Kudler Fine Foods Marketing

Kudler Fine Foods: Marketing

Jennifer Weaver

University of Phoenix

Dr. Joseph Bucci

Week 4

MMPBL/502 Managing the Business Enterprise

Introduction

Kudler Fine Foods, a three-store epicurean chain in the metropolitan area of California, is exploring expanding its catering service. A dynamic and cost-effective marketing strategy will be essential for the gourmet specialty store to offer the service and turn profits. One important characteristic of marketing as a business function is its focus on customers and their needs. (Boyd and Walker, 1990.) Kudler is deciding what marketing tools to use as a key role in its development of operations planning to fulfill the objective of delivering value to customers with expanded catering services and for managing customer relationships in ways that benefit the company. (Kerin, Hartley and Berkowitz, 2006.)

This paper will identify the marketing tools Kudler should assess as its best practices for product, price, place and promotion using various print, broadcast and information technology mediums. Another decision to contract with local growers of organic produce will additionally be evaluated and any potential benefits or hindrances that choice may have in conjunction with the expansion of catering services.

Marketing Research

The marketing research plan supplied in the Kudler’s Intranet site was vague and gave limited resource value for developing a plan of action to successfully expand catering services. To fully understand what Kudler must do to create a decisive course of action, the definition of marketing research must be understood.

Marketing research is the process of defining a marketing problem and opportunity, systematically collecting and analyzing information, and recommending actions. (Kerin, Hartley and Berkowitz, 2006.) In setting marketing research objectives, Kudler must discern which research objective is most beneficial out of the three to choose from:

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