SWOT Analysis

SWOT analysis

Strengths & weakness – external opportunities & threats – Ernest Adams

Strenths

NZ’s earliest established & trusted biscuit brand since 1929

New Zealand company made from NZ ingredients & manufactured in NZ, makes for a trustworthy brand and a point of difference against its competitors. Confirmation of this on packet

Biscuits range holds room for improvement & growth

Easily accessible & stocked in most NZ supermarkets

Diverse range of products, making it well known by a large variety of customers & has therefore ample opportunity to grow their audience from a wider range of consumers

Affordable

GF options

Established target audience – bought by parents for kids lunchboxes, great for sharing, sweet snack

Nostalgic for many, as generations of kids have grown up with EA in their lunchboxes

Weaknesses

Packet difficult to open – must use scissors or knife –can be messy

Packaging old & outdated, doesn’t identify many of the strengths of Ernest Adams & therefore has lost many of its consumers to Farmbake’s homely aesthetic. Looks mass – produced and doesn’t highlight the homegrown quality that’s reflected in EA’s ingredients.

Doesn’t hold a large variety in flavours (four in total??)

Lacks promotion or advertising & a social media presence

Unknown to many kiwis – hidden in the aisles

Old fashioned – flavours haven’t developed with globalization and therefore lost interest of new Zealand consumers in our growing market & lack the exotic, exciting flavours kiwis are looking for

Opportunities

Current common flavours in the bag biscuit range mean there’s room for emerging macro trends & more exotic flavours

Can amp up the marketing during the rebrand to get people excited & better establish EA’s place in the market

Resealable bag?? Easier to open?

Macro trend of buying local works in EA’s favour, as does going back to basic’s & having gf options

Threats

Farmbake has quickly gained trust of New Zealand audience & so is taking over bagged biscuit section.

Risks losing current customers over rebrand

Health conscious consumers are growing & this trend may affect bagged biscuit market collectively

Biscuit customers stick to what they know & trust, meaning people may be reluctant to try something new

Competing in a market that farmbake has already well established itself in