INTRODUCTION
According to Vietnam Standard Tax Office, every year, there are approximately 50 thousands of companies stepping into Vietnamese market. Even in a hard year when the marketplace has experienced constant fluctuations like 2012, it is counted that only within the first 7 a few months of 2012, the amount of Vietnamese newly set up corporations amounted to 46, 818, where the non-state-owned sector includes 42, 349 new enterprises. On the other hand, almost half of that figure represents the amount of enterprises declared individual bankruptcy or cessation. Statistics also showed that by the finish of the 7th month of 2012, the amount of enterprises that cease their procedure are 20, 741 (add footnote: source - Tax Office). This means quite definitely that, when the economy does not show positive indicators and competitions remain harsh, immature corporations may easily are unsuccessful the marketplace.
So the issue addressed is that, with limited resources both in conditions of capital and employees, how can a new business, with an unfamiliar service or product overcome such obstacles and prevail on the market?
The Company chosen for study and research is Belgium Chocolate JSC (also referred to as Belcholat). Belcholat JSC. is a Vietnamese company, which was establish in 2000 and customized in chocolate products. The tastes of delicious chocolate which originates from Belgium is probably better than any country on the planet thanks to its special mixture of gifted geographical, garden soil, and weather conditions which can't be found in other places and which provides best cocoa for making chocolate. Aiming at bringing real, tasteful, and high quality Belgium chocolate to Vietnamese people, Belcholat's products are made from 100% cocoa butter, pursuing tight storing, warehousing and production criteria. The name of the Company are also named consequently as "Belcholat".
Like other SME, Belcholate possessed to use with a comparatively small budget. To pay all the costs to keep carefully the business running, the Company has been trying hard to boost up the sales volume level. Belcholat is not a exception. To remain firm in the market and improve the profit, producing high quality and tasteful chocolates are not enough, and hence, a sound online marketing strategy is compulsory to ensure its success.
This dissertation is thus focused on the analysis on how a cost-efficient marketing strategy has been applied and watched by Becholat to sustain the Company's existence and make its products well-recognized. Throughout the research, the marketing strategy chosen
Imperativeness of the research
When high quality real delicious chocolate is not defined or situated as a mass product, Belcholat would obviously not choose a cost-volume strategy. With limited resources (in the entire year 2000 when the Company was set up, Belcholate only has 3 people posting the common ambition to bring real Belgium chocolate to Vietnamese people and a comparatively small starting capital of USD 20, 000) at the first stage of development, Becholat may not either set an enormous budget for advertising or distribution channels. After first 7 years very successful with high grown every year, in 2008, Belcholat has first time faced with the go down growth and it happened again in 2009 2009, 2010. By early 2011, Belcholat has come to came to the realization better than ever the necessity to change the marketing strategy for better fit for a few new market condition. And by the consulting, they made a decision to apply the Guerrilla Online marketing strategy.
Detailed definition on the Guerrilla Online marketing strategy as well as in-depth explanations on Guerrilla Marketing tactics and solutions would be given in the following chapter. Still, it can be briefed as: in implementing the Guerrilla Online marketing strategy to reach aim for customers, with limited resources both in terms of money and staff, Belcholat has put huge work in planning smart and important campaigns. Designing wise and inspirational promotions are crucial for each pro-Guerrilla Marketing business; monitoring costs and choosing the right time to provide such campaigns are also major concerns in Guerrilla Marketing. Belcholat's marketing team has also focused on expanding suitable programs with profound effects on their customers and steadily won a considerable market share. However, to create strong influences on customers and achieve an appealing sales volume every year with a restricted total annual marketing budget of VND 500, 000, 000, Belcholat must deal with very tough calculations and alterations.
After twelve months applying Guerrilla Online marketing strategy, by the end of 2011, Belcholat has made a rise of almost nearly 30% in sales amount compared to that of 2010.
Along with some appreciable achievements when adopting Guerrilla Marketing strategies, Belcholat must deal with several problems, including unpredictable market conditions, increasing indications of financial downturn, as well as the introduction of huge opponents on the market over the past few years such as: Chocolate Graphics, D'art Delicious chocolate, Guylian, etc.
Therefore, it is of high urgency to develop a fit and ecological online marketing strategy for the Company to survive in Vietnamese market, and later on may penetrate foreign market segments. This dissertation is also for such purpose.
Problem statement
As dealt with above on the imperativeness of the research, the dissertation seeks to figure out a lasting roadmap for Belcholat in applying Guerrilla Online marketing strategy.
In doing such, it is necessary to check out Belcholat's current status and existing conditions, which can be briefed as:
Belcholat is grouped in Small and Medium Businesses (SMEs) regarding to Vietnam's expectations and definitions. The Company has totally 12 years of experience in developing and delivering chocolates products in Vietnam. Currently, Belcholat has received a impressive market talk about in chocolate ingredients to hotels, resorts and bakery companies. Alternatively, its retail market has not been very rewarding. Retail sales amount peaks at Valentine's period (40-50% of total retail sales volume for the whole time) even though Belcholat does not position its products as seasonal products. Additionally, recently several overseas rivals have penetrated Vietnam's chocolate market via transfer channels and therefore, the Company must cope with ever more fierce competitions.
In conditions of marketing ideas and approaches, Belcholat has conducted some certain marketing activities yet accomplishments were rather modest, and the business is still struggling in determining an overall, long-term and suitable marketing strategy to boost up sales amount and promoting Belcholat brand on the market.
So what exactly are the solutions for Belcholat?
Throughout the dissertation, the author will attempt to supply the answers and explanations to the next questions:
How to develop suitable marketing strategies to better deliver the products to customers and improve the Belcholat brand, at affordable costs?
How to push ahead the retail market for Belcholat?
How to raise customers' consciousness on the qualities and benefits that delicious chocolate would bring them and exactly how to have a positive influence on their consumption behavior?
How to sustain effective Guerrilla Marketing methods within the context of increasing market fluctuations and severe competitions?
How are costs managed during the implementation of Belcholat's marketing strategy?
And the answer to all those above, is found in a online marketing strategy, called "Guerrilla Marketing"
Research objectives
Aiming at seeking the answer to the questions of how to extend the retail market for Belcholat's products as well as how to develop suitable and affordable marketing strategy for the business, the dissertation is directed as:
Evaluating the suitability of the Guerrilla Online marketing strategy for such companies as Belcholat;
Highlighting the dissimilarities in Belcholat's performance in the pre-guerrilla and post-Guerrilla Marketing application, and evaluating achievements gained by Belcholat after one year of Guerrilla Marketing request; and
Providing some advice for improvements and better control over the implementation of Guerrilla Marketing strategy for other Vietnamese firms.
With the objectives as above, the dissertation shall be structured as following:
Structure of the research
Closely linking with the launch, your body of the research is about to answer the top question of how Guerilla online marketing strategy has been developed in Belcholat. Jsc. The structure of the research has 4 chapters that are used with details and illustrations.
Chapter 1 is the literature review on marketing theory and Guerrilla Marketing concept. The concept of Guerrilla Marketing is portrayed theoretically and is compared with school marketing ideation. Based on that construction, the success of Guerilla marketing is showcased in a variety of companies worldwide and in Belcholat. , Jsc. - a 100% Vietnamese company specifically. This section will also list major components of a powerful and effective Guerilla marketing strategy.
Chapter 2 pulls attention to the specific case of Belcholat, Jsc. To begin with, this section will discuss chocolate and its products and its own demand worldwide and in Vietnam. Then, it talks about benefits of chocolate to consumers. Vietnamese market has been acquiring a number of chocolate companies and suppliers. The final area of the chapter will be the appearance of Belcholat. , Jsc in Vietnam. It will present elaborate benefits, history and culture, economical market show, its competitors and its success in Vietnam. These facts and numbers will be later examined with details and graphs in Chapter 3.
Chapter 3, the following section digs deeper in to the facts and characters of the business's marketing plans. The author will measure the company's current marketing plans, its competitive market position and SWOT analysis. In between, the writer has done a survey on habit and demand for chocolates in Vietnam market and how much information delicious chocolate consumers find out about Belcholat brand-name. From analyzing data of the survey and applying Five Pushes analysis formula, the writer will reveal pros and cons of different keting strategies the Company has been growing recently, yet, the key issues go parallel. The success of Belcholat becomes real only once Guerrilla marketing concept is applied.
Chapter 4, the ultimate chapter is entirely about how precisely Guerrilla Marketing has resolved Belcholat Sale and Marketing plan and the outcomes of the development. The development of this strategy including marketing segmentation, market targeting, market placement and market mix of 4 P elements will be offered in this section. The writer will also construct regular action and budget plan that has been applied in Belcholat. The outcomes will prove the effectiveness of Guerrilla Marketing concept in a Vietnamese company, thus, expected bring success to lots of more companies worldwide.
The relevance of the research
With an analysis on the specific circumstance of Belcholat in applying the Guerrilla Online marketing strategy to chocolate products, the study is focused on visualize marketing ideas and effectuate marketing models which have been learned from the MBA course and figure out how those ideas and knowledge are applied in empirical circumstances.
Scope and limitation
Scope: Vietnam market will be the center point of the evaluation.
Limitation: by concentrating on designing the right and effective Guerrilla Marketing strategy, discussing benefits and drawbacks of the strategy, and suggesting helpful control mechanisms for Belcholat, this dissertation pulls better attention on marketing strategies and tactics, rather than on analysing the R&D process even though innovations made to the chocolate products are essential to the success of Belcholat.
Research methodology
The dissertation is a blend of qualitative and quantitative research and analysis
Surveys and in-depth interviews with Belcholat's huge customers are also conducted to judge the potency of the marketing strategy applied.
Sources of information:
Mostly uses supplementary data from confectionery market statistics and records.
Pressed reports, journals and e-journals highly relevant to the topic are also used for analyses throughout the dissertation.
CHAPTER 1: Books REVIEW ON GUERRILLA MARKETING STRATEGY
1. What is Guerrilla Marketing?
There are several methods marketers may think of when focusing on their customers, placing their products and services on the market or determining distribution programs. There would be several times as much issues that marketers should be concerned about when developing a fit strategy to reach a desirable quantity of customers and an maximum amount of requests.
Ever from the early level of marketing history, people are well aware that a very good product or service alone may hardly succeed the market, whereas a brilliant sales strategy or an progressive marketing idea may bring amazing outcomes for the product or service. The ideology of "good wine beverages needs no bush" is becoming obsolete.
It is another circumstance when considering small businesses. A common sense is that brilliant marketing strategies often opt for huge budgets. So the question is how do small and recently established business can set a huge budget for marketing to get desirable effects? The most suitable answer and probably the best cure for small business can be looked for in a strategy called "Guerrilla Marketing".
Guerrilla Marketing, as defined, can be an advertising strategy that targets low-cost unconventional marketing practices that yield maximum results. The term was actually initiated by Jay Conrad Levinson in booklet "Guerrilla Advertising" publicized for the first time in 1984, which then became one of the best-seller marketing reserve and treated as the savior of smaller businesses. Most of analyses made in this dissertation shall also be predicated on Levinson's approach.
The terminology of "Guerrilla Marketing" was inspired by guerrilla warfare - a form of unconventional warfare associated with the small and clever methods used by armed civilians. These virtually remind us of the memorable Vietnam - America battle through the 1945 - 1975 period. It was immensely astounding to the American people, as well as the rest of the world that such a small and seem-fragile country like Vietnam did ultimately gain success in that warfare. Honestly speaking, America may without any struggle crush a region 3 x bigger than Vietnam with his strong, astonishing and heavy weapons. Vietnamese market leaders at the warfare, by that time, were highly aware that their military forces as well as weapons were far behind those of the North american and a in a straight line war might be hugely devastated and painful to the country. They decided to apply a very clever strategy called "guerrilla war", that was a couple of practices including ambushes, raids, sabotage and surprising elements. Plus they were successful, Vietnam finally, got their independence after several years of fighting up against the American.
Much like guerrilla warfare, Guerrilla Marketing uses the same sort of techniques in the marketing industry. This alternative advertising style demands an irregular online marketing strategy, with emphasis on dynamic ideas, high energy and creativity. Guerrilla Marketing is approximately taking the buyer by surprise, make an indelible impression and create copious amounts of social hype. Guerrilla Marketing is said to make an even more valuable impression with consumers compared to more traditional forms of marketing and advertising. This is due to the fact that a lot of Guerrilla Marketing campaigns aim to attack the consumer at a more personal and memorable level.
Guerrilla Marketing is often ideal for small businesses that require to reach a sizable audience without breaking the lender. It also is utilized by big companies in grassroots campaigns to compliment on-going media campaigns. Individuals have also used this marketing style in an effort to find a job or more work.
2. THE ANNALS of Guerrilla Marketing
Advertising can be dated back again to 4000 BC where the early Egyptians used papyrus to make sales announcements and wall posters. What we should consider traditional advertising and marketing slowly developed within the centuries but never really boomed before early 1900s. It was at the moment that the key goal of advertisements were to teach the consumer on the merchandise or service somewhat than to entertain and engage them.
In 1960, campaigns give attention to heavy advertising spending in different mass media stations such as radio and print out. It wasn't till the overdue 1980s and early 1990s that cable connection television started experiencing advertising messages. The most remarkable pioneer during this time was MTV where they centered on getting the buyer to listen in for the advertising concept alternatively than it being the by-product of the featured show. Companies struggled to win over consumers and consumers were sick and tired of being sold to. It had been time for a big change.
In 1984, internet marketer Jay Conrad Levinson introduced the formal term in his publication called "Guerrilla Marketing. " Levinson comes from a backdrop as the Senior Vice-President at J. Walter Thompson and Creative Director and Mother board Member at Leo Burnett Advertising. In Levinson's e book, he proposes unique means of nearing and combating traditional kinds of advertising. The purpose of Guerrilla Marketing was to use unconventional strategies to advertise on a little budget. During this time period, radio, television set and print out were increasing, but consumers were growing tired. Levinson shows that campaigns have to be stunning, unique, outrageous and smart. It needs to produce buzz. Smaller businesses began changing their ways of thinking and contacted marketing in a whole new way. The idea of Guerrilla Marketing carries on to develop and grow naturally.
3. What exactly are the differences between conventional marketing (or traditional marketing) and Guerrilla Marketing?
Simply considering the definition of Guerrilla Marketing, we can be certain so it has a lot to do with creativeness and a lot of innovations should be made to traditional thought process that has been applied to marketing. Dissimilarities from traditional marketing and Guerrilla Marketing are several-fold. In the context of this dissertation, however, only some impressive differences are chosen for examination and illustrated with simple examples for better contrast.
Let's start inspecting the variations of traditional marketing from Guerrilla Marketing by the funny bookstores tale, which is really as following: A little bookstore was situated on a beautiful streets with quite a lot of pedestrians, commuters, and other people crossing the street every day. However, that small big store, "Books For Every One" - that's how it was named, was situated right in the center of both other huge stores which were also selling catalogs. Bad enough, the bookstore on the on the remaining hand side of "Books FOR EACH AND EVERY One" hanged an enormous banner declaring that "Shocking deal off 50%". And even worse, the bookstore on the right hand part also hanged a huge banner, which as almost bigger than the surface of "Books For Every One", saying "Special sale, discount up to 70%". In that case, everyone might got freaked out and frustrated. However, the owner of "Books For Every One" didn't quit that easily. The next day he hanged a table in front of the store with just two simple words: "Main Entrance". Apparently, customers were easily caught to get into "Books FOR EACH AND EVERY One" at their first step. That cunning man has applied a very low-cost, amazing, and impressive way to earn the customers. Also to some extend, he has utilized a Guerrilla Marketing methodology.
So the first difference we might realize through the story above between traditional marketing and Guerrilla Marketing is the way of considering, or quite simply, the idea. If not for such idea, the person in these story could hardly save the problem and he could do only watching and hanging around to loose the customers in despair. Guerrilla marketers do not, and somehow cannot, rely on huge costs or financial capacity to build up their marketing ideas. They rather base on the creative thinking and surprising, strong ways to reach their focus on customers.
In traditional marketing, product diversification is motivated to meet several sets of customers. This is, however, more suitable for big firms than for small businesses and this may cause the business at risk for extending too much and not focusing to develop the best product. Guerrilla Marketing advises visitors to expand the business enterprise and then a lasting extend and focus on their key product because the key product contributes the most to the go back of the business enterprise.
Traditional marketing uses mass media and several advertising stations to attract the attention of as many folks as you possibly can, whereas Guerrilla Marketing focuses on reaching the right band of customers. In other words, traditional marketing will try to transmit while Guerrilla Marketing places attempts to effectively narrowcast. Since it is very time-consuming and costly when endeavoring to talk to every person about your product, yet it would be much more useful if you speak to people who may value the product. Let's have a women's shaping underwear brand for example. When an ad about the merchandise is run on VTV3, it might be caught by many people yet might slide away easily using their company mind for the first few times. Attention might be performed when the advertising campaign is repeatedly broadcast and that might be so costly. There would be an alternative solution when a brief introductory commercial about the shaping underwear is manufactured on Shopping Television set, which has become the favourite channels for a number of housewives. With this choice, the amount of audience may declines yet the impact is more serious. However, such approach continues to be costly and unfocused. Guerrilla Marketers, in stead, would choose to attain even smaller band of customers by very a far more focused and low-cost route which is women newspaper.
In terms of investment, traditional marketing often assimilated investment with money whereas Guerrilla Marketing shows that when you do not have much money to get, you may make investments idea, time, creativeness, creativeness, and information. And such investment should be produced in an exceedingly smart manner. Let's listen to another history: There is a young woman owning a small blossom shop. Her budget for advertising was also small as her bloom shop and she could not afford to market for her artistic flowers on expensive press. She made a decision to, on a lovely Sunday day where many people would love to go out at the central area, place a very wonderful and beautiful container of flowers in a very eye-catching area where everyone can easily see as they walk into the recreation area. People in the park began to speculate who made such beautiful bouquets and they received close to the flower basket to find a tiny handmade tag attached to the basket presenting about the dog owner with her contact detail. Amazing enough, the very next day the number of people to the bloom shop rose out of the blue and after a month, the number of requests almost doubled.
Sure enough, Guerrilla Marketing is not a matter of fortune yet a matter of creativeness and timing.
4. Majors attributes to a robust and effective Guerrilla Marketing Strategy
In order to attain desirable benefits, Jay Conrad Levison has figured out 16 features to a successful marketing strategy, which can be listed as: dedication, investment, consistent, self-confidence, patience, assortment weapons, subsequence, convenience, amazement, way of measuring, involvement, dependence, armament, consent, content, and augment.
A successful GuMa strategy must be fully alert to these 16 factors as a whole and negligence to some of them is not allowed. However, within the context of the dissertation, we will only discuss the first five leading features as follows:
Commitment
Apparently, when arranging any plan, you should not gratify it if not stick to it until the end with full dedication. For Guerrilla Marketing, it is even far more important to remain centered at every stage of the marketing intend to achieve your goals. Of course the program may be at the mercy of some certain adjustments from time to time during the implementation process for improvement and fitness good market conditions. Still, the overall target outcomes and determination must be taken care of from the beginning until the end to perform goals as occur the plan. Manage to survive persuade customers that your product is what they want and best for them when you don't focus in the talk, you cannot get customers' commitment if you miss the day of delivery or do not carry out any follow-up act.
Investment
Any business cannot survive and make income without investment. The key phrase "no investment, no go back" is becoming an inarguable idiom. It isn't to say, however, that come back would come immediately after investment, especially in marketing. It could take almost a year for a marketing intend to work out following the execution and sometimes it even needs years for an enterprise to protect their invested capital. In Guerrilla Marketing, appropriate investment is also one of the milestones to success. For Guerrilla marketers, revenue is their major matter. They will not give up a buck today if they are not sure to gain twice or many times as much in the foreseeable future. So that it is of important to create an inexpensive marketing budget and make cautious and low-risk investment to maintain the business enterprise.
Consistence
A Guerrilla Marketing strategy must also be consistent to be able to reach desirable outcomes. You should be constant with your marketing intend to avoid undesirable costs. You ought not change your multimedia, you ought not change your message as these may change the essence of your product as well. In marketing, identification is important. Once you loose your personality, you can't be identified or chosen. As guided by Levison, regularity leads to familiarity, familiarity contributes to confidence, and confidence promotes sales.
Let's go through the case of Nhu Lan Breads. Many people might not remember since when the brand made an appearance on the market. But the attractiveness of the brand, as well as the amount of Nhu Lan Bread's devoted customers will be the dream for any bread designers. However, in 2005, the Brand was, for a few reasons, renamed as "Huong Lan". The transformed name, for whatever reason, then did not band any bell to customers because they are too acquainted with the initial name of Nhu Lan. Some even mistrust: "Is usually that the same tasteful breads that we used to buy? What occurred to our favourite Nhu Lan Breads?".
It takes a time for a online marketing strategy to work through, and it takes years for a brand to be widely recognized. Nhu Lan is merely a small example of regularity in marketing. The brand image can be an unvaluable asset, you can't ever know what you might loose whenever your identified image is transformed. Therefore, it is concluded that if you are setting a marketing plan, be steady and firmed to reach the target result.
Confidence
Confidence takes on a essential role in a online marketing strategy. You cannot catch the attention of customers if you aren't confident about your product as well as your strategy. You won't want to put your time and effort in a plan that you are uncertain of its return, therefore, such plan could not work. Only self confidence will keep you until the end of the road to reach your targets.
Patience
A long with commitment, Guerrilla Marketing also requires patiences. As recently noted, you can expect an abrupt increase in the income for you product after a brief period of energy. So when you have put your determination, investment in your plan, stored it constant and you are self confidence with the plan, you need to be patent until your plan works out.
5. Emperical conditions of Guerrilla Marketing application
A Rumanian retail shop doing e-commerce RuComp. ru after 3 months of operation has make a very amazing advertising: 3% discount if raining outdoor, and with a dreary day, they discount 1%. And everyone announce with their good friend, their family by email, internet, and the receiver their promotion also pass on their promotion to their relationships. By this way, the advertising cost is very low but the consumers like the idea very much. And after this promotion, Rucomp. ru not only sell much the in stock goods, but also, sales increase 15%
Rayban, very famous name in sun-glasses manufactor, run a guerrilla marketing at Mahattan with a team wear Rayban sun-glasses, stand and keep finding the sky outside the Rayban building. That is a virus marketing, a kind of guerrilla marketing. By this way, not only the people see the activity, but also, they become the reporter, when they post this to YouTube, to public network and of course, Rayban no need to purchase them but from then on, a huge consumers let Rayban go straight into their mind.
Guerrilla Marketing originally was an idea aimed towards small businesses with a little budget, but this didn't stop big businesses from adopting the same ideology. Greater companies have been using unconventional marketing to compliment their promotional initiatives. Some marketers argue that when big businesses utilize Guerrilla Marketing techniques, it is not true guerrilla. Bigger companies have much bigger finances and their brands are usually already more developed.
One major brand that is doing a wonderful job is Coca-Cola. In January 2010, The Coca-Cola Company created the "Happiness Machine" video recording by using interactive marketing organization. The video featured a Coca-Cola vending machine that dispensed a lot more than just a cold beverage. The film was shop at St. John's School in Queens, NY, using 5 strategically placed hidden surveillance cameras. The reactions from the students were completely unscripted. The training video went viral and today has over 4. 5 million views on YouTube. In May 2010, it won a exclusive CLIO Yellow metal Interactive Award. The film got the best penetration in Brazil, Mexico, Japan and Russia. After viewing the amazing ROI upon this video, Coca-Cola decided to continue the 'Contentment' theme by launching other videos using the same strategy.
CHAPTER 2: ABOUT BELCHOLAT
Chocolate story and its own demand worldwide and in Vietnam
If you ever questioned what chocolate is constructed of, the answer is very interesting to learn. Chocolate comes from cocoa beans. Delicious chocolate is in actuality a natural or refined food type that is produced from the seed of the exotic cacao tree. Oddly enough, history of chocolate dated back years ago.
It is documented that the Mesoamerican people made delicious chocolate beverages which at that time was called "bitter water" around 1100 B. C. It is known that the Aztecs and Mayans of Central and South America started cultivating cocoa trees 2000 years ago. The cocoa tree's methodical name is "Theo Broma cocoa" interpretation "fruit of the gods". The cocoa beans were so sacred that these were only used to provide the kings. From the tiny blooms, the cocoa beans increase to the beans. And when their colors improved to yellow, they are prepared to be cultivated. Rely on the geographic conditions, the beans can produce 400 different flavors and will have different colors like green, yellow, orange, purple, etc.
The Spanish explorer, Cortes, had learned about the existence of this "fruit of the gods" when he came to Mexico and was invited for the drink from the king of Mexico, who was simply a chocoholic. And immediately after that, the cocoa beans had been brought to Europe. The drink with the bitterness preference was soon extensively enjoyed among the list of royal courts and wealthy people but continued to be expensive for the commoners.
Dorchester, Massachusetts was the positioning of the first UNITED STATES chocolate company in 1765. In 1847 Fry and Sons of Britain had taken cocoa butter and mixed it with delicious chocolate liquor and sweets and produced the first eating chocolate. By 1876 a Swiss process added dried up dairy to the normally chocolates to create dairy chocolate, a delicacy that became hugely popular. Continuing making enhancements soon helped the price tag on delicious chocolate to drop. By the end of the 1800's delicious chocolate was open to everyone, not just the abundant.
From then, different variance of chocolate had been created. And people who love chocolate refreshments and original chocolates taste now once more fall in love with chocolates products like chocolates bars, milk delicious chocolate, etc. Gradually, chocolate goes to depends upon and satisfies most strenuous customers because of its sweet-bitter tastes and various delicious chocolate products. Chocolate will not stop its quest but also vacations to Vietnam.
Chocolate has become one of the very most popular food types and flavours in Vietnam. When asked "What's your chosen food/drink", 90 out of 100 people responded "Chocolate". Another question is "What flavour of ice-cream do you prefer?" 80% of the answer is "Chocolate" adopted with 10% enjoying vanilla taste or 10% choosing berries flavor. Children of all ages love chocolates or chocolate-covered products, men and women love chocolate because of its flavor and because they can provide as gift items to friends, people or co-workers.
It is obvious nowadays people enjoy delicious chocolate products more. As food, chocolates is known as chocolate bars, chocolates balls, chocolates candies or hot chocolate as drink or by-name chocolates flavour of ice-cream, chocolate and wedding cake. As gifts, delicious chocolate is molded into various figures for certain holidays: chocolates eggs on Easter, chocolates coins or trees and shrubs for Christmas, chocolate hearts for Valentine's Day, or Big day, chocolate celebrities for Lunar calendar year holidays. Incredibly, the high technology development has encouraged invention of chocolate bar-shaped USB key which we can seek and buy on some websites.
Chocolate appears in different colors and various likes which bring more food choices for consumers. Putting more milk powder into the process, we've dark brown or white delicious chocolate adding to the original darkish color. Flavour of delicious chocolate can be sweet, bitter, buttery and super fruit flavors.
Chocolate and its advantages to consumers
It is undeniable that the exposure of Traditional western culture in Vietnam through in-country expatriates, international students, culture exchange, commercial trading and mass media channels has brought delicious chocolate to Vietnamese people. Gradually, Vietnamese individuals are more familiar with chocolate and the consumption of delicious chocolate confectionery products. In addition, people learn about the great great things about delicious chocolate and the practice of supplying chocolate as gifts on special occasions.
Some tend not to acquire chocolate since it is very expensive product or chocolates products tastes bitter sometimes. Chocolate should be retained in cool temps, thus people do not offer chocolates as gifts since it may meltdown on the way. People used to believe eating chocolate is an undesirable habit and this it will make sure they are gain more weight the more they eat chocolate. In a small in-house review about Vietnamese people's taking habit of chocolates, data graphed below, 100 people were asked, and checked on their selections about bad edges of delicious chocolate, 59% of the answers said "eating delicious chocolate leads to attaining weight", 49% said "chocolate products are expensive" and 39% thought "chocolate causes constipation".
Figure : Consumers think of bad aspect of chocolate
The the fact is chocolate brings more benefits to life than anyone would ever before think of. In a recently available online article of a dependable site, the author Jake Heller has called 11 explanations why chocolate is good for health. In other article, writer Stefan Anitei had written about "13 reasons why chocolate is good for your health and sexuality".
A Swedish research found that eating more than 45 grams of delicious chocolate per week resulted in a 20 percent reduction in stroke risk among women. Eating chocolate prevents bloodstream clots, in simple fact subsequently reduces the risk of heart episodes. While people think eating delicious chocolate brings weight, the Italians know a thing or two about good eating. A small study from the College or university of L'Aquila, in Italy, discovered that eating delicious chocolate reduces the chance of having diabetes.
The flavonoids dilate the arteries in the mind, allowing a larger blood circulation (implicit of oxygen). This way, the brain battles off exhaustion, insomnia and maturing, improving storage area and learning. Delicious chocolate contains iron so that it is also advised for women that are pregnant. Harvard researchers discovered that eating chocolate actually adds 2 yrs to one's life expectancy which may be found in the situation of Jeanne Louise Calment who lived to age 122 and who ate two and a half pounds of dark chocolate weekly.
Acknowledging the huge benefits that chocolate brings alive, the author of "11 reasons- Chocolates is good for your health" suggested people eat and revel in more of chocolates. However, he also cautiously recommended that we shouldn't cling on delicious chocolate just yet! Most of the delicious chocolate we buy in the supermarket is heavily prepared, meaning they have lost a lot of its healthy chemicals. We might not gain advantages from chocolate if the companies prioritize their financial benefits on top of consumers' value. This likewise means people can only have the delight of eating delicious chocolate and its own benefits when the delicious chocolate manufacturers are chocolate eaters who comprehends to what prolong and with which ingredients that chocolate is wonderful for health.
3. Chocolate providers and suppliers in Vietnam
Previously, delicious chocolate confectionery products were usually considered a luxury locally. Vietnamese consumers purchased delicious chocolate confectionery as a surprise on special situations such as ROMANTIC DAYS CELEBRATION or Lunar New Time holidays. Above the review period, chocolate confectionery is becoming increasingly more well-liked by Vietnamese consumers. The increasing average household income, together with the influence of American culture on consumers' life styles, created a good chance for the strong expansion of delicious chocolate confectionery in Vietnam. Consumers started to buy delicious chocolate confectionery as a regular snack.
As an outcome, the number of chocolate suppliers and suppliers is increasing such as Belcholat, Grand Place, D'art chocolates, Chocolate Graphics, Lai Phu, Milka, Snickers. Among these suppliers, Grand Place, D'art delicious chocolate, Chocolate Design and Belcholat are four big titles in Vietnam market.
Grand-Place, or "Gardener of Chocolate", is a distinctive multicultural company creating a complete selection of Couverture Delicious chocolate and Confectioner's Layer in three locations that are Belgium, Japan and Vietnam.
Vertically included, Grand-Place has a full team dedicated to overseeing the drying and fermentation of cocoa beans in Vietnam. They work hand in hand with local farmers, growing new techniques in response to local characteristics. Grand-Place delicious chocolate products are different in original lines where products are categorized by ratio of chocolate organic substances to other elements such as sugar, milk solids. Grand-Place also supplies cocoa powder for bakery lines and other layer and decor product range.
Chocolate Images is receiving attention for its applying designs and motivating graphics on their products and presentation. In July 1999 the patents, applications and making rights were purchased by John Taylor, an experienced international entrepreneur. In those days, the business enterprise was ailing and needed experienced competence to develop the initial concepts into a marketable product. Along with a strategic concentration and innovative marketing strategies, the procedure has been significantly upgraded to incorporate advanced laser and automated technology, bringing up the production capacity for an automated Developing Kitchen to 150, 000 items each day.
Chocolate Design has expanded around the world with licenses already sold within the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Singapore, China, Denmark, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Midsection East, Russia, Romania, Sweden USA and Vietnam
Maple Leaf Trading Co. Ltd has been appointed as Chocolates Images' exclusive grasp license for Vietnam and sells its products under Delicious chocolate Graphics brand name. Chocolate Graphics products are located in different series will depend on special happenings or seasons. An array of delicious chocolate products are also grouped by specific occasions relating to Vietnamese solar and lunar calendar: Father's day, Mother's day, Teacher's day, New Season, etc.
Chocolate is growing popular everywhere in the world not only because of their delicious preference but also for their highly intrinsic value. It can help the loved ones get close through one another. With D'art Chocolate, they would like to bring a distinctive message alongside the sweetness and luxury of delicious chocolate.
The quality of cocoa beans is carefully been able to ensure that D'art Chocolates will use the one best cocoa that originates from Barry Callebaut- the world's biggest supplier of high quality cocoa. From the color to the look, we carefully choose high quality materials that give our packages and products the luxurious and sophisticated looks. D'art Delicious chocolate products is the embodiment of skill, creativeness and luxury.
It is the tendency that local manufacturers make an effort to improve their production technology to make chocolate confectionery which has a lower price and good quality in order to fulfill increasing local demand in the market.
4. Belcholat- the largest chocolate manufacturer in Vietnam
If, rose is as the view of love, everlasting love music are as the voices of Eros then Chocolate is well-known as "the flavour of love". The pleasures when enjoying Chocolate is related to our pleasure of a passionate sweetly love with a little bitterness of life. Delicious chocolate is a forever source of human passion and ideas. Belgian and Swiss Delicious chocolate are the most famous worldwide. Even delicious chocolate is the nation mark of Belgium which is renowned as a "Chocolate Kingdom".
Mastering the production technology from Belgium and deeply understanding the joy of chocolate in life, Belgian Delicious chocolate JSC started the business in 2000 and identified to bring quality Belgium chocolates to serve Vietnamese people.
Belcholat is an establishment of traditional Belgian Chocolates, who has generally transmitted "Delicious chocolate tasting fine art" into Vietnamese's culture. People love Delicious chocolate not only because of its savor but Chocolates is also a marvelous medicine. The scientist has proven that 75% excessive fat in Delicious chocolate is active body fat which donate to human health insurance and help reduce Low-density lipoprotein (or LDL) cholesterol, an undesirable kind of cholesterol that is most likely to block arteries and upping your risk for heart disease. Therefore, Chocolate production and process require a higher quality standard than other foodstuffs in the sector.
However, modern and specific machineries, finest determined clean cocoa butter materials are not sufficient to produce unique style of Belcholat Chocolates without the traditional know-how from the well-known Chocolate experts, via Belgium and holland, who have handed on the experience and consistently work hand and hand with the skilled, enthusiastic Belcholat team. All together with our strictly controlled development process and storage condition has made up Belcholat Brand. Belcholat options are finest, fragrant, full of flavor and deliciously distinctive with other Chocolates.
Belcholat is really the only chocolate brand in Vietnam, certified by Barry Callebaut group - The world's leading producer of high quality cocoa and delicious chocolate products - to carry its reputable logo, a warranty of specially picked quality, on Belcholat's product packaging. People talk about Belcholate, they speak about chocolate that is produced with 100% genuine cocoa butter.
Belcholat is not merely making chocolates but a masterpiece of design from chocolate with charming and fashionable style, special designed for great events such as Holiday, Saint Valentine, etc with the under note"Generate premium Belgian Chocolates to Vietnamese consumers right in Vietnam". Belcholat chocolate has been the first favorite selection of young Vietnamese in those meaningful events.
4. 1. Belcholat base and general business review
Belgium Chocolate JSC or Belcholat JSC. is a well-known chocolates supplier which is positioned in Hanoi, Vietnam. Having 12 time experience creation and supplying quality chocolates in Vietnam, Belcholat is well known and remembered for its unique chocolates products, excellent quality, beautiful packaging Famous brands of hotels, restaurants and resorts such as Sofitel Metropole, Intercontinental, Hanoi Daewoo Hotel, Sofitel Plaza, Melia Hanoi Hotel, Sheraton Hanoi, Hilton Hanoi Opera Hotel, VinPearl Hotel & Spa, etc have been fidelities of Belcholat JSC.
With the creation technology transferred from Belgium, under the careful guidance of the creation process, storage conditions of the key chocolates experts from Belgium and HOLLAND, Belcholat satisfies even the most strenuous customers. Belcholat assorted chocolate box, bar, delicious chocolate products for special situations like Christmas, Valentines, Easter, birthday. . . have been respected and treasured by the children of Vietnam. Couverture delicious chocolate of all types: Dark, Dairy, white, stick. . . with different degrees of cocoa is always the first selection of 5 star hotel chefs and European bakeries. Chocolate Products such as Goodnight, Turndown, truffle, Praline, present. . . of Belcholat are also available in most hotels, resorts, restaurants and high standard cafs in Vietnam.
Belcholat is also acknowledged by Vietnamese Consumer as one of 500 most well-known brands in Vietnam in 2006 (the review as a part of the well-known 2006 brand program by VCCI and AC Niesel), 500 leading brands in Vietnam in 2008 and 2009; Platinum Cup Top ten sectors Vietnamese brand reputation - Agent amount in 2006 and 2007.
4. 2. Belcholat market talk about and its own competitors
In 2010, Belcholat JSC presented the key position accounting for a 13% value show thanks to its varied product range. The company mainly centered on tablets and standard boxed assortments. Its products acquired superior quality and appealing packaging considered to be an ideal surprise for business companions, friends and family participants on special events. Some of its popular brands were Belcholat and Wonderland. Belcholat seemed to have a more powerful performance in north elements of Vietnam. For instance, its products were within popular supermarkets in Hanoi. Furthermore, the business also possessed showrooms in the most north locations and provinces such as Hai Phong, Vinh, Hai Duong, Thanh Hoa, Nam Dinh, Son La, Quang Tri, amongst others.
Belcholat is happy to bring culinary essence of Belgium to Vietnam. Having the heartfelt inner wishes to the Vietnamese people, "Showing savory things" was completed quietly with so much perspiration and effort of the table of management and staff. With the name, the Gold Glass on merit and quality, Belcholat are worthy of a fantastic brand in Vietnam, but perhaps the noblest titles for the company is the friendly name that customers have put in favour for.
Belcholat has been showing an effective business in Vietnam through time because of its excellent products and services. However, increasing demand of locals has driven the increasing supply of a number of chocolate providers and suppliers worldwide. Along with Belcholat, Grand Place, Chocolates Graphics and D'art Chocolate are among the biggest manufacturers and suppliers in Vietnam.
While many local chocolate manufacturers and suppliers release series of delicious chocolate products, creative designs and arts, and luxurious product packaging, Belcholat supports its competitiveness in Vietnam's chocolate market because its chocolates and products are produced with 100% cocoa butter. Not every chocolate consumer knows about the fact that Belcholat produces chocolates with 100% cocoa butter. In another in-house survey which was carried out 2010 about whether chocolate consumers know about this uniqueness of Belcholat, consumers were asked "Do you realize the message 100% cocoa butter in Belcholat products?" These questioned people were able to choose different alternatives at exactly the same time. There was a comparatively high percentage of people who possessed no idea about the meaning, who never found the message or thought otherwise. The bar chart below will present the truth of Belcholat's 100% cocoa butter message in 2010
Figure : Consumers know about the note "100% cocoa butter"
It is another tale now when Belcholat is becoming more well-known in Vietnam's delicious chocolate market. The years 2011 and 2012 has seen a favorite Belcholat in its product range, creation communication and sales and marketing strategies.
Like all other businesses, Belcholat trusts in its uniqueness in chocolates creation and Belcholat enthusiastic team. Concurrently, the introduction of sales and marketing tools has performed a essential part. Belcholate has been utilizing a lot of sales and marketing ways of help the business grow and stand competitive on the market. Acknowledging increasing demand of chocolates in home market and increasing amounts of big competition, Belcholat has chosen its marketing plan, been successful with it and stayed unique. Guerrilla marketing concept is the answer to the success of Belcholat in Vietnam's competitive market of high quality chocolates.
CHAPTER 3: Assessing THE MARKETING STRATEGY CURRENTLY APPLIED IN BELCHOLAT
Marketing strategy recently applied in Belcholat
Since the business was proven in 2000, Belcholat has directed its marketing plan towards wholesale activities. The primary business activities are natural ingredients merchant, relationship building with luxurious hotels, or well-known bakeries in Vietnam. Sofitel Metropole, Intercontinental, Hanoi Daewoo Hotel, Sofitel Plaza, Melia Hanoi Hotel, Sheraton Hanoi, Hilton Hanoi Opera Hotel, VinPearl Resort & Spa or Thu Huong bakery, Anh Hoa bakery have been concentrate on customers of Belcholat since the start. Retails stations were created introductive in order to get customers find out about the brand-name and products. And for that, retails only bring benefits on some special situations such as Lunar's holiday seasons or Romantic days celebration.
Belcholat earnings has considerably increased through the first years following the establishment. However, since 2009, the income has only increased 20% per yr. This increase does not show the income as it has been analyzed brought about by inflation or increase of market price. It is not for the output or sales.
In a recent and direct interview with Ms. Nguyen Thi Du- Director of Belcholat JSC, she admitted before 2009 Belcholat has seen a continuing growth because of its big part of market talk about in chocolates market. There have been so opponents. Belcholat partnered with a number of high quality hotels and spas and bakeries. Belcholat was known for its expertise in delicious chocolate products and elements. Belcholat, therefore, grew greatly, quickly and sufficiently. Yet, since 2009, when chocolates market is becoming more appealing, it is then becoming more competitive. The complete market undergoes strenuous change, as a consequence, development rate of 9-10% does not indicate benefits; this can be a step backward in actuality. It's time to review today's marketing strategy since it becomes ineffective and unsuitable. What's needed for as soon as is a fresh strategic marketing tool and a procedure for retails market.
Chocolate materials have been allocated to a number of 5* hotels in the united states. Despite the fact that marketing charge is relatively low, the product type is still receiving high demand. The product type continues to remain competitive in local chocolate market for its excellent quality, small production cost, and great organic cocoa butter. More especially, Belcholat's co-founder, Mr. Dirk Nollet has very intimate associations with 5* hotels in Vietnam with which it can help promote Belcholat barnd-name and products. Belcholat, beginning with that successful earth, continues growing sales and development and growing business at the time when marketing tool is rather inexpensive to manage.
In retails market, Belcholat has not seen such impressive development and growth, which actually a not-yet-solved question to Belcholat and the plank. Belcholat itself has not developed much in retail market. Marketing tools are poor. Sales set is poor. Budget is low. Attention is low. The largest success that Belcholat has manufactured in retails market is to create a popular practice of offering chocolate products on ROMANTIC DAYS CELEBRATION in Vietnam. We have seen a style that the young love chocolates products, heart-shaped chocolates or rose-shaped delicious chocolate on Valentine's Day- a special day for lovers. The young people tend to make meticulously these beautiful little presents to their precious and send to the recipients beautiful note of love, sweetness and attention.
Talking about marketing procedure, besides reducing retail market, Belcholat in addition has found with difficulty in directing to other potential marketing stations. Belcholat has not offered chocolates products and gifts on weddings, or for espresso outlets or on birthday events or special occasions of people or organizations. While in truth, there are uncountable events and holiday seasons and special days within a yr.
Belcholat always commit to produce high quality delicious chocolate products at good prices to satisfy consumers. Both people with average monthly income and high every month income and revel in the products likewise. However, the actual status of Belcholat's marketing strategy has some big conditions that need solving. Lately, budget spared for marketing only makes up about 1. 2% of the income. There has not really a split sales and marketing section in its administrative composition. Business plan is ready but marketing plan is never ready. Marketing always stays on inactive since there is absolutely no plan for calendar months and for the complete year and they take up marketing plan that is provided by other spouse.
Survey background
Aim of the study is to determine how Belcholat brand name is identified in domestic chocolates market and Vietnamese consumers' behavior of enjoying chocolates products in general.
Questionnaire: Most of the questions are multiple choice questions. Some are open up questions for interviewees expressing their own ideas and being about Belcholat.
The study is one of the trends of Guerrilla marketing. In one hand, the study plays a part in the dissertation. Alternatively, it presents to consumers about Belcholat, its brand, its unique feature and its products. Sometimes, your choice of purchasing one item or one product is determined by emotion and so on or dislike, therefore, some questions have a tendency to identify this patterns. Along with the questions and interviews, I have already been "taking the advantage of the opportunity" and providing interviewees with valuable information about Belcholat and observing their responses. For instance, I phrased that "Belcholat is the biggest chocolate supplier to 4* and 5* hotels in Vietnam".
Preparing a questionnaire practices these steps:
Build up the questionnaire
Determine the information requirements and especially factor maybe influence the use of delicious chocolate from consumers.
Choose the sort of questions
Wording
Numbers and sequence
Test before administering on a big scale and revising (if any)
Sample: the review test size is of 100 respondents in Hanoi. The data is bound; still it is quality for examined.
Contact method: immediate personal interviewing is requested this study.
Method of studying the info:
Analyzing accumulated information
With Guerrilla marketing, market database play a very important role in evaluating the success and hereby causing possible solutions where emotion factor is fairly vital.
Chocolate can be an imported product from foreign countries. I choose an available research strategy and use studies to assess Vietnamese consumers' behavior of chocolates products and a market research about Belcholat brand name.
3. 1. The Vietnamese consumers' behavior of eating chocolate confectionery
The first factor that draws in my attention is how ordinarily a person consumes chocolates. Because of this, only 59% of 100 questioned people said "Yes, they buy chocolates home for eating". Only 6% out of this figure purchases chocolates monthly.
From this shape, if we wish to improve sales in chocolate retails market, we have to encourage the rest of the 31% of consumers eat even more chocolate. In fact, this number is still low because sample group usually have rather high regular income. To every consumer, price is one of the decisive factors that gets them buy chocolate. Besides, we also need to get frequent chocolates buyers are more often chocolate potential buyers. A similar denominator for both of these possible solutions is to train consumers about great things about chocolate alive.
The next part of the survey is approximately what consumers think of benefits associated with chocolate. It will show which good side of chocolate that folks are about. The outcome works out interesting. 87% of the answers think chocolate tastes scrumptious and 40% say chocolates helps them stay young since chocolate contains anti-oxidization chemical. Provided the benefits associated with chocolate, consumers were asked to rate how much these benefits impact their purchase patterns, the email address details are 69% and 50% successively.
On in contrast with great things about chocolate, I'd like to understand what folks think of bad aspect of chocolates or in the other hand what stops people from consuming chocolate. In case people's consciousness about bad effect of delicious chocolate is not accurate, we should speak and utilize media channels to educate and prove the contrary. From the result summary, we can easily see 59% of individuals are afraid of getting more weight if they eat chocolate. 41% think chocolate products are luxuries and that they cost money. 39% will not eat delicious chocolate because they think it triggers constipation.
It is evident to see the importance of having media communication engaged and educating people about eating delicious chocolate scientifically that may neither lead to increasing weight nor suffering from constipation. In fact, eating chocolate in a good way will help people stay fit and healthy. At a marketing point, there should be images of well-built body and focus on of "no fat" factor. If the consumers realize just how many benefits chocolate bring to them, they'll consider how much it ought to be payed for such great value.
In my study, interviewees are asked if they behave in different ways toward domestic delicious chocolate and imported chocolates. 44% of the consumers concur that domestic chocolate is fairly cheap and quality is low. The truth is they should know local manufacturers also look for advanced production technology in order to reduce cost and prices of last products. It really is vital to inform and instruct people about the creation process and every step that Belcholat take to form a lovely and tasty delicious chocolate bar.
3. 2. Consumers' view about Belcholat brand
I divided my review into two different internet pages, one of which directs the delicious chocolate consumers who have not heard about Belcholat. For the other subject matter, I have a tendency to ask more descriptive questions. I would like to see their personal judgment about each aspect, for example, about Belcholat position in customers' center, about Belcholat website, presentation or its showroom decoration and product representation.
According to Guerrilla marketing concept, the most vital element in a marketing plan is brand-name and how it places in customer's mind and heart. The next web page of survey question starts with a question about Belcholat brand and how much people know about it. The solution should be obtained in first place to be able not to create conflict with their opinion about the next questions. 25% of the answers think Belcholat can be an average quality chocolates and 16% say Belcholat chocolates is scrumptious and rather inexpensive. While 37% guess Belcholat is some sort of Belgium chocolates.
To compare this number with the ratio of 43% customers subjectively think only brought in chocolate is good quality. Answers of this question has shown clearly a chance as well as a challenge in training and drawing consumers' awareness towards what really makes a good quality product. People should recognize that local suppliers are capable of producing good quality chocolate approximately foreign manufacturers
The following area of the survey is to get consumers' view about Belcholat website, product packaging and showroom demonstration. The majority of the answers evaluate Belcholate website, presentation and showrooms at average rate. The best point is 3/5; you can find even not really a one highest point of 5 for those questions. Making use of Guerrilla marketing theory into this circumstance, the style factor is the very final factor to affirm consumers' commitment to a brandname. In actuality, the factor of "emotional sense" or "experience" plays a tens flip more important, thus, direct connection with customers is marketing and to certain extend it ought to be considered into account
In my review, I similarly pay attention to Belcholat communication of "chocolate produced 100% cocoa butter". Therefore, I have place the question in the survey. However, the outcome is not so encouraging. Only 50% of the consumers understand the concept correctly.
Five causes analysis
4. 1. Industry competitors
Established this year 2010, its products are art work chocolates that focus on its brand and lofo of the company.
In the near future, D'art chocolates will commit into caffeine/chocolate shops, which is a very potential approach. Belcholat also desires to purchase this model.
Grand Place is a Belgium chocolates organization that was established in 1985. Chocolates factory was built in Vietnam in 2001. Grand-Place is ambitious to produce chocolate locally in a shut down production process where cocoa trees are planted locally.
July 2009, Maple Leaf Co. Ltd. , bought franchise patent of Chocolat Design for producing and trading chocolate. Chocolate Images have a wide range of products whose decorations and designs are finished with laser technology. Chocolate Design is a multi-national company that exists in many countries worldwide.
The rivals headquarter are situated in Ho Chi Minh city, therefore, the expansion to Northern market is certainly not at ease. It really is especially the case of new businesses that don't have repeated customers. Chocolate products are special confectionery that requires strict safe-keeping condition, which is a weakness point that the competitors face with in the Northern market.
4. 2. Substitutes
Substitutes for chocolate products are bakery products such as cookies, candies that contain chocolate ingredient. Until now, chocolate production is relative small therefore it is stated as confectionary industry. Inside the chocolate market, there are as a result several candy factory that produce delicious chocolate products.
4. 3. Suppliers
Suppliers in delicious chocolate production are known as suppliers of elements and suppliers of packaging, vehicles service or design, etc.
About component, the major dealer of Belcholat component is Barry Callebaut- the world's leading company of chocolate component for many chocolate producers in the world. That
