Yoplait Yogurt from General Mills (Research Paper Sample)

Yoplait Yogurt from General Mills
General Mills brief history.
General Mills is an American multinational producer selling branded consumer foodstuffs through merchandizing stores. Its headquarters are in Minneapolis suburb in Golden Valley, Minnesota. Ken Powell is the CEO and the company was founded by Cadwallader and James Ford Bell (GENERAL MILLS, INC., 1930) with a mission "Nourishing Lives”(Next Generation Human Resources: General Mills Inc., 2005). The company has new environmental sustainability goals that include:
* Reducing use of water by 20%
* Reducing generation solid waste by 50%
* Reducing use of energy by 20%
* Decreasing greenhouse gas emissions by 20%
Product category and specific brand description
Yoplait is a delicious yoghurt available worldwide supermarkets in a variety of flavors for examples vanilla, passion-fruit and blueberry. Yoplait is an internationally licensed brand of yogurt that is conjointly owned by General Mills and Sodiaal. Two co-operatives, Yola and Yoplait merged into Yoplait in 1965. The company's logo has a 6-petaled flower with each petal representing one out of six main founder cooperatives' but a redesigned logo only uses a flower with five petals since 2000. General Mills bought 51% controlling interest in Yoplait SAS and half of the intellectual rights on the brand while Sodiaal retains the rest. Yoplait is 98% free fat-free and rich in calcium for stronger bones and digestive advantage and has no artificial flavors as well as colors (Vault, 2002; Pederson, 2013).
Competitive Analysis
In 2nd august, 2013, US consumers voted Yoplait, Chobani, Dannon as well as Stonyfield Fams among other preferred products in the prominent 2013 Harris Pool Trend research. Yoplait yogurt was number one in this year replacing Chobani from the top. Yoplait’s variety presently comprises its Original, Light and Creamy as well as Lactose-free variations that was given renovation earlier that year through the introduction of the newfangled Yoplait Greek variety. Chobani brand is an American product from Chobani LLC which was founded in the year 2005 by Hamdi Ulukaya who hired employees and produced his brand in 2007. General Mills product mix include varieties like black cherry, blood orange, mixed berry and black berry among others (Packaged Facts, 2013).
SWOT Analysis
SWOT Analysis

Power

a). Market Leader in yogurt productionb). Has a rich taste plus natural ingredients c). Has a strong product positioning
d). Possesses a strong distribution chain
e). Present across twelve countries making it broadly available
f). Has strong CSR creativities that have increased its reputation

Weakness

a). Product has a low shelf-life for meaning high portfolio costsb). Unproven controversial doings in the past have damaged it image

Openings

a).Teach customers about health paybacks of Yoplaitb).Enlarge operations to emerging markets

Threats

a). Extremely disjointed market b). Native brands account for snowballing sales shares
c). Yogurt market is getting to maturity where growth rates are extremely low

Competition

Opponents

a). Chobani b).Stonyfield c). Dannon

Legal and political influences
General Mills occasionally help in the legislative process as a corporate citizen through contributing sensibly into state as well local contenders besides political officialdoms whenever permitted by the federal, local as well as the state law. The company recognizes the prominence of responsibility and pellucidity for the country’s political charities and has policies that describe its procedures in using corporate monies in political shares. It has a Public Responsibility Committee in its board of directors that reviews its policy disclosing a list it political contributions mid-yearly on its website and providing a record for past years. The General Mills Political Action Committee (G-PAC) formed 1976 and run by employees using employee funds contributes to federal politics and state, in rare occasions giving funds to political candidates.
Significant technological influences
In its General Mills Worldwide Innovation Network (G-WIN), the company selected Agronomic Technology Corp. Co and the United Suppliers as the champions in its worldwide novelty challenge. This global innovation challenge was partially created to aid develop General Mills’ longstanding sustainability obligation and continuing creativities to decrease environmental influences from farming and also to bring about upturn of collaborations with the farmers and the supply channel. Agronomic Technology Corp. had submitted a solution known as ADAPT-N which is a software object combining soil and crop replicas in predicting the impact of weather on soil’s nitrogen equilibrium. This tool is to help many farmers program fertilizer uses to meet various plant needs minus waste according to General Mills (Packaged Facts, 2013).
Significant economic influences
General Mills, in advancing its mission has partnered with others partners sharing its goals. These trade associations as well as independent groups assist in advancing the goals hence providing as number of other benefits which include best-practice allotment, business aid services besides professional development. This way, the company belongs to many associations globally it is an active member of the associations it belongs to. These associations the company subscribes to for economic influences and public policy advancement comprises international establishments like the Food and Consumer Products of Canada as well as the Food and Drink Federation in UK which are focused on U.S.A public dogma for example Grocery Manufacturers Association and state or local chambers of commerce. Also in this list are manufacturing organizations like Minnesota Chamber of Commerce as well as Minnesota Business Partnership association (Pederson, 2013). 
Sociological, ethical and ecological influences
Note: Adopted from /en/Responsibility/Environment
The company believes that its business growth and earth health are connected by nature and its purpose is serving the universe through making food the people love, this mirrors this belief. The global company believes in Mother Nature in raw materials and ingredients supply in production of its products. In line with the expected population rise to a total of 9 billion by the year 2050, the company we recognizes that provision of food more individuals with more inhibited natural possessions will be a dare for everybody. The company is also part of the solution to climate change by reducing their outright greenhouse gas emissions since the year 2005 by 13% in its direct processes. In August 2015 the company set a new goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across the value chain over the next decade. General Mills continues to work towards its fiscal goals of achieving noteworthy, measurable enhancements in crucial environmental sustainability expanses reporting its environmental metrics with and minus the effect of the current attainments of Yoplait International in 2012.
Evaluation of existing consumers
STP

Fragment

Middle-aged health and conscious women

Targeted group

18-34 years or above 63 years women

Position

All natural premium quality, creamy French yogurt

The consumption level is at its maximum stage. The market has therefore stopped growing as per research findings. Majorly targets women as consumers for their products since they promote weight loss and healthy eating, two apprehensions that are stereotypically women’s snags, stemmed from pressure coming from the society to be good-looking at all occasions. The product is sold and consumed across people of diverse backgrounds based on race, education and income distribution as its price is favorable and that on social strata it is not discriminated. On a psychographic profile, the brand enjoys a good profile as mostly taken by women to be reducing weight and keeping them fit. It is well distributed in various towns and fairly in some rural areas hence may need to reach other rural areas that are inaccessible to increase the number of consumers (Packaged Facts, 2013).
Marketing mix for Yoplait product
Yoplait uses a new black, modest, elegant shiny packaging in large bottle with a spout convenient for easy pouring including four reusable bowl-shaped bottles. Yoplait yogurt is made up of a brilliant mixture of live and active cultures which makes it easier for digestion as compared to raw milk in people having lactose intolerance. These live and active cultures assist in breakdown of lactose in dairy products. Drinking of Yoplait also assist in reducing hostile side effects individuals may experience on consumption of ordinary dairy products while still victims of lactose intolerance. This product is made without artificial carrots just as Yoplait Original, Yoplait Plenti Greek and Yoplait Greek yogurt. The product uses low level preservatives to avoid yeasts, certain bacterial strain and molds growing in the yogurt. It’s just the company’s commitment part to ensure customers have the best Yoplait eating experience as possible. This brand also uses gelatin to prevent it from extrication as well as to maintain its smooth and buttery texture throughout its shelf life. This gelatin is actually Kosher certified and carrying Kosher Dairy Certification. Since gelatin is unfavorable to most vegetarians out there, the company pledges to be currently working on substituting it or producing a gelatin free yogurt and promise to keep the consumers abreast regarding the progress (Packaged Facts, 2013).
Distribution analysis
General Mills divides its ventures for the pr...