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 The Gertrude H. Ford Tea Company will experience a tremendous period of growth during the next 5 years. The company will regroup and focus on its core markets, while expanding into others previously untouched. The marketing strategy will be aggressive but conservative also, with a concentration on our time proven strengths, and applying them in new and different directions. We will continue to manufacture a product that is unique within its genre, offering excellent value and exclusivity. We will continue to be environmentally conscious. We will continue to utilize natural raw materials and minimize waste so that we may contribute to the attainment of a positive ecological balance with our environment.
To our marketing mix, we will add new products that are consistent with our qualitative and philosophical policies. Those products will be compatible with our existing offerings in an effort to create a harmonious whole.
Products such as coffee, cosmetics, and “value” lines of teabag products (Clynton) are all part of the anticipated product expansions. We feel that this will give our customers an enhanced base of options, and will allow us a competitive advantage unmatched in our industry. None of our competitors will have the ability to offer customers a premium product containing leaf teas, and an industry standard (but still a cut above) teabag product. It is our opinion that this combination of products, presented within a professional and well coordinated marketing plan, will be nearly irresistible to our target market. Additional but compatible products will just follow in a natural progression.
We will become an even more esteemed member of our local community. We strive for a well trained and fairly compensated workforce, which will be a credit to the community. Our increased activity will benefit the local economy by an increase in employment and tourism. The presence of a retail outlet, along with an increasing market awareness of our product, will result in an increase of visitors and a higher demand of our products. They will travel to Dutchess County, and the likelihood is that they will visit other stores and points of interest while here. It is nearly certain that they will eat at our local restaurants and shop at our shops. We will cooperate with compatible not-for-profit groups, where feasible, and co-promote. Part of our plan is to resume our relationship with the various tour companies that will bring bus loads of visitors to sites in Dutchess, where the Tea Company was one of the favorites.
Our efforts will inevitably lead us to marketing efforts involving foreign firms and customers. We feel that this will be advantageous to our community in that it will increase our exposure to other parts of the world. This in turn will aid in our assimilation and success in the new global marketplace. |
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