The purpose of this paper is to examine how privately-owned, European SMEs are using authenticity, sustainability, and independence as part of their branding strategy for selling fermented functional food and beverage. The paper discusses possible promising target groups and gaps in the market by using the Sinus-Milieus and Braunegger’s models.
A literature review of the authenticity, sustainability, and independence concepts is followed by an in-depth analysis of eight SMEs, which illustrates how these concepts are being communicated by existent entities. The findings show that start-ups in the fermented food and drink industry tend to use phrases and visual materials that can be categorized in five areas of authenticity, while primarily focusing on one to two areas. It was noticed that 75 percent of analysed SMEs use their website to communicate their sustainability principles. Moreover, the examples exhibit the widespread use of glass and recyclable hemp as packaging materials. In addition, green delivery and C02 emission off-setting were found to play a significant role in today's sustainable SMEs. In the section on independence, the author hypothesizes the increasing importance of independence in the food and beverage business.
Concludingly, the paper aims to assist companies to find their place in the market, especially while competing with mainstream brands and large corporations. With the help of this toolset, these privately-owned enterprises will be able to spend more time producing healthy, desired products while creating significant added value that directly contributes to the EU economy.
2 Table of contents
1 Abstract
2 Table of contents
3 List of figures and tables
4 Introduction
4.1 Problem statement
4.2 The trend timeline and its current state
4.3 The research aim
4.4 The target audience for this thesis
4.5 The structure of this paper
4.6 Methodology
5 Definition of the terminology
5.1 How are SMEs defined in Europe?
5.2 Fermented functional food and beverage
6 Branding and the positioning strategy in theory and practice
6.1 Market segmentation and targeting
6.1.1 The Sinus-Milieus Model
6.1.2 The use of the Sinus-Milieus Model in the fermented food and beverage niche
6.2 Positioning
6.2.1 Adapted Braunegger‘s positioning model
6.3 The meaning and execution of branding for SMEs
6.4 Chapter summary
7 Three qualities as driving factors of branding in this area
7.1 Authenticity
7.1.1 Why are people buying authentic small-scale products?
7.1.2 Six aspects of authenticity
7.1.3 Authenticity from the consumer perspective
7.2 Sustainability
7.2.1 Packaging, product, processes, distribution
7.3 Independency
7.4 Chapter summary
8 Marketing communications analysis with the focus on authenticity, sustainability, and independence
8.1 Fairment & Completeorganics: How does a well-run SME in the fermented food industry look like?
8.1.1 Fairment
8.1.2 Completeorganics
8.1 Overview of 8 European SMEs from the fermented food and beverage industry
8.2 What the above fermented foods businesses have in common?
8.3 Communicating authenticity
8.3.1 Best practices: How are SMEs communicating authenticity?
8.3.2 Storytelling, appearing as artesian amateurs
8.3.3 Biographical authenticity, sticking to the roots
8.3.4 Procedural, material, and temporal authenticity, love of the craft
8.3.5 Geographical authenticity, being one with the community
8.3.6 Oppositional authenticity
8.3.7 Comparison and possible outtakes
8.4 Communicating sustainability, best practices
8.4.1 Certification
8.4.2 Cooperations
8.4.3 Sustainable packaging and delivery
8.4.4 Comparison and possible outtakes
8.5 Independency, a customer point of view
8.6 Chapter summary
8.7 Conclusion
8.8 Limitations and the need for further research
9. Preliminary list of references
9.1 Scientific articles, books, corporate documets
9.2 Online sources
9.3 Figures and tables
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