Business Report: An In-Depth Analysis of Marshfield Bakery (MN3042QA)

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of Marshfield Bakery, a UK-based wholesale food company. It begins with an introduction outlining the company's structure, location, profit, and key competitors. The main body of the report delves into a detailed SWOT analysis, evaluating the company's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. It then explores Marshfield Bakery's approach to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), examining its initiatives and impact. Furthermore, the report investigates the company's innovation and creativity strategies within the competitive food industry. The report concludes with recommendations for Marshfield Bakery to improve and expand its business operations, drawing upon the preceding analysis and providing actionable insights for future growth and development. The analysis is based on the student's MN3042QA assignment brief.

The context of business

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
SWOT Analysis of business...................................................................................................1
Use of Corporate social responsibility by the business..........................................................2
Innovation and creativity in business ....................................................................................3
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................4
References:.......................................................................................................................................5

INTRODUCTION
Business is a economic or commercial activity as it is a process of buying and selling of
goods or services with the purpose of gaining profit. Before commencing any business, it is
necessary to make business model, plan, vision and mission for the success of business.
Marshfield Bakery Limited is a private limited company of wholesale industry of food which
was started in 1985 but incorporated in 2005. This company is located in Tolldown Barn,
Dyrham, Wiltshire Dyrham, United Kingdom. They are working as wholesaler of groceries &
related products and manufacturer of rusks, biscuits, pastry and cakes. Almost 887 companies are
working in the corporate family of Marshfield Bakery. As per 2019, annual revenue generated by
them was $6.59 million USD with the help of only 82 employees. Small food bakery, hetty's
bakery, Nelson Bakery, Simon's Bakery, Companio Bakery, Sky Bakery Ltd., Queens Bakeries,
The Royal Bake House, Macarons & More, Chinatown etc. are various competitors of
Marshfield bakery. It states that, there is a huge competition in the market in the same industry.
This report include the SWOT analysis of Marshfield Bakery to analyse the strength, weakness,
opportunities and treats of business. In addition to this, it also include the Corporate Social
Responsibility and innovation & creativity of Marshfield Bakery.
MAIN BODY
SWOT Analysis of business
SWOT analysis work as a tool or technique by which a company identify its own
strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. It helps an organisation to take decisions which
would help it to grow (Glăveanu 2017). While doing something innovative in any organisation, it
is necessary for them to do SWOT analysis so that they can gain opportunities, remove
weakness, maintain their strength etc. SWOT analysis of Marshfield Bakery helps the
organisation in making decisions regarding innovation or something else, which is given below:
Strength Weakness
 Marshfield is providing consistent and
quality product such as cakes, rolls,
breads etc.
 They are using various sources of
 There prices are too high as compared
to others, it works as a huge weakness
for them.
 Many products don't stay fresh for
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social media marketing.
 Facility of gift cards help the company
to attract the customers towards them.
 They are doing a number of art with
various products, which cause work of
attracting people.
some days like bread, pastries.
 Marshfield is doing business in a
limited area.
 Products which are manufactured by
Marshfield are not so different from
other bakeries.
Opportunities Threats
 They can expand their business by
adding more products in their menu,
specially for kids.
 Making contract with different hotels
and restaurant will increase their sells.
 If they focus on their online presence, it
will work as a boosting revenue and
profit.
 Marshfield also have opportunity for
doing work in various countries, they
can grow their business in various
markets as well.
 Chains of international bakeries will
increase the competition among them.
 Taste of consumers are dynamic, it is a
huge threat in front of Marshfield
bakery (Malecki 2018).
 Now a days, people are shifting to the
healthy food available in market.
 Market conditions are not remain same
ever and this change effect the whole
business.
Use of Corporate social responsibility by the business
Marshfield Bakery is doing business in various food items include breads, rusks, wedding
cakes, cupcakes etc. in United Kingdom. While doing business, it is necessary for all
organisations to complete their corporate social responsibilities which include various benefits
for employees and society (Andrews and et. al., 2019). CSR can be defined as a concept of
management under which business firms combine social and environmental factors in their
business and interconnect with shareholders. In simple words, it can be explained as action
towards the society while doing business. It helps the organisation in increasing sales and
generating revenue, It also help the organisation to be a huge brand by creating positive
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reputation in the market. Along with this, Corporate Social Responsibility also attract talented
and skilled staff for their organisation.
Marshfield Bakery always put integrity and ethics in their mind and they respect the UN
declarations of human rights. Employees working in the bakery have freedom to act and they
don't make force on them regarding the work done. Along with this, they have decorated a
number of cakes, similar to the colours of logo of charity and they receive a high revenue on
them (Eichar 2017). Again they donate 50% of revenue which they generate from the sale of
these products as a charity.
Marshfield Bakery also work as a supplier for school canteens as they provide products to
them, they try their best to support schools. Along with this, they already made commitment with
local schools for arranging various sponsor awards and events on regular basis. It helps the
organisation in establishing positive reputation in the society.
It is also found that, they give their excess product to poor people or Not for profit
organisations, so that they can remove the huger of some people and gain some attraction from
society.
Above mentioned are the act, which are performed by the Marshfield Bakers for the
welfare of society which help them in increasing revenue as well as generating goodwill in the
market.
Innovation and creativity in business
Doing something new in any business is known as innovation and making some creative
products is known as creativity. It is necessary for all businesses to do something innovative in
business on time, this will help the business in attracting customers (ALI and et. al., 2018). In
food industry, there is a huge competition in the market, so for surviving in the market of
competition, it is become mandatory for them to do innovation as people are usually want to buy
some new products.
Marshfield Bakery have done many innovation and creativity in their business to grow
their business according to time. After developing some innovative strategies in organisation by
entering in a new market, they increased their turnover by 155 percent also they launched 13 new
products. For meeting the future demand, they worked close with Manufacturing Advisory
Service (MAS) with the purpose of developing a long term plan for project.
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Manufacturing Advisory Service helps the organisation in making a focus on addressing
capacity and process planning which states the better use of space of floor and also help in the
identification of key processes. Within the time period of only 3 years, MAS has turned the
business of $700k into $2m. In addition to this, they launched almost 13 new products and 22
new full time posts through which they provide they provide various jobs opportunity in the
community of society.
Along with this, they had created various innovations like they are providing posh picnic
which provide corporate dinners with the informal classification of tables, chairs nearby the
gardens, terraces and gardens (Karimian 2018).
They also tried various unusual creams for their cakes to make them special and beating
the competition. They also do creativity with their various products by giving them special food
colour, taste and design which attracted the customers.
They had improved their food quality as well with a lots of new design products and
taste, also they provided dine in and drive thru facility for customers, these type of acts help the
organisation in improving their revenue again and again.
CONCLUSION
From the above report it is analysed that business is an economic activity which is done
only with the motive of earning profit and while doing business, it is necessary for owner to take
care about the opportunities and challenges in the market which can be analysed by doing SWOT
analysis of business, so that they can gain them which will result in the growth and development
of business. Along with this Corporate Social Responsibility plays an important role in the
growth of organisation as it create good and bad effect on employees, customers, suppliers and
society. Furthermore, it is analysed that Marshfield Bakery is working in UK and Europe on a
small level. They have many opportunities for expanding their business. It is recommanded to
Marshfield Bakers to make availability of their products online, which will result in the
acceptance of large number of orders. Also they should start their business in other countries
where they are not working yet. Also by giving a good working environment to employees, they
can create interest in the mind of people to do work in the organisation. While doing business in
any country, it is suggested to them to fulfil corporate Social Responsibilities of their
organisation. It implies a positive effect in society because development of society is indirectly
related to the development of business.
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References:
Books and Journals
ALI and et. al., 2018. AN APPROACH TO CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT OF
FARASAN ISLANDS'HERITAGE SITES, SAUDI ARABIA. International Journal of
Conservation Science, 9(2).
Andrews and et. al., 2019. Gold mining and the discourses of corporate social responsibility in
Ghana. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
Eichar, D.M., 2017. The rise and fall of corporate social responsibility. Taylor & Francis.
Glăveanu, V.P. ed., 2017. The Palgrave handbook of creativity and culture research. Springer.
Karimian, Z. and Farokhi, M.R., 2018. Eight Steps in the Development of Virtual Education in
Educational Innovation Plan in Medical Sciences Universities, A review of an
experience. Journal of Medicine and Cultivation, 27(2), pp.101-112.
Malecki, C., 2018. Corporate social responsibility: perspectives for sustainable corporate
governance. Edward Elgar Publishing.
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