Crispy Crust Bread Company Case

The Crispy Crust Bread Company has long been a producer of premium quality and premium priced breads in the company's market area. The company's serve a niche market that has been loyal to Crispy Crust products. During a period of rapid population growth in the company's market are over the past 15 years, however, the company's market share has dwindled. What the company needs to determine is the reason for the failure of the company's products to maintain market share during a period of overall market growth.

There are a number of factors that must be explored in the assessment of the company's deteriorating market share problem. The factors that will be examined and assessed in the needs analysis are the following:

1. Crispy Crust awareness. The company must determine if consumer awareness among newcomers to the company's market are differs from that among longer-term residents of the market area.

2. Consumer preferences for bread products. The company must determine if consumer preferences for bread products have changed over the past 15 years. More specifically, the company must determine is a demand continues to exist and at what level for premium quality bread products. Further, the company must determine the extent, if any, that health consciousness has caused consumers to change their preferences for bread products, and, if so, how these pref