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Kudler Fine Foods has become a leader in the gourmet food sales industry. Their mission to offer the best foodstuff, wines and cheeses from around the world has resulted in great success. Kudler is now focusing on expanding its services. They have now found an interest in catering. Catering will allow their customers to enjoy delicious, prepared gourmet meals for any occasion.
Management at Kudler has studied purchases and activities from their customers. Cooking parties are offered in the store for loyal customers and their friends. Frequent shoppers of Kudler are also provided with high end gifts items with their reward point system. These programs were designed to increase revenue, track purchase behavior and reward their loyal customers. This available information may become very valuable to Kudler marketing management. Activity from this information may be analyzed to successfully market these additional services for Kudler customers. These people have shown their desire and interest in the foods Kudler has to offer and therefore has become their target market (Kerin 1, 2006).
Kudler’s marketing department must develop a marketing program for their new service. This new catering service will include a price for complete meal preparation. This new service can also be promoted through their developed advertising routes. This advertising will allow for Kudler customers to be aware of their new catering services which will enable purchasers to enjoy fully prepared gourmet meals at home. This marketing mix includes all the controllable factors management will be able to adjust for promoting their new program (Kerin 1, 2006).
Through studies done on customer purchases, cooking classes offered and surveys performed, marketing management can study their market and decide which popular products are enjoyed and purchased often. This can be a method to determine which products to offer their customers. Entrees which have been prepared by well-known chefs or ideas expressed during class time can be offered. Time consuming meals or difficult dishes which may be difficult for inexperienced cooks to prepare, will also appeal to those interested in catering for large groups. In this manner, choices available will be of high interest, and the demand for contracting Kudler’s catering services will be high.
Kudler customer loyalty has been developed not by low prices, but by providing the best products in their market. Defining what their customer value should facilitate pricing for their proposed catering service. In researching the catering market, Kudler should take into account pricing on other catering services which offer the same high quality meals. This will provide a more competitive offer for customers seeking this type of service.
According to Kerins, Hartley, and Rudelius’, 2006, the term place in the marketing mix, is a means of getting the product into the consumer’s hands. Kudler’s new catering service can offer several means of delivering their service. Once their service has been contracted, customers can agree to either pick-up or have food delivered. Meals can be available at the store for customer pick-up at agreed time. To better service the customer, Kudler may also offer catering services which set up prepared food at their home for a price premium.
Communication today between Kudler Fine Foods and its customers is conducted by several means. Customers are aware of activities and products by advertisements mailed to their homes, cooking socials held at the store as well as advertising via radio, television and newspaper. Cooking classes offered at the store can let those attending know that those foods prepared can be available for catering. These forms of communicating with customers may be avenues available to promote their new catering services. Mail advertisements may mention their new services, cooking classes may mention to customers and their guests regarding available catering services. Kudlers new catering services may also be mentioned through advertisements on radio, television and newspaper. These established methods of spreading the word for Kudler’s customers will definitely let the public and its loyal customers become aware of their new catering service.
Kudler’s target market has been determined through the participation experienced with services offered to customers. These customers have shown an interest in the products available