Food Marketing Strategies for Weet-bix

The report develops a food marketing strategy for Weet-bix, an emerging company in the food sector by identifying the key market segments. The discussion applies knowledge of customer decision and develops a market strategy for the branded product. The report makes use of relevant marketing theories for analyzing and suggesting strategies for further growth of the company. Finally, the report concludes with suggestions that could help the company increase its sales.

Running Head: FOOD MARKETING STRATEGIES
Food Marketing Strategies
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1FOOD MARKETING STRATEGIES
Executive summary
The report develops a food marketing strategy for Weet-bix, an emerging company in the food
sector by identifying the key market segments. The discussion applies knowledge of customer
decision and develops a market strategy for the branded product. The report makes use of
relevant marketing theories for analyzing and suggesting strategies for further growth of the
company. Finally, the report concludes with suggestions that could help the company increase its
sales.

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Table of Contents
Executive summary.........................................................................................................................1
Introduction......................................................................................................................................4
Industry analysis and product description.......................................................................................4
Consumer behavior/ market.............................................................................................................5
Target segment.................................................................................................................................5
Consumer decision making process.................................................................................................6
Brand positioning.............................................................................................................................6
Marketing mix.................................................................................................................................6
Price.................................................................................................................................................7
Promotion........................................................................................................................................8
Packaging.......................................................................................................................................11
Celebrity endorsement...................................................................................................................11
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................11
References:....................................................................................................................................13

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Introduction
The report aims to develop a food marketing strategy for Weet-bix, which is an emerging
brand in the food sector with potential opportunities for growth. For obtaining a plan that is
effective, the paper will refer to determining factors of product sales like consumer decision,
branding, target segment, marketing mix and industry analysis.
Industry analysis and product description
Weet-bix has emerged as one of the most favorite breakfast meals of youths and aged
alike. This Australian-based company was taken over by Sanitarium, a famous company that can
be accredited for the global success of the product. Weet-bix is available in 8 different flavors
that also differ in ingredients. All these ingredients are natural, some of which are mutilgrain, oat
bran, apricot bites and berry bites. According to market researches, product marketing is crucial
to growth of the company and the strategies employed by Sanitarium have been effective in
making weet-bix one the most demanded meals in the market. Sanitarium is a non-profit health
and well-being company that is privately owned by Adventist Church and the profits earned by
the company are donated to the charitable activities of the Church. Weet-bix has several
nutritious benefits. It is high on carbohydrates and fibre, contains seven essential minerals and
vitamins including iron, zinc and magnesium, it has low fat compounds (Cashman 2014). The
product is suitable to be put under a sub-market for cereals that can be eaten readily, but will still
be a major component if the whole market of baking mixes and cereal food.

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Consumer behavior/ market
Weet-bix targets children aged between 4 to 8 years as potential customers and also
attempts to reach out to health conscious and physically active youths. People interested in sports
are attracted to cereal based fast diet like weet-bix and they make for about 60% of the total
sales. Young adolescents with the ability to process information are also potential targets for the
product. Young adults and university students who value a healthy and balanced lifestyle or
citizen who are healthy food enthusiasts opt for products like Weet-bix. The current target
market of Weet-bix is the younger generation, athletic girls and boys more specifically who
require regular sustainable breakfasts to be able to perform the sporting activities all throughout
the day and remain healthy at the same time. The market segment of the mature healthies are
equally strategic with the target base consisting of individuals aged between 30 to 40.
Target segment
The Sanitarium market targets mainly European countries since the population prefer
cereal-based diet unlike the Asians who survive on rice-based meals. Consumer with a minimal
purchasing power can avail weet-bix since the cost is moderate and the product type is not
luxury, hence the target segment consist of consumers belonging from all sections of the society.
Although the primary target is aimed at teenagers and young-adults, athletic individuals and
health-conscious people.

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Consumer decision making process
In the opinion of H. Mitchell, the buying behavior of the consumers is highly affected by
opinion, interests and attitudes which are subjected to constant change (2017). Some buying
tendencies are rooted in the lack of proper food at school or home or the inability to influence or
change the food habits at home. Privately conducted surveys suggest that consumer decision-
making process is highly affected by eating habits and life-style preferences. A section of the
target might shift their preference to having porridge for breakfast for a palette change.
Consumer decision is also affected by price sensitivity; since weet-bix is priced a little higher
than other cereal products, some cost conscious customers might be discouraged from buying the
product. The knowledge of consumers is another determinant in the decision making process. A
consumer who knows how to evaluate the alternatives will arrive at a logical conclusion based
on the knowledge they acquired through marketing campaigns and advertisements of different
companies. The emotional experiences of the buyers is also a driving factor in their process of
decision-making.
Brand positioning
Weet-bix demonstrates a high benefit in terms of health and nutrition if compared to
competitive brands, and health experts, pediatricians are in agreement with that. The product
brands itself as the Aussie icon and through effective promoting has attained a long standing the
marketplace. Weet-bix has tactfully associated itself with the sporting clubs of Australia and also
sponsored the Australian rugby and cricket teams. In terms of tasting Weet-bix faces
competitions from rival companies despite introducing the new flavors but when it comes to
nutritional benefits, Weet-bix is one of the top leading brands in the food industry of cereals.

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Marketing mix
Currently, Weet-bix aims to emerge as the top nutritionally balanced breakfast cereal
available in the market. The company is working towards widespread distribution and the
product is readily available in different chains of supermarkets, service stations, corner stores
and convenience stores. However, it is difficult to position a product as premium in the cereal
market, worthy of charging higher prices that the alternative products. It must be kept in mind
that the main motive of consumers is looking for cereals that meet both their health and taste
preferences and simultaneously providing with the greatest value (Broom 2013). The promotion
strategy employed recently by the marketers of the product is aimed at mother and young
children. The company further retain the nutritional values, features and existing attributes of the
product with the new introduction of Omega 3 into the ingredients by microencapsulation. This
refers to the addition of particles to the already existing ingredients for increasing the product
benefits for the consumer and camouflaging the taste of the new added ingredients with the
earlier ones. The company is recently strategizing policies for interrupting routine behavior.
Some of them include more deals and exclusive offers on new products, promotional coupons
and lucky winners on purchase.
Price
Since the product aims to attract new and a larger number of buyers in the market, the
strategy of pricing is based on Market-penetration. The new, original bites of Weet-bix and the
earlier flavored and traditionally sized products is tagged with lower prices. They will be sold at
20% discount prices, different from the traditional sizes of Weet-bix which will appeal to more
potential customers. This is designed to gain the largest market share in the first six months,
while in the next 18 months the original price of the Weet-bix bites and the flavored products

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will be sold at the same prices as the traditional products. For increasing market share, the
supermarkets will be the main channel of distribution as the largest amount of sales is recorded
there. The product distribution is decided as 65% in supermarkets, 20% in retail convenience
stores, 10% in independent food stores and 5% for discounters. The products of Weet-bix are
comparatively more expensive than the substitutes, since shoppers today are extremely price
sensitive, they need to be explained about the greater value and differentiations of the product.
Promotion
Parents of children who are career oriented are aimed as specific targets for promotional
strategies. These targets, in a majority have busy lives and need continuous exposure in different
ways. Firstly, these highly potential customers need to grow awareness of new products,
secondly they need to be convinced about trying out the new product. Thirdly and most
importantly the must be instilled with the desire to purchase the product on a regular basis
(Martin et al 2014), all with good reasons. Promotional prizes, giveaways and constant
advertising increases the possibility of turning this target market into regular consumer of Weet-
bix. Featuring celebrities in the advertisement of the product to convey a specific message is also
a strategic promotional tool. Considering the classical conditional and the vicarious learning of
the consumers, this will be highly favorable for the sales of the product. This would also build up
the esteem of the product in the market and meet the need for product modelling. The slogan
used for the promotion of the product have become iconic over the course of time. It just needs
more consistency for thriving in the target market. Weet-bix have also been associated with
internationally famous event sponsorships like kids triathlon, Australian cricket, AFL. This are

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notable aspects of classical conditioning and increases the brand value of the product
(Rosenbaum et al 2015). It is also interesting to note that Weet-bix was initially introduced in the
market as a health biscuit that is budget-friendly back in the 1920s. The promotional strategy that
the company has resorted to is a marketing blend of product placement, advertising, exclusive
sales promotion and advertising, all of which is targeted at attaining loyal customers. Further, the
promotional mix includes personal selling, radio slots and television. The retailers and Australian
public are made aware of new products and nutritional values though personal selling. Ads run
from 7 in the morning to 9 at night in radio slots. The televisions will run commercials during the
cricket seasons and summer. The A league system will promote products as Weet-bix will
remain sponsers for them. The new commercials will be aired during the opportunistic times so
the target market can see them (Sidalli 2015). For targeting mature men and women, the
company will print advertisements on newspapers and magazines along with offering an
Australian chef journal free with purchase of at least three Weet-bix products. The
advertisements will have to be focused on the weekend editions for appealing to a larger crowd.
Sample distribution is also crucial to promotion strategy (Nhundhu 2017) . A buy-one get one
free offer for the first one of consumption will be well-received by the customers. For increasing
the amount of sales, the company will even offer a buy 2 get 1 free deal.
Marketing activities
The Weet-bix tryathlons will be hosted all over the different parts of the country for both
kids and parents. It will initiate participation and increase awareness of the product among the
target audience. The company will further arrange for monthly competitions where competitors
can win fitness gear prizes and cash. It will be conducted on the official website of Weet-bix.

9FOOD MARKETING STRATEGIES
Coupons and codes included within the packaging of the product would also propel the
purchasing tendency since the purchaser will now be keen on winning prizes. Apart from
monthly prizes, the company will be running competitions over Twitter, Facebook and Instagram
where any consumer can post a picture of himself/herself with a Weet-Bix product and win a trip
around the country. Rubio notes that bill boards and posters are another set of effective
marketing activities that help grow awareness and boost sales (2014). Around the country, the
capital cities will have larger bill boards and the shopping complexes will have posters. A unique
action program will be implemented for attaining the sales objectives. Introducing Omega 3
through the process of microencapsulation and adding more nutritional value to the products of
Weet-bix is a fruitful action, both for sales and the brand evaluation of the product (Stevenson et
al 2016). The new luxury packaging will be aimed at children and consumers who tend to judge
products at face value. The introduction of new flavors is another strategy to attract younger
audience whose purchases are driven by palatial preferences (Solomon et al 2014). The
promotions on social media is effective in combatting competitors and securing a wider
consumer base since individual in today’s society spend the majority of their time online. The
televisions, magazines and radios, says Baker will air new bill boards and advertisements (2014).

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Packaging
Consumers of the 21st century are well aware of the environmental impacts of improper
packaging. Eco-friendly packaging is essential for both for health of the consumer and
preservation of the environment (Ottman 2017). The food policy of Sanitarium is designed to
exercise recycling of the packages used for selling products. The company will implement,
develop and review the ecological standards that apply to the design of product packaging. A
whole-of-chain approach has been initiated for ensuring that the employees of the company are
aware of and also take necessary accountability for reducing the environmental impact of
packaging products. Via thorough packaging reviews, the company engages with consumers and
major supplier for product labelling. All packaging is revised against the guidelines of
sustainable packaging. Additionally, the company also ensures that the disposal of wastes is
handled properly. The wastes are segregated and the recycled materials is collected at the
facilities. The products developers have recently introduced a new luxury touch to the packaging,
which has been attracting a new category of consumers. The coupons and prizes included in the
packaging is another benefit that extends the consumer base.
Celebrity endorsement
The A league system will promote products as Weet-bix will remain sponsers for them. The
advertising team has approached eminent sportsmen for shooting commercials that will be aired
worldwide. Fitness conscious celebrities who promote health and well-being will be requested to
use and promote the product.
Conclusion
The discussion traces the gradual evolution of Weet-bix through strategic management
and effective marketing techniques. The brand positioning of the product is highly favorable as it

11FOOD MARKETING STRATEGIES
uses strategic promotional tools for securing a valuable position in the market. however, the
company is required to extend and advance the methods of marketing mix for emerging as the
leading brand in food industry. Another suggestion would to reduce the prices of the products
wherever possible since Weet-bix is under constant threat of substitution as the alternatives are
available at lower prices. The advertising schemes of the company is quite on point and the
primary reason for attracting more customers that are loyal. The packaging of the product will
attract environmentally conscious consumers, although the designers could work a little more in
making the packets more visually attractive. Additionally, Weet-bix should also consider a
variety in the offered product range. Although the new flavors are quite appealing to the
consumers, a lack of variety might compel them to opt for alternatives which are available at
cheaper prices. Moreover, with the brand value of the product, Weet-bix will reach even higher
heights by implementing the suggested strategies.

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