An Evaluative report on the distribution performance of thriftee instant noodles by ATCI

• Main Authors: Ang, Sandra, Ang, Randy, Ong, Frederick S.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 1992
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_bachelors/16755
• Institution: De La Salle University

Alaska Trading (ATCI) is a distribution firm which handles a diversified mix of products from manufacturers such as General Milling Corporation (GMC) and Southeast Asian Food Industries (SAFI). Among all the products being handled, the group focused their study on Thriftee Instant Noodles, a neglected product with low awareness level. Moreover, the group felt that in tackling the problems of Thriftee, they would also be delving into the problems in the distribution ATCI's other products since they all go through the same selling process. During the whole extent of the group's 400 training hours, their activities were mostly centered on store checks, price monitoring, and sales evaluation of pasta and noodle products. These gave the group insights on how the distribution company operated and they were also able to evaluate Thriftee's product positioning vis-a-vis its competitors. The practicum group, in its analysis of Thriftee Instant Noodles, were able to pinpoint areas that needs marketing concentration. These areas, in the hope that management of both Alaska Trading and General Milling Corp., will find meaningful evaluation are: Merchandising System of Thriftee Warehousing Price Positioning Promotional Strategy Before the product analysis, the group also analyzed areas within the internal environment of Alaska Trading, knowing that an efficient distribution company is very important for any product. Those areas analyzed by the group are: Operation Procedures Training of Salesmen Information Gathering The Salesforce Structure Based on the analysis of both the company and the product, the practicum group concludes that the biggest problem of Thriftee is not an inefficient sales network but a low brand awareness level. To increase the brand awareness for Thriftee, the use of merchandising materials such as wire dispensers and gondolas as well as a media campaign is recommended. But with the additional costs of promotions, advertising and merchandising, management still has to price Thriftee instant noodles competitively. A price higher than that of the market leader is inadvisable because Thriftee does not have its own consumer base yet. The practicum group also proposes that Thriftee be introduced to areas not yet fully reached by the instant noodles industry, such as those provinces in the Visayas and Mindanao. With the entry of the brand before the competitors reach the area, Thriftee will already have the early advantage of brand recall over the others. The practicum group also came out with a set of proposals for the improvement of the company's internal operations. Although they do not directly affect the product, the group believes that improvements within the organization could contribute to the sales performance of the products being handled by the company. The recommendation includes the publication of a salesman's manual a proper coordination of software systems and the use of other trucking companies in the delivery of products to distribution channels.