Environmental Scan Analysis
Learning Objectives: Analyze the social, economic, technological, competitive, and regulatory forces and trends an organization faces when developing and marketing a product or service.
Overview: One of the growing concerns in the United States and elsewhere is the alarming rise in obesity. Food and beverages account for about 60% of the sugar used annually in the United States More and more consumers now demand food products that are healthier. Thus, many consumer packaged goods marketers are developing low-carb and low-fat offerings. To capitalize on this trend, Cargill, a large agribusiness firm, and the Coca-Cola Company, the market share leader in soft drinks, formed a joint venture to develop and market a sugar substitute that could be used as a low- or no-calorie ingredient in soft drinks, baked goods, and other foods. This could have a significant impact in helping consumers reduce their sugar intake. Cargill introduced Truvía (pronounced Tru•VEE•a) in May 2008, with the tagline “Honestly Sweet.”
Directions: For this activity, you will be conducting an environmental scan for Truvía, an all-natural sweetener. Specifically, you will assess the positive and negative trends that affect Truvía for each of the six environmental forces.