Heavenly Taste Biscotti Marketing Research

Table of contents
THE RESEARCH PROBLEM..........................................................................1 LITERATURE REVIEW.................................................................................2 METHODOLOGY & SAMPLING.....................................................................3 DATA ANALYSIS........................................................................................6 PRE-SURVEY...................................................................................................................7 POST-SURVEY.................................................................................................................8 CONCLUSIONS..........................................................................................9 PLAN OF ACTION......................................................................................9 INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................9 KIOSKS IN MALLS............................................................................................................10 RESTAURANTS...............................................................................................................12 NEW FLAVORS...............................................................................................................15 WEBSITE....................................................................................................................17 LIMITATIONS..........................................................................................19 REFERENCES..........................................................................................30

Table of illustrations

The Research Problem

The Heavenly Taste Biscotti business is one of a unique nature. The problems observed in this particular case were identified with the help of Mr. Joey Fabrizio, part owner of this company, and were more specifically defined to narrow down the research process. It was clear to all parties included that the first step before pursuing any opportunity would be to hire new staff due to an abundant demand of this product. Therefore, for the sake of this report, it will be assumed that after Mr. Fabrizio has hired new people he should carry on by following the proposed plan. Also, it was decided by Mr. Fabrizio that the higher-end line of biscotti are the ones that should the main focus rather than the lower-end which are already quite well established in many coffee shops around town. Given this information the obvious setback is the difficulty of expanding the high-end line of biscottis and the business in general while maintaining the Heavenly Taste values of high quality and exclusivity. Mr. Fabrizio made it clear that quality and an admirable reputation are of great importance to him and these were the main considerations in the ideas proposed. The steps that may be followed to develop the brand while preserving a family based and superior product will be addressed in the report. The suggestions will be presented in the form of potential opportunities awaiting the Heavenly Taste business such as personal growth through kiosks, distribution in high-end restaurants and the creation of new flavors. Problems that will be pursued include the absence of a thoroughly defined target market and positioning strategy, the observed lack of brand awareness by the general public and the undervalued potential of the business website. Thus the research plan presented in the following report was developed in hopes of

assisting Mr. Joey Fabrizio and the Heavenly Taste business in achieving a successful expansion and increasing the awareness of this notable brand.

Literature Review
Heavenly Taste Biscotti Company is a family owned business. The company began a few years ago with the creation of a new recipe for biscotti by Domenica Fabrizio. She began making her biscotti and people loved them to the point that people at her workplace were asking for orders (De Santis, Agata)i. After a short period of time everyone was telling her that she should open her own business. Eventually when the demand became large enough she decided to concentrate fulltime on the production of biscotti. In 2007 she opened Heavenly Taste biscotti and started manufacturing biscotti with the help of her four children and husband. Since opening the store praise for Heavenly Taste biscotti has spread like wildfire. Every month more and more Montreal cafs are carrying Heavenly Taste biscotti. The companys values, mission and purpose are different from its competitors because it is not only about making profit but the companys founder has a dream of helping the poor and meeting the needs of those who are less fortunate (Manna, Jon)ii. The Heavenly Taste values include a high quality product and an outstanding reputation. Presently the company has the reputation of having the best biscotti in Quebec. Heavenly Taste Biscotti biscuits are homemade and hand baked. The delightful biscotti cookie is twice baked in the oven which gives it a long shelf life. It does not use oil, butter or milk. These cookies are a real holiday treat and it is possible to order biscotti for special occasions such as a wedding, Christmas and birthday celebration. The Heavenly Taste Biscotti mainly conducting Business-to-Business

transactions. The primary reason for this is that the volume of Business-to-Business transactions is much higher than the volume of Business-to-Consumer transactions. Currently this company is producing two different types of biscotti; the high-end and lower-end. The high-end biscotti is priced around $8, and lower-end biscotti is priced around $3 a piece. The lower-end is sold through various coffee shops such as Caf Depot, and the high-end is sold in high-end hotels, high-end restaurants, and different important conventions such as Cirque du Soleil and Festival de Jazz (L'Informateur De Rivire-des-Prairies - Montral)iii. There are many competitors in the industry endeavouring to sell various types of biscuits and biscotti. A biscuit differs in quality, flavour and texture. It is a very competitive market since barriers to entry are low. Companies are trying to build brand awareness and distinguish themselves. Manufacturers are attempting to influence consumer demand for their products by positioning their product differently with regards to perceived quality and flavour. Main competitors of Heavenly Taste Biscotti are E-Caf ( Caf Canada Biscotti)iv, Dolcetti Desserts (Global Manufacturers)v, Melindas Biscotti (MelindaBiscotti)vi, and Touche Bakery (Touch Bakery)vii. E-Caf and Dolcetti Desserts are Heavenly Taste Biscottis main local competitors, while Melindas Biscotti and Touche Bakery are its national competitors. However Heavenly Taste Biscotti is considered the leader in the local (Quebec) market since the qualities of its products are considered far superior.

Methodology & Sampling

A quasi-experimental design was used to gather and collect information from the

sample group and was employed due to budgetary and time constraints. A one group pretest-post-test field experiment was utilized to understand the customers perception of Heavenly Taste Biscotti in a natural setting. The null hypothesis for this experiment was that customers have no propensity to buy Heavenly Taste Biscotti after sampling the biscotti. The alternative hypothesis is that after sampling the biscotti customers have a propensity to buy Heavenly Taste Biscotti. The independent variable for this one group pre-test-post-test experiment was the Heavenly Taste Biscotti while the dependent variables were the customers perception of the product and their willingness to purchase it. Heavenly Taste provided the researchers with only one box for sampling hence the reason for the small sample size. The box contained 15 biscotti therefore each biscotti was divided into three to maximize the sample size. Therefore, the convenience sample contained 45 respondents from different cities. A convenience sample was used since data could be gathered quickly, efficiently and with little relative cost. External and internal validity could have been comprised which is expected when performing a quasi-experimental design. There were some random sampling errors; a couple non-respondent errors in which a few of the respondents refused to take part in the experiment and one non-item response error in the survey. Experimental bias was very probable in this experiment which could have been translated into the guinea pig effect, the Hawthorn effect or both. The researchers who asked participants to participate in this experiment could have inadvertently hinted at the aim of the experiment which may have lead to unintended effects on the results of the experiment. This may have caused the respondents to alter their normal behavior or attitudes to cooperate with an experimenter or, it may have revealed to the subjects that they were participants. These two effects are

more than likely to have occurred in the experiment. The one group pre-test-post-test experiment consisted of three distinct parts; a pre-survey, a taste sample of Heavenly Taste Biscotti and a post-survey. First, the presurvey questionnaire consisted of 7 fixed-alternative questions and one rating question. Questions relating to brand awareness, purchasing habits, product appeal, purchasing intentions and product association were asked in the first part of the survey. Second, respondents were asked to sample the product and no one declined to do so. Third, the post-survey questionnaire also consisted of 7 fixed-alternative questions and one rating question. Questions relating to product quality, customer perceived quality and purchasing intentions were asked in post-survey. The aim of the one group pre-test-posttest field experiment was to measure customer propensity to buy Heavenly Taste Biscotti after tasting the sample. For the sake of practicality, categorical scales were used prominently to measure the responses of the test subjects. A couple of numerical scales were also used to measure the results. Cross-tabulations were abundantly used to ascertain relationships between variables. Five different cross-tabulations were utilized to identify trends and relationships; respondents who heard about Heavenly Taste and how they heard about it, respondents who purchased Heavenly Taste and their purchasing habits, rating the biscotti visual appeal and taste of the biscotti, buying the product at a regular coffee shop prior to tasting the product and purchasing the product after sampling it, and rating the quality of the product with how much a respondent would be willing to pay for this biscotti at their regular coffee shop. Excel charts, graphs and formulas were used to compute the results of the surveys while percentage distributions and means were

employed to analyze the results of the research. Considering certain biases, errors and inadvertent effects that occurred in the one group pre-test-post-test field experiment, the researchers are confident in the results that were computed and analyzed in the research. The researchers have tried to contain and limit the amount of errors and biases displayed in the experiment. The researchers feel that the results of the research are indicative to a certain degree the general publics opinion of Heavenly Taste Biscottis. For other primary data, the researchers called many restaurants to identify the price range of desserts and to inquire if the desserts were made at the premises. An independent case study concerning Felix & Norton cookies was conducted by the researchers to ascertain the companys expansion growth strategies. Secondary data was used by the researchers to obtain information about Felix & Norton.

Data Analysis
After conducting a survey on 45 respondents of different sex and age, data was gathered and processed in order to draw conclusions concerning Heavenly Taste Biscotti. The survey had two distinct sections: the pre-test and the post-test. Respondents were asked to answer the questions from the pre-survey and then they were offered a sample of Heavenly Taste Biscotti. After tasting the sample they were asked to answer the questions from the post-survey. The purpose of having both pre and post surveys was to identify if tasting the biscotti would influence the respondents perception and assessment of the product. Heavenly Taste Biscotti relies heavily on the product itself to promote the company, because of its originality and high quality.

Pre-survey
In the pre-survey when respondents were asked if they had previously heard of Heavenly Taste Biscotti a staggering 73% of them had never heard of the company. But of the ones who knew about the brand half had seen it in a coffee shop. However the coffee shops that sell Heavenly Taste Biscotti products only carry the lower end biscotti. Accordingly most consumers do not know about the higher quality biscotti. Besides only 10 of the 45 respondents had already bought Heavenly Taste Biscotti and none of them purchased the product on a regular basis. Thus Heavenly Taste Biscotti seems to have very limited exposure in the market. Respondents were also asked to rate how appealing the biscotti looked on a scale of 1 to 10. The results reveal that the average rating was 7.13 out of 10 (See Appendix 1). The respondents were also asked if they would consider buying biscotti if they were sold at their regular coffee shop as well as if they were sold through online delivery. The respondents answers uncover that contrary to the 78% who would buy it if it was available at their local coffee shop only 13% of respondents would place online orders for Heavenly Tastes Biscotti. Therefore if there is to be an online order & delivery feature on the Heavenly Taste Biscotti website it should be aimed at companies rather than individuals since the service is most useful when ordering large enough quantities. Lastly before tasting the product respondents were asked to associate it with a dessert, snack, biscotti, or another product. 49% of respondents believed it was more of a dessert while 27% associated the product with actual biscotti (see Appendix 2). Based on this observation, it would be wise to consider introducing the Heavenly Taste Biscotti to dessert retailers and restaurants.

Post-survey
Respondents were asked to rate the biscotti after tasting a sample. In contrast to the average rating of 7.13 before tasting the biscotti the respondents average rating was 8.76 after tasting a sample. Moreover respondents were asked if after tasting the sample they would consider buying this product. The results went from 78% before the respondents had tasted the biscotti to 87% after having a sample (see Appendix 3). Thus these observations confirm that the company should continue using the actual product as a promotion tool in itself. Handing out samples at popular public places should be considered to promote the Heavenly Taste Biscotti. When asked if they would purchase biscotti at a mall 76% of the respondents agreed they would. Accordingly it could be a profitable alternative to consider renting a lease in a popular mall in order to open a Heavenly Taste Biscotti kiosk enabling consumers to have the opportunity to discover the biscotti and Heavenly Taste Biscotti. Increased exposure would be beneficial. Furthermore 76% of people who completed the survey said they would purchase biscotti at a restaurant if it was advertised in the menu. In addition when asked to evaluate the quality of the biscotti 78% of the respondents rated the product as high quality. Since more than half of the respondents would buy the biscotti at a restaurant and perceived it as a high quality product, Heavenly Taste Biscotti should contemplate the possibility of distributing its products through high end restaurants. On the other hand the respondents rating of the biscotti confirms that the high quality positioning Heavenly Taste Biscotti is right for its product. The survey results reveal that although the respondents perceive the biscotti as a fine product they would not be willing to pay a premium price (see Appendix 4). 44% of them indicated they would pay from $0.50 to $1.50 and 38% said they would

pay from $2.00 to $3.50 for single biscotti. However customers who perceive the product to be high quality but are not willing to pay premium price could be easily attributed to consumer behaviour. Respondents were also asked if they thought a box of biscotti would be a great gift idea or treat to bring as a dessert to a friends house. An astounding 93% of them agreed it would make a great gift or dessert. As these results suggest it would be a great venture to have a distributor of high end Heavenly Taste Biscotti in a location that is more accessible to the general public and presented in gift boxes to the public.

Conclusions
In summary, there seems to be a lack of brand awareness for Heavenly Taste Biscotti. The respondents age, sex, nationality and occupation had no influence on their propensity to buy. Moreover the willingness to purchase as well as the ratings given to the biscotti increased after the respondents had tasted the product. Hence Heavenly Taste Biscotti should keep advertising its taste and high quality. Furthermore based on the research observations, respondents would buy this biscotti if they were available at a mall or at a restaurant and they perceived the product to be more of a dessert than a snack of a biscotti. Respondents evaluated the biscotti to be a high quality product and indicated that it would make a great gift. It would be a lucrative endeavour to advertise and sell the biscotti at popular malls and high end, trendy restaurants. It would definitively increase Heavenly Taste Biscottis market size and brand awareness.

Plan of Action
Introduction

The first step of the action plan recommended by the researchers should be that Heavenly Taste hires staff to produce at capacity. Based on the results of the research, the ideal target market would be Canadians of different social status and occupations that have disposal income and who are occasional purchasers of desserts. Heavenly Taste which is a B2B manufacturer should target companies that serve customers who fit with the ideal target market described above. Heavenly Taste which sells medium and high quality biscotti should have different positioning strategies for both products. The medium quality biscotti is a more casual product and should be reserved for coffee shops and possibly mall kiosks. According to the results in the post-survey, 76% of the respondents would buy Heavenly Taste biscotti if they were promoted in malls. This could be a great opportunity for Heavenly Taste to expand while maintaining their high quality standards. The Highest quality biscotti should be aimed and exclusively sold to high end hotels, golf courses, restaurants and venues hosting special events. At such outlets the price of the biscotti could be altered by the companies who sell them. It would be a mistake to sell the high end biscotti in local coffee shops and malls since it would devalue the brand. High end hotels, golf courses, restaurants and special venues would buy the rights to such an exclusive product. These two positioning strategies should be the benchmark of Heavenly Taste. Considering the results of the research, the researchers have suggested feasible opportunities to expand the business while maintaining the Heavenly Taste values of high quality and exclusivity.

Kiosks in malls
The suggestion of developing kiosks in shopping malls is based on a case study of

10

Felix & Norton. Like Heavenly Taste Biscotti, Felix & Norton began their cookie business in Montreal. This concept would allow Heavenly Taste Biscotti to mimic the steps Felix & Norton in order to grow and succeed in this city. Some other similarities they share that validate the comparison further are their common goal to maintain the quality of their product to ensure customer satisfaction and relationships, and the desire to contribute to society. Felix and Norton started off as a small shop and through word of mouth the cookies gained attention and fast demand. Within 10 years the company launched their stores in 40 different locations across Canada and used this as an opportunity to build lasting relationships with their customers. After 18 years in business Felix & Norton was sold to the La Bonbonniere and Sweet Factory chains which are located in major shopping malls. More recently Felix & Norton has introduced a new and innovative form of distribution. Their bakery-on-wheels allows them to drive around to various locations and events to bake and sell fresh cookies directly to the customers. The environmentally friendly truck is powered by clean-burning propane and solar energy. Based on the case study done on Felix & Norton and in conjunction with the results of the experiment, opening a couple of strategically located mall kiosks would be a great opportunity for Heavenly Taste Biscotti to expand while preserving its values and standards of high quality. Shopping malls offer the luxury of constant traffic and could generate a great deal of brand awareness and reputation. Moreover, shopping malls are much more accessible to the general public than driving to a manufacturing facility. Based on the results of our post-test survey 76% of the respondents said that they would

11

purchase Heavenly Taste Biscotti if they were accessible in malls. Another 93% of the respondents said that it would be a great gift idea and a good dessert to bring to a friends house. This could provide considerable business for Heavenly Taste and could generate perhaps a more regular purchase of the product. At the kiosks customers would buy a jar or a box of biscotti which would cost them less than purchasing regularly at a coffee shop. Each mall has different leasing prices so Heavenly Taste should consider carefully which mall it enters. The results of the research suggest that after sampling the biscotti customers have a greater propensity to buy the product. A way to create an incentive for consumers to buy the biscotti is through cause marketing. By promoting that a portion of the earnings will go to a charity, people will be more inclined to at least try the product. Once they have tasted it, as concluded in the research, this is when consumers will be more likely to purchase the product. This idea is also something that would fit well with Domenica Fabrizios values, as she is a huge supporter of many charities. This kind of cause marketing could be used in the kiosks and it could potentially increase more brand awareness, goodwill and generate more sales. Also, simply giving out free samples at the kiosks would generate a positive buzz because it would increase the early rate of adoption, increase brand awareness and sales. In sum, based on the results of the experiment Heavenly Taste Biscotti should consider diversifying its business portfolio by including a new growth opportunity by vertically integrating into a consumer market.

Restaurants
With the abundance of restaurants in the Montreal area, it is important for restaurateurs to offer something unique to attract customers and to challenge competitors. 12

Incorporating Heavenly Taste Biscotti into high-end restaurants would help the brand maintain and build its image. Both share the value of providing high quality products to their customers, and the price of this biscotti falls into this category of restaurants. However, when selecting which restaurants to associate with Heavenly Taste has to be aware of the restaurants positioning and observe if it is consistent with its own. To maintain the uniqueness and rarity of the biscotti it would be important to pick only one or two high-end restaurants in every major part of Montreal. In this case, because the target market consists of young adults who are more likely to have disposable income, the locations must follow these consumers. Therefore prime locations should include Plateau Mont-Royal, Old Montreal, Downtown Montreal and Little Italy. Some examples of restaurants in the Montreal area that seem to be relevant with Heavenly Taste Biscottis values are Ferreira Caf, Vargas, Bistro Cocagne and Verses Restaurant. (Appendix 1). These restaurants were selected based on various characteristics that were relevant to receive the most positive response to acquiring the biscotti. The characteristics include the restaurants reputation, price range of desserts, the homemade quality of their desserts and the business values. They also each have dessert menus which do not include biscotti as an option. The Heavenly Taste high-end biscotti has a market price of around eight dollars and therefore would be sold in restaurants for a higher price to make a margin of profit. Assuming the restaurants sell it for 10-15$, this addition will be very similar to the other prices on the dessert menu (Appendix 5). There is also the option of adding the biscotti to a dessert that is already a part of the menu such as ice cream or even create an espresso and biscotti combo.

13

Although it is a challenge to sway restaurant owners that this particular biscotti is something they should have on their menu there are concrete arguments that can be useful. The biscottis long shelf life and exclusion of oil and butter as ingredients are two major factors that can potentially intrigue restaurant owners. According to Big Boom for Healthier Groceries, 74% of respondents said that they are more now than ever concerned with their fat and cholesterol intakes (Currence 1)viii. Therefore, this low-fat biscotti would be a great dessert option for people who take care of their health and weight. Furthermore, the majority (76%) of respondents surveyed answered that they would be willing to purchase a biscotti in a restaurant and several even mentioned that it would be great with a coffee and after a big meal, it would be nice to have an option of a biscotti. However, even with these numerous arguments, it may be very difficult to convince a restaurateur who does not know much about a product to add it to the menu. The alternative to this is going straight to a restaurant supplier and partnering with them to distribute the biscotti to high-end restaurants. This would be of great advantage because the supplier in question will already have high-end clients and could serve as an intermediary for the distribution. This would be a more legitimate way to approach a restaurant owner to carry the Heavenly Taste Biscotti because it would be mentioned from their supplier, someone whom they are already in business with and whom they trust. An interview with Mr. John Kalantzis, part owner of a fruit and vegetable distribution company KB, made this idea a could-be reality (Appendix 6). With over 300 restaurants as clients in and around Montreal, Mr. Kalantzis was generous enough to provide some very useful information. Although Mr. Kalantzis clients vary from Les

14

Trois Brasseurs to Vargas Restaurant, he does not have a huge amount of high-end clients. However, this is an incentive for him to take on this new product in hopes of attracting more high-end restaurants. The main factor that interested Mr. Kalantzis was that he could be one of the only suppliers of this product, which he would distribute to his high-end clients and potentially attract other clients to his business. This strategy provides a win-win situation. Mr. Kalantzis would acquire new high-end clients by being one of the few that are supplying the biscotti and The Heavenly Taste Biscotti will become affiliated with a reputable and known restaurant supplier to distribute their product among only the best high-end restaurants in Montreal. Although incorporating the biscotti into high-end restaurants appears ideal there are some disadvantages. This solution does not necessarily allow the brand to gain awareness or increase their customer base. By being on a dessert menu the biscotti are most likely to be associated with that individual restaurant. However, by selecting the right restaurants with good reputations Heavenly Taste Biscotti will be able to increase production and distribution. Another problem Heavenly Taste Biscotti might face is that they will be competing with other dessert items that are being offered, such as pudding, lemon tarts and cake (Appendix 7). It is therefore important to select restaurants that their target market is most likely frequent.

New flavors
Cookies, biscuits and biscotti are a highly diverse industry. Changes in the marketplace are driven by a continuous shifting consumer demand. A key factor for

15

competitive success within the cookie industry is constant product innovation. A clear understanding of industry changes and customers new demands are crucial. According to research improving existing products and developing new flavours will give a company a competitive advantage. Taking this into consideration, Heavenly Taste Biscotti Company must be able to recognize changing consumer wants and needs in order to continue to have high quality products for the marketplace. Shifting with the changing trends,

understanding consumer needs, and meeting them will not only position Heavenly Taste Biscotti ahead of its competitors but also allow it to dominate the biscotti market. The main competitor of Heavenly Taste Biscotti in Canada is Melinda's Biscotti. Today she supplies biscotti to more than 180 retail clients a day (Kloster, Darron)ix. She achieved this by adding six new flavours Gingersnap, Lemon Cranberry, Chocolate, Cranberry Almond, Almond and Espresso Almond to her biscotti line. Following this addition of flavours her revenues increased from just under $40,000 in 2009 to $130,000 in 2010, and are projected to be $250,000 this yearx. According to research consumers would be interested in more new flavors (Strategic Management Consulting - Alliance Consulting Group)xi. These days there are increasingly more varieties in the biscotti market that appeal to different consumers tastes. Also after surveying current Heavenly Taste biscotti consumers research shows that consumers will be interested in new flavours. When Heavenly Taste is well established in the industry and has a bigger share of the market it should consider giving more choice to the customers. Therefore in the long-run in order to stay competitive Heavenly Taste should adjust its product and follow Melinda's Biscotti model of adding more different flavours. This will allow Heavenly Taste to appeal to bigger consumer market. It would also prevent consumers from

16

switching to other biscotti manufacturers and attract new customers.

Website
The rapid growth of the World Wide Web has permitted businesses to use the internet to create and capture value from its customers. E-Commerce is a large reason for the popularity of the internet (Norrie et al., p.59)xii.. In order to stay relevant, many businesses are now creating a website in order to promote brand awareness and ultimately capture sales from clients. A companys website is a good place to start learning about the company and what it stands for. Many B2B companies use search engines to find potential leads and business partners. In terms of promoting Heavenly Taste, there were many noticeable flaws in their company website. When entering Heavenly Taste website, surfers are confronted with a number of negative and confusing elements. Through a marketing point of view, the website suffers from a general lack of information about the company and its products, and esthetic appeal. The website is not inviting because it is riddled with grammatical mistakes and ambiguous information. It seems that this website has not been proof-read or revised by a communication expert or a marketer. Furthermore, the website is only available in English despite their service in Quebec. The website itself does not convey the quality of the product. As a manufacturer dealing with large clients, it is important to always convey professionalism even with respect to a companys website. Many B2B companies do look at their potential clients websites prior to contacting them. A bad website can deter big companies from conducting business with Heavenly Taste. Heavenly Taste Biscotti should consider investing money to update and revamp their website. The website should be in both official languages, English and French and

17

should include the companys history as well as a much more focused product description section. The website should also specify information about both the medium and high end biscotti as well as the different flavors. The researchers recommend two new sections to be added to the corporate website; company affiliates and various causes that Heavenly Taste sponsors. Cause marketing can be potentially an effective way to promote goodwill and brand awareness. Mentioning the locations where the biscotti is sold on the website would be a good way to increase product awareness and possibly increase sales. Moreover, having a new section mentioning the price range for different quality products and price per box (or per jar) including volume discounts would be good to incorporate on the site. This would convey more transparency in the business model and could generate more online orders by large clients. All the information should be proof read and revised by a marketer. Lastly, it would be sound to hire a website designer to re-design the site to make it more appealing and professional. The company website is also difficult to find on Google search engine. The researchers noticed that when typing Heavenly Taste Biscotti in the search box in Google the company website does not appear in the first five Google search pages. It would be strongly recommended that Heavenly Taste invest in Search Engine Optimization to increase their ranking in Google search engine. Furthermore, two free ways of increasing the company ranking in Google search engine without spending money would be to change the meta tag of the company website and add back links. Meta tags are used to describe the content of a website and this is what search engines use to structure searches. Back links are also very useful to increase the importance and popularity of a particular website. By creating links with companies that Heavenly taste

18

works with and sells to, it will increase the websites popularity and also increase page ranking on Google. Programmers can do this job quite well. A good Google ranking ultimately promote worldwide awareness and perhaps generate more business opportunities.

Limitations
The limitation that most affected the research that was conducted is the minimal time constraints. This time constraint forced survey participants to be chosen through convenience. Although this is not the ideal strategy to select people, it was the best possible option within a limited time frame. If more time was provided, research towards all areas of the paper would have been able to be observed and collected in more depth. For example, more case studies could have been used if more resources were available. Therefore, the individual case of Felix & Norton had to be generalized when being compared to Heavenly Taste Biscotti. The sample size used for the survey is also a limitation towards this paper. Mr. Fabrizio provided samples of his biscottis to be used towards the surveys therefore the sample size of the survey was dependent on the number of biscotti that were supplied. 45 people were questioned, which is not entirely representative of Heavenly Taste Biscottis target market or current consumers. However, it provided information that was used to generalize the plan of action and the three opportunities that were addressed. Another limitation that was faced is the lack of available secondary data. Because the case of Heavenly Taste Biscotti is unique and specific there are not many articles or data that are relevant to this particular topic.

19

Appendix

20

Appendix 1 Consumer rating

Appendix 2 Consumers classification of the product

21

Appendix 3 Consumers willingness to buy

22

23

Appendix 4 Consumers perceived quality and value of the biscotti

24

25

Appendix 5 Criterias of Restaurants mentioned Each restaurant mentioned was called to retrieve information about their dessert menu and was researched through secondary data such as the restaurants website and review/tourist websites to generally assess the restaurants reputation. Ferreira Caf o Location: Downtown Montreal (Peel) o Portuguese o Dessert Price Range: 9-18$ o Great reviews o Head chef is affiliated with many charities o Problem: they normally make their own desserts CEOs, politicians, and members of commercial delegations often meet up at the chic Ferreira Caf, located in the heart of the Montreal business centre (MontrealPlus.ca) Vargas Restaurant o Location: Downtown Montreal (Rene-Levesque) o Steakhouse/Sushi Bar o Desserts Price Range: 8.50-10$ Vargas has the perfect environment for lunch-time meetings as well as for catching up with friends and/or for dinning with a special someone before an evening on the town (MontrealPlus.ca)

26

Bistro Cocagne o Location: Plateau Mont-Royal o French o Dessert Price Range: 8-16$

This French influenced bistro is warm and inviting, offering a taste of Europe while placing local produce front and centre (MontrealPlus.ca) Verses Restaurant o Location: Old Montreal o French Contemporary Cuisine o Dessert Price Range: 7-16$ o Dessert menu includes a tasting platter with chef choices of pastries The Verses mixes with audacity and elegance of the neighborhood, the urban attitude of the owners and the rustic tendencies of the chef. (MontrealPlus.ca)

Appendix 6 Interview with Mr. John Kalantzis Key information from interview with part owner of fruits and vegetable distribution company KB, Mr. John Kalantzis. KB supplies fruits, vegetables, frozen fries, chicken wings, onion rings and other products to various types of restaurants around Montreal and in the outskirts as well. Affiliations: Vargas

27

Les Trois Brasseurs Baton Rouge Rubens Etc.

Why did he have a particular interest in Heavenly Taste? He had never heard of them prior to the introduction of this project however when it was mentioned that they have done many events for Cirque du Soleil, BCBG and other high profile organizations, Mr. Kalantzis also saw potential in this product working in higher end restaurants around town. He mentioned that KB, in its 37 years of business, has never done any promotion and through solely word of mouth it has become a valuable business that has a respectable reputation. However, a dream of Mr. Kalantzis has been to modernize the business by introducing new products in hopes of attracting more clients in the high-end restaurant sector. He believes that if this product is in such great demand by big names, than affiliating with such a company could be advantageous for both parties.

28

Appendix 7 - Example of Dessert Menu from Bistro Cocagne Fromage Morceau de 20 grammes
4

Dessert Tarte aux citrons en verrine, crumble et meringue

8

Gteau l'huile d'olive, crme sre la cardamome, salsa aux agrumes

8

Pouding chmeur pour deux, glace au sirop drable

16

Bouchon chaud au chocolat, ananas rti aux pices, glace aux ssames et coriandre
8

Tarte aux caf, ganache et chantilly en tag, caramel sal, glace vanille
8

Dessert du jour
8

29

References

30

Currence, John. "Big Boom for Healthier Groceries." http://eatocracy.cnn.com. Eatocracy. August 13, 2010. Accessed on June 8, 2011 De Santis, Agata. "Heavenly Taste For My Darling Valentine." Italocanadese. Web. 08 June 2011. <http://www.italocanadese.com/2011/02/heavenly-taste-for-my-darling-valentine.html>
ii

Manna, Jon. "A Heavenly Taste." Jon Manna | Music | Technology | Ministry | Life. Web. 08 June 2011. <http://www.jonmanna.com/>.
iii

"Heavenly Taste Biscottitout Droit Au Paradis!" L'Informateur De Rivire-des-Prairies - Montral. Web. 08 June 2011. <http://www.linformateurrdp.com/>.
iv

"Biscotti on Internet." Caf Canada Biscotti. Web. 08 June 2011. <http://www.yabiscotti.com/biscotti.asp>. "Dolcetti Desserts." Global Manufacturers. Web. 08 June 2011. <http://www.gmdu.net/corp-286043.html>. MelindaBiscotti. Web. 08 June 2011. <http://www.melindasbiscotti.com/>. Touch Bakery. Web. 08 June 2011. <http://www.touchebakery.com/>.

vi

vii

viii

"Big Boom for Healthier Groceries Eatocracy - CNN.com Blogs." Eatocracy - CNN.com Blogs. Web. 09 June 2011. <http://eatocracy.cnn.com/2010/08/13/big-boom-for-healthier-groceries/>.
ix

Kloster, Darron. "Biscotti Endeavour Results in Sweet Taste of Success." Times Colonist | Canada Daily News. Web. 08 June 2011. <http://www.timescolonist.com/>.
x

Kloster, Darron. "Biscotti Endeavour Results in Sweet Taste of Success." Times Colonist | Canada Daily News. Web. 08 June 2011. <http://www.timescolonist.com/>.
xi

"The Power of Branding." Strategic Management Consulting - Alliance Consulting Group. Web. 08 June 2011. <http://www.alliancecg.com/>.
xii

Introduction to Business Information Systems, p 59