Smooth & Easy Business Analysis and Decision Making

Sekkat Rym

Business Analysis and Decision making.

December 4th, 2018

Appendix: Competitive Audit

As Smooth& Easy decided to open its juice bar in the city of Oujda, Morocco, a competitive analysis had to be undertaken to build a solid knowledge on its rivals that are active in the same market place in order to analyze their way of operating, detect their strengths and exploit their weaknesses. First, and in order to define our market, I approached the fresh juice industry in Morocco through online researches -Mainly market reports-, I was able to evaluate the industrial standing of the agricultural sector in Morocco, the trend of juice consumption and changing patterns of Moroccans behavior. Moroccan economy relies on both agriculture and tourism, which means that the consumption of fresh vegetables and fruits is already part of the Moroccan consumer behavior since they have easy and cheap access to it.

Second, the Porters’ five forces model was used to analyze the attractiveness and potential profitability for Smooth & Easy to be launched in Oujda, a city in the east of Morocco. Based on online researches, since I’m residing in Berlin, and due to my background knowledge, Oujda is the city where I grew up, I was able to identify our direct and indirect competitors. The direct competitors offer very similar products as Smooth & Easy and are located in its same geographical footprint. Since the market of fresh juices in Oujda accounts many competitors, specially cafés and juice carts, I selected three main competitors that I believe present the largest threat to our organization.

Once our competitors were selected, I relied on available resources, secondary data search and used my own observations to present an overview of their products and services, such as review services websites like Trip Advisor, prices and menus from the competitors’ Facebook pages and also used the help from family members that assisted me get hold on the menus of the competitors that did not post their prices online.  

Third, and after data were gathered, I organized the information in a table named “Direct competitors Matrix” and conducted a SWOT analysis of the three competitors so as to describe their core strengths and weaknesses, and have an insight on the opportunities that may improve their positions in the market and the threats that they may face as an obstacle to growth.  

Figure 1: Villano’s menu

[pic 1]

References List:

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (2014) “Consumer Profile: Morocco”. Available at:  http://www.iberglobal.com/files/2016/morocco_food.pdf (Accessed: 12 November 2018)

Anderson P.L., McLellan R.D., Overton J.P., and Wolfram G.L. (1997) “Price Elasticity of Demand”. Available at: http://scholar.harvard.edu/files/alada/files/price_elasticity_of_demand_handout.pdf (Accessed: 14 November 2018)

BMCETRADE (2018), “Maroc: Approcher le consommateur“. Available at: http://www.bmcetrade.co.ma/fr/observer-les-pays/maroc/approcher-consommateur (Accessed: 13 November 2018)

Diouri, M. and Cherrate, M. (2014) “Eating and therapeutic preference and behavior towards nature in Morocco” Available at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/294823892_Preference_et_comportement_alimentaires_et_therapeutiques_envers_la_nature_au_Maroc (Accessed: 14 November 2018).

Doha (2012). “Le marché des jus de fruits au Maroc” [Abstract].  Available at: https://www.pimido.com/marketing/marketing-produit/etude-de-marche/marche-jus-fruits-maroc-154119.html (Accessed: 20 November 2018)

Euromonitor (2018), “Juice in Morocco” [Abstract]. Available at: https://www.euromonitor.com/juice-in-morocco/report (Accessed: 15 November 2018)

Fardaoussi, M. (2016). “Morocco Citrus Annual Report December 2016”. Available at: https://gain.fas.usda.gov/recent%20gain%20publications/citrus%20annual_rabat_morocco_12-14-2016.pdf  (Accessed:14 November 2018)

Farris, P.W., Bendle, N.T., Pfeifer, P.E. and Reibstein, D.J (2010) Marketing Metrics: the definitive guide to measuring marketing performance.  2th edn, Harlow, Prentice Hall. Chapter 7, pp 195-238. Available at: https://nscpolteksby.ac.id/ebook/files/Ebook/Business%20Administration/Marketing%20Metrics%20(2006)/9.%20Chapter%207%20-%20PRICING%20STRATEGY.pdf?fbclid=IwAR3QYkwLfn3OPABnQXe2m35HlA4DaUUv9tPc3qQ29cllIqYp6MVZ7JwNrZo (Accessed: 12 November 2018)