Identifying and evaluating strategic opportunities for the followers of a seemingly unbeatable leader

Résumé du document

In the French market, the food market represented a global turnover of 134 billions of euros in 2004. In this food market, the leading products are vegetables and corn. The turnover of this specific market saw a growth of 6% just for 2004 and the leader firm for the European market is the French firm Bonduelle, and the follower is the plant D'aucy. What can the follower do to be more competitive against the leader? I'll try to answer to this question by explaining why Bonduelle is the leader of the vegetables and corn market, after that I'll explain D'aucy strengths and weaknesses and to conclude I'll give my strategy recommendations to attack this leader. Bonduelle is the uncontested European leader of the vegetables and corn market, with a turnover of 1.25 billions of euros, it represent a quarter of the turnover of the French market, and for the society the French market it represent 52.5%of the global turnover. A further 47.5 % represent the turnover of the European market.

Extraits

[...] If the consumers want to inform themselves by research, they can't, they are blocked. So they have to check on an engine of research and loose a lot of time to find the right information. And gives a lot of information in this type of market is paramount, the consumers want to know what he has in his plate, where does it come from, how it growth . To answer to costumers more and more exigent it's a real weaknesses Recommendations for strategic opportunities to attack the leader The priority of Cecab's group to attack the leader Bonduelle is to invest in a new range of product to have a range. [...]

[...] It is very difficult to evaluate on a market and purpose to the customers innovation without this investment. Then the group Cecab doesn't develop the higher quality product to respond to the market. This problem can be explained with the miss of investment in other or new plants or even the transformation of one which exists. They loose a real market, and Bonduelle doesn't wait D'aucy to launch the brand Cassegrin to answer at the request of this market. I said in precedent part that the communication is a good strength for the company but on one point they have a problem. [...]

[...] With tons per annum, the expenses represents today of the sales turnover of the group. This the resumption in 1997 of "Salade Minute", Cielo & Campo (Italy) and of Ortobell (Italy) in 2000 and 2001, group Bonduelle acquired strong strategic positions on a burst market, it is from now on in Western Europe with of the market. In France, it is capable to offer a broad range of products to strong added value. The Bonduelle mark holds from now on 15% of the market in fourth range and a delicatessen. [...]

[...] It necessity lots of money but it could be more profitable in the future. An other recommendation to attack the leader is to increase the sale in the rest of Europe to make up for its lost time on this market. For that I think d'Aucy have to communicate more and develop the offices which informs the consumers and gave them more responsibility to make a specific communication. To communicate all over the world is very important to have a competitive web site in several languages to have an efficient communication. [...]

[...] In the same way for the processes of production, of transformation and conditioning used. Bonduelle compares its products with those of competition and subjects them to consuming tests to check that the aspect, the taste, texture and the service are quite in conformity with waiting. On its packing Bonduelle gives very precise information on the nutritional contents, the benefits of a balanced food and suggests even modes of preparation adapted to the Product. To answer to a market more and more exigent, the group make huge range of products to be more implicated in the food practices of consumers. [...]