Royal Canin - Case study

Résumé du document

Royal Canin symbolizes the love of pets, especially cats and dogs. It's the history of a will to improve dogs and cats nutrition to fit better with their needs and specific problems.

It was founded in 1967 in a village of Gard, France, by the French veterinary surgeon Jean Cathary. The unbalanced feeding of pets inspired him to found his company, which is dedicated to the manufacturing of foods for dogs and cats. The company was registered as a brand in 1968.

Since its creation, Royal Canin has focused on pets and their specific needs all along their life, becoming the specialist of dogs and then cats, with the support of vets and dogs breeders. Even with the different changes in top management and with its acquisition by Mars group, Royal Canin never changes its vision which is focused on the pets.

Extraits

[...] Consequently, the main difference with Royal Canin is the focus on the anthropomorphism. In terms of distribution, we know that Royal Canin sells via experts' distribution channels (vets, special centres, etc.). Actually, Hill's uses the same model of distribution; consequently, the main strategic difference is in the consumers' understanding and approach. Iam's is also an expert in nutrition, but also an expert in the way to keep pets happy, which is the main preoccupation of men concerning their pets. Iam's proposed a more generalized panel of products, and not really specified answers. [...]

[...] As a matter of fact, another main value would be quality. First of all, the materials used to elaborate the formula are really high-quality products. Secondly, the brand decided to be strongly and exclusively animal-oriented. Consequently, the offer greatly fits with the demand, even above requirements. By segmenting the targeted animals, precisely studying and knowing their necessities, and then personalizing the different treatments, varying in function of the race, age, activity, the brand insures a perfect expertise in terms of technical and health nutrition. [...]

[...] Later the same year it launched a new range for cats including anti aging complex, immunity reinforcement, scale preventing compounds and skin and hair regeneration. In 1999, it created product lines for the health and needs of dogs and cats exclusively reserved for vets use. Brand Royal Canin was acquired by Mars group in 2002. Its goodwill was evaluated to 93% of the market value which is, when compared to brands such as Coca Cola or Microsoft, the best asset and the best percentage. Culture A very strong company culture at Royal Canin directly linked to the ideas of the CEO. [...]

[...] Each zone will be able to work relatively independently to be closest to consumer needs; without jeopardizing the overall brand strategy. By this, we mean that the production team can organize the production process according to the market demand, which is for example, special winter pet food in the Great Lakes region, while the Californian RC plant produce special hot wave lightened pet food. Cost Control To follow the European structure, each plant ought to be a ‘cost centre'; rigorously reporting costs of production monthly to avoid any transport price confusion. [...]

[...] The company know how to maintain accessibility and simplicity, while being a European precursor and a leader. Through an Identity Prism, we can sum up and classify the different values of Royal Canin. After seeing the values and the identity prism of Royal Canin, next we will focus on the spirit of the firm and its culture. Indeed, more than a specialised brand, Royal Canin is a real spirit oriented over dogs and cats, and shared between all the people working for the brand. [...]