Cucumber Non-Alcoholic Organic Tea Marketing Plan

Introduction

The current assignment is on a marketing plan for a cucumber non-alcoholic organic tea. After submitting part A of this assignment, I received feedback from my supervisor, which is essential in improving part B of this assignment. The supervisor indicated that the introduction was good where I introduced the company. However, although I provided a good rationale, the feedback illustrates that there was much to include in the rationale. It was indicated that the mission statement did not illustrate lengthily to the consumers and internal stakeholders and employees on the core of the business. What I was expected to provide was a mission statement on the reason for selling cucumber tea, the goal for the organization and its operations, geographical operation, primary market and customers, and the products sold. 

On the aspect of goals, I illustrated vague goals but by utilizing the aspect of SMART goals means that the set goals will bring success as they will be specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely. Another identified issue was the failure to include an environmental analysis for the company. Through this, it was possible to identify the competitive, economic, political, legal, technological, and sociocultural forces that will influence the operations of the business. A SWOT analysis was not conducted and would have benefited the company in identifying the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Conducting a SWOT analysis provides the viability of the company. Through it, it is possible to identify areas that need improvement. 

The market plan will explore a business that will produce cucumber organic tea. The high increase of type II diabetes, obesity, and overweight open the need to produce healthy foods to reduce the blood sugars in the body. Introducing cucumber tea in the market will be beneficial to reduce blood sugars due to the high antioxidant of the product. The company will be strategically placed on a location that will attract many individuals aged 25-60 years as the segment for the company. 

The marketing plan will explore branding strategy, primary and secondary target markets, positioning statement, and consumer behavior. In the branding strategy, the business will employ an upscale presentation that will include the logo for the business. The business will apply experiential positioning that will differentiate it from its competitors. Many upcoming businesses have introduced green or herbal tea in the market, but our business will introduce a new, unique and beneficial ingredient, the cucumber in our tea. The success of any marketing plan is influenced by the consumer’s behavior. In this case, dealing with a segment aged 25 to 60 years requires to understand their behaviors. In addition, the segment who are health conscious will be middle to high class meaning they are willing to spend some of their income on a cup of healthy, refreshing, and delicious cucumber tea. 

Branding Strategy

The business will operate using the brand name, “cucumber organic tea”. The brand name will be included in the logo together with the slogan. The company’s slogan is “it is hydrating, it is refreshing, it is healthy tea”. This branding strategy is expected to attract clients in the short run and long run. 

Brand Name

While designing for a brand name, I had to illustrate what the product was and its benefits through the brand. The brand for the business, “cucumber organic tea” illustrates what the business needs to accomplish. It is simply to sell a healthy tea brewed from cucumber, which is healthy and organic in nature. 

Logo

The logo will include the name of the product produced. It will present the name, the taste and the health benefit of taking a cup of cucumber organic tea. 

Figure 1. Cucumber Organic Tea, a Refreshing, quenching healthy tea

Slogan

Cucumber is a refreshing and quenching product with high levels of antioxidants. In squashes, it is hydrating and has many health benefits. For the tea, our slogan is, “it is hydrating, it is refreshing, it is healthy tea”

Brand Extension

Our brand extension is high-quality that will improve the perception of cucumber tea. According to Sallinas and Perez (2009), a low-quality extension is disadvantageous as it is considered by consumers as neutral. Due to a high-quality extension, consumers are likely to evaluate the brand. The brand energy will boost sales to a wide segmentation of young professionals, health conscious, and middle to high-class income earners. 

Primary and Secondary Target Markets

There are rapid changes in consumers of tea due to the expansion of tea market where what was known as a market for older female consumers has evolved to diversified target groups depending on drinking occasion and specific segment. 

The company anticipates splitting the market between locals and tourists. The target market is persons aged between 25 and 60 years with a disposable income of moderate to sizable income. The business will be situated to ensure it offers the local upper-middle-class community a socializing area where they can indulge in cucumber non-alcoholic organic tea. The teahouse will include delicious pastries, as well as, unique chocolates as accompaniments for the customers. For tourists, the teahouse will be situated as a destination for their tour where they can enjoy cucumber non-alcoholic organic tea. 

The reason for choosing local upper-middle-class community is due to the disposable income at hand. According to Fader and Hardie (2009), low-income individuals spend less, as they cannot spend more than they can earn. The group also needs to purchase what sustains them, which is contrary to high- and middle-income individuals who will purchase what is beneficial and of quality. Therefore, producing high-quality cucumber non-alcoholic organic tea will attract middle- and high-income individuals as the group look for quality and are ready to pay for premium products. The tea business will use premium ingredients to create a premium tea at an affordable price. 

Persons aged 25 to 60 years are health conscious and healthy eating and drinking is appealing to them. The high incidence of diabetes in the country and the campaigns for healthy eating will boost the likelihood of this population to purchase a cup of cucumber tea. Cucumber has essential body nutrients including folic, vitamin C, vitamin A, fiber, and other essential minerals. In comparison to other squashes, fresh cucumber has a bland taste and a cup of cucumber tea will ensure the target market enjoys the health benefits of cucumber, which range from preventing acidity to keeping the |skin well-toned. The target group are educated and knows the benefits of cucumber and are not teens or in the early twenties who enjoy taking what is sweet to the mouth instead of health benefits. 

Including the older population in the target market is because the organic cucumber tea is a remedy to control blood pressure due to the high levels of fiber, potassium, and magnesium, which according to DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) regulates the blood pressure and ensures connective tissues in the body are well structured. For many years, cucumbers have been used for diabetes management as they contain glycemic index (GI) hormone which, is required by the beta cells during insulin production. 

George and Bock (2011) argue that positioning tea as a healthy drink (in this case, cucumber organic tea) has been beneficial in curbing market decline and has increased its appeal to generation X. This is as a result of trends towards more exotic, fruity flavors, and hot beverages without caffeine, which is appealing to the younger generation. 

Geographic Target: The geographic target will be from the USA but in the near future the company will expand internationally.

Demographic Target: persons aged between 25 and 60 years

Psychographic Target: middle- and high-income class

Current Market Trend: currently, the market trends are moving towards a more sophisticated and self-aware consumer. This has led consumers to prefer more quality products due to the appreciation of the qualitative differences. In addition, consumers are becoming more health conscious, an aspect that will promote the sale of cucumber tea. 

Positioning Statement

The cucumber non-alcoholic organic tea will refresh the consumers, as it combines the highest and organic ingredients provided at an affordable price. The tea will be worth the buying price. Experiential positioning strategy will be applied to position the product in the market. According to George and Bock (2011), experimental positioning differentiates customer-brand relationship and has the ability to attract new consumers in the short-run. Therefore, the cucumber non-alcoholic organic tea will be brewed in a way that will ensure that the consumers have choices in the market, which will decrease direct competition. My unique selling propositions are that there are no existing tea brands made from cucumber. Cucumbers will provide many health benefits as it is rich in antioxidants and vitamins. Including cucumber will provide sensory stimulation to the consumers. The USP for the current product is unique from other businesses due to its organic factor in a health-conscious environment. Majority of the present tea brands in the country are indicated herbal, ginger, and other tea but none has brought the healing effect of cucumber and its many health benefits into the market. 

Perceptual Map

For customers who want herbal tea, our brand of cucumber organic tea is the best as it contains anti-oxidants, low blood sugars, low in calories, promotes regularity, and aids weight loss, which provides a competitive advantage as a majority of other tea brands do not have such benefits. Therefore, for populations who desire to live healthy, lower their blood sugars (diabetic), or lose weight, no other brand is better than cucumber organic tea.  

Consumer Behavior of Target Market

The segmentation for this product is individuals aged 25 to 60 years because they are health conscious. The segmentation is conscious of the health benefits of cucumber, which includes hydration, weight loss, antioxidants, cancer prevention, blood pressure prevention, healthy skin, and bone health. The benefits of cucumber are now not only from cucumber water, but we will expand this to enjoying the same benefits from cucumber tea. Many people are and will enjoy this healthy refreshing tea from a cool environment. For individuals in this segment wishing to lose weight, nothing better than a healthy refreshing cucumber tea as it reduces calories from the diet. 

Cucumber tea will provide the body with essential antioxidants, which according to Mukherjee et al. (2013) will prevent or delay cell damage from oxidative stress resulting from free radicles. Having oxidative stress may cause chronic conditions like eye degeneration, Alzheimer, heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. According to Vora, Rane, and Kumar (2014), antioxidant has the ability to reverse the process of cell damage opening the need to eat vegetables and fruits rich in antioxidants. Cucumbers are rich in molybdenum, manganese, beta carotene, vitamin C, and several flavonoid antioxidants. The segmentation for this product particularly the older population is at risk of chronic illnesses and nothing better than having a cup of cucumber tea. The segment for this business is individuals aged 25-60 years. This segment can be grouped in two in terms of their characteristics. The first group is persons aged 25 to 40 years who are young working professionals. The second semi-segment are persons aged 40-60 years who are the health-conscious population. 

Reasons why this segment will prefer our product

• Cucumber tea will decrease their risk of dying as it prevents and delays chronic illness
• It will aid in weight loss and prevent obesity
• It improves physical performance and  increases the fat burning process
• Compounds in cucumber tea will improve brain function and make you smarter. 

Reasons why persons aged 40-60 years will prefer our  product

• Cucumber tea contains varying bioactive compounds that will improve their health.
• Will lower their risk of type II diabetes
• Reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease
• Protects the brain of the elderly and lowers their risk of Parkinson and Alzheimer
• Lower risk of cancer

The business will provide a new thing in tea “cucumber tea”, which is organic in nature. The brand of the tea will market the brand, particularly for the health-conscious population. Through the logo, the brand will have an upscale presentation that is likely to attract new clients to the product in the short run. In line with cucumber tea, the business will provide complementary products like appetizers, pastries, and snacks. It will also include cold tea beverages to attract consumers that are new to tea.