SWOT Analysis

EARNEST ADAMS

Strengths:

- New Zealand made product: “Proudly Baked in NZ”

- Has a wide range of well established baked products such as slices and ginger kisses, etc.

- Brand has a history making it a more reliable product in the customers’ eyes

- Family of bakers means experience in baking

- Affordable

- Laminated bags to keep freshness

- Ideal for families who want a quick snack or a lunchbox treat

- Middle of the range within bagged biscuit varieties- for customers that don’t want the most expensive option (Arnotts) but also no the cheapest (Home Brand)

- Has potential to be improved





Weaknesses

- Colours and packaging do not reflect New Zealand

- The style is outdated and surpassed by newer, younger product design

- The cookies themselves are smaller than the competition

- The bag is not resealable, limiting freshness “Store in an airtight container”

- Doesn’t have an sufficient website

- Name is not memorable or catchy

- Only one type of biscuit in a bag

- Emphasis on being homemade style but packaging looks very mass produced.





Opportunities:

- There is room for a entirely different approach to enter the bagged biscuit range

- Drastic change in colour palette

- Variety of flavours in each packet

- There are only common flavours, potential for new variations and something more inventive

- Has the potential to relaunch itself while keeping customers who are familiar with the brand



Threats:

- Farmbake biscuits is becoming better known and a more trusted brand by New Zealanders even if it is an Australian brand

- Products need to look more organic and homestyle as they claim

- Macro trend of local products

- More people are becoming healthier and avoiding processed foods

- Customers are more concerned about the origins of ingredients

- There is other competition that isn’t bagged such as TimTams that taste better

- Can the average family afford to buy items like this in their weekly grocery shop?

- Farmbake is far stronger in promotional material

FARMBAKE

Strengths

- Arnott’s is the market leader of the Australasian biscuit industry- large variety of popular products

- More neutral coloured and friendly packaging

- More relevant packaging to brand concept of being on the countryside

- Focuses on forecasting and responding to market trends

- Arnott’s is consistent with 135 years of developmental history, recognized by customers

- Large factories and many employees meaning they have production facilities to produce more than smaller companies

- Higher-middle range of biscuits



Weakness

- Less affordable for people on a budget as prices are higher than other options

- Bag is not resealable

- Emphasis on being homemade when packaging makes it look mass produced

- Packaging is not environmentally sustainable

- Have no variety in flavours



Opportunity

- Could go for a more environmentally friendly approach in regards to packaging and production while still keeping the rustic country style

- Create new and interesting flavours



Threats

- Other brands may continue to lower their prices

- Earnest Adams or Homebrand could make their product slightly more upmarket increasing the completion between the brands

- People may decide to eat healthier and stop buying processed foods

- Start preferring actual homemade cookies to store bought

- Macro trends towards local, New Zealand made products