of company products.
At any one time you have a team of 15 shop assistants with a need for 6 per day. Due to the nature of the work you have an average staff turnover of 1 staff position per month. At a recent senior management meeting the business strategic plan was developed from which you now to develop a performance plan for your sales team. You also need to remember the ongoing team requirements as well as those new requirements brought about the strategic plan. In essence, the strategic plan states that, over the next 12 months, ‘Yummy in your Tummy Lollies’ is aiming to: Increase turnover by 30% by: * Introducing 20 new products including a range of 6 ‘healthy lollies’ options Build market loyalty by specifically targeting ‘tweens’ as customers by: * Designing new packaging specifically designed to have greater marketing appeal to the 7-12 age demographic.
Their products consist of many types of grain products, pasta types, and canola oils. Since they formed in 2007, they have taken over the ag-trading sector, quoted by many as being “Canada’s biggest grain handler” (AlbertaFarmer, 2013). Thus, their mission is achieved every year as they aim to dominate the market in an eco-friendly matter, ultimately paying large dividends to stakeholders without damaging our environment along the
Cheddar’s had always been profitable through that it had ever closed a company-owned store and had shown steady increases in sales and customer counts over time. Also it has a source of income from its franchise stores which could grow at a faster rate. Cheddars’ estimated EBITDA was $12.0 million in 2003 and it had a projected EBITDA of $18.9 million in 2007. Cheddar’s also had an average EBITDAR of $1,027k which was much higher than its competitor Chili’s which was $723k. At the purchase price of $60.5 million, we can also confirm that the Market Value/EBITDA (5.4) of Cheddars’ is higher than its competitor’s (2.6) when we compare multiple ratios, which means Cheddar’s is overvalued.
MONFORTE DAIRY Critical Issues In order to reach $2 million in annual sales in fiscal 2010 and position Monforte Dairy (Monforte) to become a $10 million revenue company while staying true to its values, Ruth Klahsen must determine: * How to reduce the accumulated financial debt, so that Monforte can reduce its high leverage and position itself for future expansion. * How to efficiently utilize production capacity, so that Monforte can capitalize on the anticipated growth in the artisanal cheese industry by meeting consumer demand. * How to effectively balance work and personal life, so that the most feasible growth option for Monforte can be implemented. Situation Analysis Monforte’s debt to equity ratio of 11.49 signifies that its assets are mainly financed with debt (Exhibit 2). With cash mainly coming from external financing activities rather then internal operations (Exhibit 3), Monforte will be unable to obtain financing from a bank for possible expansion opportunities.
* About 81,000 permanent staff * 288 Waitrose branches * 39 john lewis branches * Annual gross sales of £8.7bn * John spedan lewis set up the partnership * His combination of commercial acumen and corporate conscience, enables the john lewis partnership to be as successful as it is today * Won retailer of the year in 2011 * Waitrose Has a market share of 4.2% * AN EXAMPLE OF EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE * My parents had bought a table from John Lewis * Unfortunately during transit it was damaged * The John lewis delivery team apologised and instantly called their manager to arrange a second delivery for the table. * We had a phone call about a day later from a John Lewis furniture manager apologising for the inconvenience and offered a discount off of the cost of the table. He also told us that he had arranged for the table to be delivered to the store first to be
UNIT 13- RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION TASK 1 (P1) RECRUITMENT PLANNING McDonalds The business began in 1940, with a restau rant opened by siblings Dick and Mac McDonald in San Bernardino, California. McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of fast-food restaurants, primarily selling fast food. More recently, it also offers salads with the successful expansion of McDonald's into many international markets; the company has become a symbol of globalization. In 1974, McDonalds opened its first restaurant in the Auk. Today more than 2.5 million people in this country place their trust in McDonalds everyday, trusting the company to provide them with food of a high standard, quick service and value for money.
• Full-line manufacturer of manual wheelchairs to all demand segments in the Canadian market. • Also recently got into part and assembly sales to other manufacturers • Recently hired two sales representatives to service Canadian dealers and to appeal to new clients/dealers. • Hands-on management strategy • Dealing with marketing channels was top priority – strategy was to improve product quality, retail prices and dealer margins – the strategy was successful Evaluate • Appears successful – pg 4 – the new management team *maintained* sales at $2.37 million, company was in 100 dealer outlets and profits were a “healthy” 6% of sales • Mgmt forecasts increase in sales to $3 million next year. Problems identified? • Management may be spread too thin – All managers were pressed by the requirements of everyday business.
ZESPRI: Current Marketing Strategy Presently Zespri International Limited is considered the world’s preponderant marketer of kiwifruit, while selling to more than 53 countries in addition to managing 30 percent of the global volume. Because Zespri dominates one-third of the volume of exported kiwifruit, they continue to build a resilient reputation in their areas of focus which includes health marketing targeting health-conscious consumers who typically repeat purchases based on the nutritious benefits of kiwi consumption. Zespri continues to focus on R&D innovation in developing and expanding their product line with new varieties in order to attract new and existing customers with the emphasis on increased sells. Although Zespri is eager to invest $20 million per year endorsing growers to cultivate a superior and sustainable product, they are also concentrating on brand awareness through in-market deliverance of better tasting fruit. Because Zespri’s is 100% grower-owned, its focus is on connecting the market with the growers ensuring the product is in the exact market at the exact time within each business exchange.
Teaching Case Note 08 - Panera Bread Company CASE TEACHING NOTE 8 Panera Bread Company OVERVIEW As Panera Bread Company headed into 2007, it was continuing to swiftly expand its market presence. The companys strategic intent was to make great bread broadly available to consumers across the United States. It had opened 155 new company-owned and franchised bakery-cafes in 2006, bringing its total to 1,027 units in 36 states. Plans were in place to open another 170 to180 caf locations in 2007 and to have nearly 2,000 Panera Bread bakery-cafs open by the end of 2010. Management was confident that Panera Breads attractive menu and the dining ambiance of its bakerycafs provided significant growth opportunity, despite the fiercely competitive nature of the restaurant industry.