Marketing Spoonful

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (as if you haven’t heard) has dipped near 2005 levels. Meanwhile, many food stocks, such as Kellogg, Procter & Gamble and General Mills are holding their own. Conventional wisdom holds that money flees to “stable” industries, such as food in times of inflation, recession or stagflation.
At the same time, Coca-Cola [...]

Tags: alternatives, blog, business strategy, Coca-Cola, consumer spending, Food, fuel prices, General Mills, inflation, Kellogg, luxuries, Marketing, Procter & Gamble, recession, Strategy, substitutes

As the author of Fresh & Easy Buzz says in a recent article about Tesco Neighborhood Market, “value is in across all grocery formats and it’s not just a fad.”

Many experts are calling the current economic climate a “perfect storm” of inflation, government debt, reduced consumer spending, weak dollar and intense foreign competition. It’s enough [...]

Tags: aspirational, consumer spending, EDLP, Food, grocery, inflation, Marketing, niche, recession, Safeway, Target, Tesco, Wal-Mart, weak economy, Whole Foods

Wondering how gas prices are affecting dining habits in the US? Let’s take a look at stock performance in the quick service restaurant (QSR) sector, compared with family casual/grill and bar.
McDonald’s stock has nearly doubled in price since this same week in 2005, going from $30.99 a share to $60.16 as of Wednesday’s close.
Interestingly, unleaded [...]

Tags: Applebee's, casual, Chili's, dining out, downturn, Family, fast food, IHOP, inflation, McDonald's, profit, QSR, recession

This is a pack of gum as it might have appeared in 1944. It cost about 10 cents.

This is today’s chewing gum packaging. It now costs $1.39 for about the same amount of gum.

The price has gone up 14X.
This photo shows the baked bean packaging design and technology of 1944 next to that of today.

Not [...]

Tags: Food, inflation