Strengthening the Competitive Position of Commodity Marketers Two Case Study Approaches

Producers and marketers of agricultural commodities are often beset with a similar set of problems that generally may be reduced to the following question: "how can we modify our product or program in such a way as to gain a competitive edge on our competition?" As every commodity marketer knows, there is, unfortunately, no easy answer to this question. Obtaining higher prices and returns for agricultural products is possible, but requires commitment, vision and attention to the ever-changing marketplace. The current monograph contains two case studies that approach this perennial question from different agricultural commodity industries--fresh produce and turkeys--that are surrounded by different sets of basic supply and demand conditions. Yet, in each case, the companies depicted have been particularly aggressive in their approach to marketing and at least moderately successful in their quest for higher producer returns. Both of these cases are based on real companies and current data. In the first instance, TruFresh International (TFI) has been substituted for the company's actual name but the circumstances documented in the case have not been altered, and in the second example, Plainville Turkey Farm (PTF) is indeed the name of the firm. The story of each is instructive in a different way. Simply put, TFI, long an innovator in fresh produce marketing, is confronted with the challenge that several of its competitors are beginning to duplicate certain of its most successful product and market innovations. The case focuses on the strategic alternatives that TFI may have at its disposal to address this problem, typical to so many commodity industries. In the second instance, PTF is faced with a related but narrower issue: the PTF brand of fresh turkey products has been received enthusiastically in Central New York State as a high quality brand and one for which consumers have demonstrated a willingness to pay a premium. The dilemma for PTF is whether, and with what strategy, should it attempt to expand its well established branded line of turkey products to new regions and new markets? Both of these firms are confronted with a set of marketing challenges that will sound familiar to nearly all commodity-based companies. In discussing the events that led to the situations faced by these two companies and the strategic options available to address them, students, executives and industry practitioners will gain an improved understanding of the process involved in adding value to differentiate agricultural commodities.Marketing,

ITEM PRICING IN NEW YORK STATE

New York State is one of only seven states that has an item pricing law. In anticipation of the law expiring on June 30, 1991, a study was undertaken to determine the impact the law has had on the food industry and consumers alike. The study focused on: 1) the accuracy of supermarket pricing systems, 2) the public's perception of the importance of item pricing and, 3) the cost of item pricing to supermarkets.Agribusiness,

What's In Store for Home Shopping?

E.B. 96-05Home shopping is currently being tested and tried by many supermarket companies. For many, home shopping could well be one method of gaining incremental customers and sales. The major purpose of this study was to determine the current status of home shopping services in the U.S. supermarket industry and to document consumers' reactions to the home shopping services provided. In order to achieve these objectives, an integrated approach was employed consisting of a four part methodology: 1) a comprehensive review of research, trade literature, and other secondary information, 2) a mail survey to selected supermarket companies, 3) field visits and interviews with supermarket companies, and 4) consumer focus groups comprised of past, current and potential home shoppers

Supermarket Bakery Consumers: Attitudes, Preferences, Behaviors

R.B. 95-01For at least a decade, supermarket operators have turned increasingly to fresh foods for the strategic direction of their business by remodeling existing stores and building new stores to feature and emphasize produce, the delicatessen, the bakery, and other perishable departments. These departments have been the fastest growing and offer the greatest future sales potential as consumer demand for fresh and ready to eat prepared foods continues to grow. Despite these prospects, little is actually known about how consumers perceive and respond to product offerings and retailer initiatives in perishable departments. The objective ofthis report is to shed light on consumer attitudes and behavior with respect to one of the major supermarket perishable departments: the bakery. This report is based on a study which incorporated both primary and secondary sources of data (details in Section II). The primary data were collected through consumer surveys conducted nationwide by telephone and in-person at supermarkets in several regional market areas. A total of 700 consumers were surveyed. Additional primary data and insights were gathered through personal interviews with key supermarket bakery executives. Secondary data were gathered from trade reports, academic journals, and previously published research. The empirical results and analyses presented in Section III include such key findings as: • consumers consider convenience the most important reason for shopping supermarket bakeries, • the main reason some consumers do not buy baked goods in supermarkets is freshness, which is perceived to be better at local bakeries, • consumer awareness of health and nutrition concerns is greater than consumer knowledge about these issues, • about half of consumers are familiar with the United States Department of Agriculture's Food Guide Pyramid, but the percentage varies greatly by age with the youngest shoppers being most familiar, • consumers rate many of the most popular retailer promotional efforts as uninfluential factors in their purchase decisions, and • price plays only a minor role in bakery purchase decisions for most consumers. The implications of these findings and others are discussed in Section IV which also discusses opportunities for the supermarket bakery industry to respond to the consumer characteristics and issues identified in this study. The results present many marketing challenges for supermarket bakery managers as consumers increasingly make bakery decisions based on knowledge of health, nutrition, and other issues

Primary Intestinal Lymphoma in Crohn's Disease: Minute Tumor with a Fatal Outcome

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/75263/1/j.1572-0241.1992.tb02897.x.pd

An Unusual Case of Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis Associated with Mycobacterium Chimaera or Large-Cell Neuroendocrine Carcinoma

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a rare and very dangerous condition characterized by abnormal activation of the immune system, causing hemophagocytosis, inflammation, and potentially widespread organ damage. The primary (genetic) form, caused by mutations affecting lymphocyte cytotoxicity, is most commonly seen in children. Secondary HLH is commonly associated with infections, malignancies, and rheumatologic disorders. Most current information on diagnosis and treatment is based on pediatric populations. HLH is a disease that should be diagnosed and treated promptly, otherwise it is fatal. Treatment is directed at treating the triggering disorder, along with symptomatic treatment with dexamethasone and etoposide. We present a 56-year-old patient who was admitted with worsening weakness, exertional dyspnea, dry and nonproductive cough, and a 5-pound weight loss associated with loss of appetite. This is among the rare disorders that are not commonly encountered in day-to-day practice. Our differential diagnoses were broad, including infection, such as visceral leishmaniasis, atypical/tuberculous mycobacteria, histoplasmosis, Ehrlichia, Bartonella, Brucella, Adenovirus, disseminated herpes simplex virus (HSV), hematological-like Langerhans cell histiocytosis, or multicentric Castleman disease; drug reaction, such as drug rash with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS); and metabolic disorder, including Wolman\u27s disease (infantile lysosomal acid lipase deficiency) or Gaucher\u27s disease. Based on our investigations as described in our case report, it was narrowed down to hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis and COVID-19. Two COVID-19 tests were negative. His lab abnormalities and diagnostic testing revealed hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis. He was empirically started on antibiotics and dexamethasone, to be continued for 2 weeks then tapered if the patient showed continued improvement. Dexamethasone was tapered over 8 weeks. He improved on just one of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved medications, proving that treatment should be tailored to the patient. In addition, in this case study, we included the background, etiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis, management, and prognosis of HLH

The Role of the Supermarket Buyer

R.B. 96-06This study investigates the standard procurement and merchandising practices of wholesale and retail supermarket dairy buyers in New York State. Although much anecdotal and trade information exists regarding how wholesale/retail buyers make decisions, their standard operating practices have not previously been well documented. Yet these decisions and resulting strategies at wholesale/ retail levels can significantly enhance or diminish marketing initiatives and, in particular, the impact of advertising and promotion programs of the dairy industry. The primary data for this study were gathered from dairy directors and buyers from 17 wholesale and retail supermarket companies serving New York State. Mail surveys were employed to determine the factors that influence dairy buyers in their decision making. Additionally, a number of dairy industry leaders were interviewed to assist with interpretation of the survey data. The empirical results and analysis of the study are presented in Section 3. They are categorized into seven principal themes: • Dairy buyer profile • Dairy department structure and operations • Dairy department performance and pricing • New product status in the dairy department • Promotional activities in the dairy department • Buyers' perceptions of dairy suppliers • Impact of legislation on dairy department operations Strategic implications of the study results are elaborated in Section 3 and summarized in Section 4. These perspectives are intended to assist dairy suppliers in their quest to improve industry understanding of their wholesale/ retail customers. Among the key findings: • a shift in emphasis is occurring-away from the buying function alone to bottom line category profitability through the implementation of category management in the dairy department • despite flat sales in the dairy department, as new stores are built and older stores remodeled, buyers expect the dairy department to expand by over 14 percent • labor productivity in the dairy department appears to be the highest of any major department in the supermarket • despite industry urging, direct product profit analysis has not been widely adopted as a dairy department evaluation tool • over one-third of supermarket dairy department sales are from non milk-based products 0, • price alone is not an important factor when considering new products or potential suppliers • relatively large volume increases can be motivated in the dairy department by various non-price merchandising approaches Dairy Department Procurement Dynamics • supplier willingness to tailor promotional programs to retailer needs is viewed as critically important by dairy buyers • the dairy category lags behind most other categories in the supermarket in new product introductions • there are striking and significant differences in how large supermarket firm (annual sales over $1 billion) and small supermarket firm (annual sales less than$1 billion) dairy buyers view and manage the dairy department These and other findings present numerous opportunities for positive responses from dairy suppliers/processors. This type of in-depth knowledge of customer behavior and decision-making criteria allows forward thinking companies to develop successful sales and marketing strategies. This research suggests that closer supplier-buyer relationships and alliances are not simply needed to prosper, but necessary to survive

Wholesale Club Stores: The Emerging Challenge

A.E. Ext. 92-18The impact of wholesale club stores on food distribution varies greatly by region and market within the U.S. Until recently, the New York!New Jersey region has experienced limited penetration by alternative food retailing store formats. With the entry of Sam's Wholesale Club into the states of New Jersey and New York during the past 18 months the pace of expansion of wholesale club stores into the northeast has accelerated dramatically. Other recent entrants into the two state area include Pace Membership Club (a division of KMart), Price Club, and Costco Membership Club. The rapid expansion plans and long-term investments being made by these firms require strategic responses from traditional food wholesalers and retailers. Although there have been a wide variety of examples of strategic responses throughout the country, the uniqueness of individual firms and markets may prevent a successful strategy in one market from being transferred to other firms or markets. A mail survey of food wholesaler and retailer executives in New York and New Jersey, augmented by personal interviews with key executives of chain and independent retailers and wholesalers, was conducted to determine the variety and relative success of strategic responses to wholesale membership clubs. Consumer interviews were conducted in supermarkets to attempt to capture the degree to which supermarket shoppers also purchase food at wholesale membership clubs and perceive club stores as alternatives to supermarkets. Clear distinctions in demographic profiles were found between supermarket shoppers who are also wholesale club members and those who are not. Nearly two thirds of wholesale club members surveyed had been members for less than three years. Wholesale club members rated supermarkets a better value for perishable foods but preferred the wholesale club for dry grocery products, general merchandise and health and beauty care products. New York and New Jersey supermarket operators' ratings of supermarket value compared with wholesale club value agreed with those of wholesale club members. Supermarket executives also rated most effective those marketing strategies which emphasize supermarkets' strengths relative to club stores --service, selection, location, etc. A variety of strategic responses concerning pricing although considered not very effective, were considered necessary competitive responses

Supply Chain Management in the Produce industry

R.B 2001-05Much of the success of the produce industry relies on a carefully choreographed supply chain. Planting the perfect varieties, harvesting at the peak of ripeness, packing in customized cartons, transporting fresh produce thousands of miles, and merchandising, marketing and promoting it at just the right moment, is a feat that relies on careful and detailed communication and coordination between grower/shippers and produce retailers. The objective of this study is to document the status, challenges and changes within the fresh produce distribution system. The method guiding this study has three major components: (1) a review of the relevant trade and academic literature on the fresh produce industry, (2) an extensive mail questionnaire directed at produce retailers, and (3) focus groups with grower/shippers. The retail questionnaire was sent to 270 produce retail executives in April 2001. At each retail firm, senior-level produce executives were asked to complete a questionnaire by describing supply chain management practices within their organizations for 1996 and today, 2001. Furthermore, they were asked to projectwhat the practices will be 5 years into the future, in 2006. The survey generated 44 useable questionnaire responses, from a representative sample of supermarkets in terms both of geographical and size distribution. Respondents ranged from a number of singlestore operators to the very largest of multi-billiondollar retail operators. Such representativeness allows for a cautious generalization from the survey results to the produce industry as a whole