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SkinnyPop Popcorn is not about being skinny but about better-for-you snack foods. A brand that
lives in the ready-to-eat popcorn category of the food industry has seen a great deal of growth in
just four years’ time from 2012-2015. Some of the highlights of SkinnyPop include no artificial
colors, no added preservatives, no artificial flavors, certified gluten-free and 100% whole grain.
The brand relies on consumer demand for better-for-you products with great taste. SkinnyPop
delivers on that and more by being a product with as few ingredients as possible.
Despite the good of SkinnyPop, a brand audit was conducted to emphasize where the brand is
currently from the perspective of the consumer and company in addition to where they can go.
Brand inventory discusses how the brand is perceived by Amplify Snack Brands (parent company)
in addition to current positioning of competitors in the same category. Brand exploratory assesses
consumer perception of the brand name, logo, packaging and other elements that make up the
brand. A survey analysis revealed that consumers are looking for more flavors from the brand as
is apparent of most millennials in this current period. The final recommendations list two goals,
objectives, tactics and strategies for the continued growth of the brand. Maintaining brand
recognition via showing a more active presence on social media platforms and increasing current
market share within a specific period of time are the main focus points of the plan.
Potential risks are given by the CEO and CFO to state what they feel can hurt the company in the
future. Key points offer what has occurred for the brand and states what can occur for the brand in
present and future tense. SkinnyPop is looking to expand globally but in order for that to occur,
3rd party co-manufacturers need to be in place for the additional demand expected for such
expansion. All in all, the brand can and will continue on an upward track in sales, revenue,
consumer demand and product acquisition.
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2.1 Snack Food Category Overview
It has been reported through Nielsen that snack foods in the United States had sales of $124 billion
between the years of 2013 and 2014. These sales made up the majority of the 2% growth of snack
food sales on a global level. There are several competitors in the snack food industry thus making
a fierce field competitively. Nielsen surveys for snacking are conducted on a global level that
makes up 60 countries with more than 30,000 consumers online. We will only focus on the United
States. Surprisingly, salty snacks such as chips, popcorn and crackers make up more than 1/5 of
total overall snack sale in the U.S. at $27.7 billion. There seems to be an untapped opportunity in
gaining more market share in the nutritious, portable and easy-to-eat meal alternative market that
snack manufacturers could fill, as stated by Susan Dunn, Executive VP of Nielsen Global Survey.”
Respondents to the survey given by Nielsen stated that in a 30-day period, approximately one-
fourth (29%) are shown to “munch” on popcorn. Of these 29%, approximately 63% of that total
are consumers who live in the U.S. with a higher preference to potato chips and/or tortilla chips
(salty snacks sub-category.) One last aspect of snacking as deduced by Nielsen is the fact that more
and more consumers look to snacks with natural and/or organic ingredients. They are looking to
have snacks lower in calories and low fat content. (Nielson, 2014) The snack food industry can be
described as foods that are small or light in portions and are eaten between main course meals.
Various items are consumed as snacks from candy and nuts to potato chips, crackers, cheese slices
and popcorn. Sometimes consumers will even take a main meal from a prepared dish and eat a
smaller size to call it a snack.
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The next graph gives a forecast of expected sweet and savory, snack food growth by sub-category.
United States Forecast Volume Growth for Sweet and Savory Snacks by Category, 2014-2015
(IMB, 2011)
2.1.1 SkinnyPop Popcorn
SkinnyPop Popcorn is part of the snack food industry. The concept of SkinnyPop start as an
obsession over another brand called Garrett Popcorn. The founders Andrew Friedman and his
investors —brother-in-law and father-in-law, Jeffrey and Michael Eiserman, started out by making
a brand called Wells Street Popcorn. This brand was considered a tamer version of Garrett as it
didn’t turn a person’s hand orange after handling them for consumption. In an effort to create
better-for-you snacks, SkinnyPop was born a month later after much experimentation with desired
ingredients. This all occurred during the year 2007. When the right mix of simple ingredients was
found to create SkinnyPop, the Wells Street Popcorn idea was trashed. From that point on,
SkinnyPop has grown as a brand and was eventually partnered with Amplify Snack Brands in 2014
where the SkinnyPop brand resides. (Harris, 2012)
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2.2 Competitor Brands
2.2.1 Cape Cod
Cape Cod is a private label brand that falls under Snyder's-Lance, Inc. Cape Cod
Potato Chips was started by two small business owners on July 4, 1980. The business started as a
storefront that sold natural kettle cooked chips. The business quickly expanded as the news of this
new natural product spread from tourists who would visit the store and take bags home to share
with others. Since that time, Cape Cod has an extensive product line of snacks that they state are
made only using high quality, all-natural ingredients. Their product line includes the following:
Original Kettle Cooked Potato Chips (Original, Sea Salt & Vinegar, Sea Salt & Cracked
Pepper, Sweet & Spicy Jalapeno, Sweet Mesquite Barbeque and Aged White Cheddar &
Sour Cream)
Reduced Fat Potato Chips (Same flavors as above except for Sweet & Spicy Jalapeno, all
with the distinction of 40% Less Fat)
Waffle Cut Chips (Sea Salt, Buffalo Cheddar and Barbecue Ranch)
Limited Batch Chips Products (Currently have Sweet Red Chili & Chipotle Barbecue)
Popcorn (White Cheddar, Kettle Corn, Sea Salt and Salted Caramel)
Dipping Shells (Ancient Grain, Blue Corn Multigrain and Four Bean) (Cape Cod, 2016)
The popcorn product line boasts of having 14 grams more whole grain per serving and are 150
calories per 2 ¼ cup serving. They also state that their popcorn has no preservatives, no
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artificial flavors or colors, gluten free, egg free, tree nut free and peanut free. This is an
important aspect to note for allergy sufferers.
They are active on the social media platforms of Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. A useful
marketing strategy they use in connecting with their consumers. As a private label, their market
share would be 8.4% and are part of the private label sales of $45.1 million dollars in 2015.
(Their exact portion of this total is not known.) Cape Cod was able to expand with the following
marketing strategy that worked in their favor: “Cape Cod Potato Chips had decided two
important things up front. First, they weren't going to try and be a chip that was all things to
all people. They were a high-end potato chip, which cost more but tasted better. Second, their
goal was to build a loyal customer base; to accomplish this, they knew they had to get their
product into the hands of as many potential customers as they could. They began to hand out
calculated samples. For example, they got their product on airlines so that people all over the
country would have the chance to try them. Thus, these potential customers would already be
aware of the great-tasting chips when the company entered their geographic region.” (BB&T,
n.d.)
Cape Cod’s strength is their marketing strategy of giving structured/calculated samples to
garner attention to their brand of products. Their weakness, they are still not highly favored in
taste as other competitors and still not well known.
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2.2.2 Smartfood Popcorn
Smartfood was created in 1985 and later purchased in 1989 by Frito Lay Company, which is a
subsidiary of PepsiCo. The founders of Smartfood are Andrew Martin, Ken Meyers, and Martin's
wife Ann Withey all of Hampton, Connecticut. Their basis of creating a Snack food stemmed from
the need to create a cheese popcorn that was made with real cheese and didn’t appear to “glow” in
the dark like previous cheese popcorn brands. When the brand was sold off to Frito Lay, Andrew
and Ann went on to create Annie’s Homegrown, which currently sells macaroni and cheese, pasta
and other organic products. (Wiki, 2016) The parent company of Smartfood Popcorn is Frito-Lay
North America which falls under the PepsiCo headquartered in Purchase, NY.
Smartfood Popcorn has been dubbed as “America’s favorite popcorn brand” stemming from 2015
retail sales data and various taste tests conducted. (Smartfood, 2016) Smartfood has various flavors
and varieties of popcorn ranging from their traditional white cheddar cheese to their delight fare
of white cheddar cheese. Their bagged popcorn snacks are always air-popped and use the best
premium ingredients for great tasting popcorn. Their brand name is based upon their belief that
“being smart is always in great taste.” A very interesting fact about their product found under the
FAQ’s section of their site is that in order to prolong freshness, the product can be stored in the
freezer.
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The Smartfood product line consists of a few varieties of air-popped popcorn. The flavors are as
follows:
Smartfood
White Cheddar Popcorn
Sweet and Salty Kettle Corn Flavor
Movie Theater Butter
Spicy Jalapeno Ranch (Released January-February 2016)
Smartfood delight
White Cheddar Popcorn
Sea Salt
All products in the line are air-popped, made with 100% whole grain, gluten free and no artificial
colors, flavors or preservatives. Standard serving size is 3 ½ cups and each per cup serving ranges
from 35-100 calories.
The brand also includes a product line of popped chips, popcorn, and puffed corn under the
Smartfood Selects name. “Smartfood Selects products can be found in the "natural aisle" of most
grocery stores.” (PR Newswire, 2012)
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In the U.S. popcorn sales amount to $2.6 billion in retail sales. The U.S. makes up to 60% of global
popcorn sales in 2014 and experience a growth of 36% for the periods of 2009-2014.
(Hosafci, 2015)
The parent company of Smartfood, Frito-Lay made up $14 billion net revenue of sales in what
they categorize as convenient foods. Smartfood alone made up to $127.1 million dollars in sales
as shown in the next graph in 2015. (Statista, 2016) From this data, market shares is estimated to
be 23.8% for Smartfood.
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The marketing style for Smartfood is one that offers smarter snacking choices without losing out
on great taste. The brand offers low-fat varieties within their product line in addition to reduced
calories. The key strength for Smartfood popcorn is the overwhelming taste of cheese of the white
cheddar popcorn. Their weakness, competitor brands gaining market share by offering lower
calorie and/or fat versions of their own cheddar popcorn with the same-shared natural ingredients.
One standout campaign occurred in 2013. Smartfood formed a partnership with SELF magazine
for the “We’ve Got Smart in the Bag” campaign. This campaign wanted consumers to define what
it truly meant to be SMART, acronym for savvy, motivated, accomplished, responsible and
thoughtful. A nationwide search was conducted that gave consumers/fans the chance to be
“celebrated for having “smart in the bag” – aligning with the Smartfood brand values of eating and
living well.” (PR Newswire, 2013)
Smartfood is active on the social media platforms of Facebook and Twitter. Transparency is shown
by interacting with comments made by consumers of their brand. The level of response time on
Facebook is usually within a 24-hour time period. Twitter is on real-time level. Therefore
comments made on this platform allows Smartfood to be a little more pro-active in responding in
less time than it takes for them to monitor their Facebook page.
2.2.3 Points-of-Parity between SkinnyPop and Smartfood delight
Can be served in small servings between meals
Is not considered a heavy food item
Is low in calories
Air-popped
No trans fat
Is a healthier alternative to chips
Contains “real” cheddar cheese taste
Gluten free
Consists of whole grains
Is heart healthy
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No artificial colors, flavors or preservatives
2.2.4 Points-of-Difference between SkinnyPop & Smartfood delight
Smartfood delight is lower in calories per cup at 35 calories while SkinnyPop is 43
calories per cup
SkinnyPop uses sunflower oil compared to Smartfood delight that uses vegetable oil
SkinnyPop uses non-dairy cheddar flavor
SkinnyPop uses fewer ingredients – actual package states snacking should be done
without compromise which means using fewer ingredients that are the cleanest and
simplest ingredients possible (Taken from SkinnyPop bag of popcorn, 2016)
Smartfood delight has more of a cheesier test for their white cheddar popcorn
Smartfood is 100% whole grain
Smartfood is 50% less fat compared to SkinnyPop
2.3 SkinnyPop & Amplify Logos, Symbols, Packaging & Slogans
(Slogan) Snacking without compromise. This slogan shows the concept of Amplify Snack
Brands simply by stating that there is no compromise when it comes to ones snacking needs.
The primary focus is on better-for-you snacks which means simple ingredients that can be
understood.
(Logo) The logo for
SkinnyPop Popcorn and name derives of the words Skinny and Pop combined to create
SkinnyPop. Pop simply stands for popped popcorn. Skinny is used for the fact that the
company uses fewer ingredients compared to their competitors as there is no artificial
anything found in the products. In other words skinny on ingredients.
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(Original) Ingredients: Popcorn, sunflower oil and salt.
(Black Pepper) Ingredients: Popcorn, sunflower oil, salt and black
pepper.
(White Cheddar) Ingredients: Popcorn, sunflower oil, natural
non-dairy cheddar flavor, salt, rice flour, natural flavor and lactic acid.
(Naturally Sweet) Ingredients: Popcorn, sunflower oil, cane
sugar and salt.
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(Multi-pack original) (Multi-pack white cheddar)
Announced on January 6, 2016, two new flavors include Jalapeno and Dusted Dark Chocolate.
(Amplify2, 2016) New flavors become available February 2016. To fall in line of the overall
“skinny” concept, the brand decided on simple packaging with as little graphics as possible.
Skinny on ingredients, skinny on overall look. Amplify felt there was no reason to add
extraordinary graphics as the name should speak for itself in a bold yet basic manner. The
packaging lists straightforward facts on ingredients and calories set between two bold neon
lines at the top and bottom of the packaging. A plain white background emphasizes the no
artificial anything as stated at the top of the packaging.
(Product
Certifications) The product certifications that are shown on the back of the packaging gives
consumers a reassurance of the authenticity of claims made by the brand as being whole
grain, kosher, gluten-free, etc.
2.4 Marketing
Focused on making Better-For-You (BFY) snacks. Appeals to consumer needs of more natural
snack foods in Ready-To-Eat (RTE) form. Before flavoring, base of popcorn is the popcorn
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kernel, sunflower oil and salt. Great tasting products without the trade-offs. Snacks are made
with the fewest, cleanest and simplest ingredients. This means the snacks are allergen free and
contain no GMOs. No artificial flavors, ingredients or preservatives and are gluten free.
Target market: Millennial health-conscious women
(Josue, 2014)
Marketing is limited to YouTube reviews and word-of-mouth marketing. Occasionally a
consumer may chance upon a coupon for the product but there has not been any commercials
created for brand. Investors Presentation dated January 2016 confirmed marketing focused on
social media platforms, public relations and influencers.
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Market share at end of 2015: 16.4%
(Amplify3)
2.4.1 Consumer Reviews & Social Media Marketing
5.0 2/7/2016
try it
By Laurie
from Hollywood CA
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Amazing product healthy and tastes like something I could buy at a movie theater amazing does
not taste like bagged pop at all love it
Bottom LineYes, I would recommend this to a friend
Images shared by Laurie
5.0 2/1/2016
Always fresh!
By Snowman
from Stamford, CT
We love this popcorn in our office. It always tastes fresh. It's great!
Bottom LineYes, I would recommend this to a friend
2.0 1/8/2016
I can do better.
By Disappointed
from Oklahoma City, ok
A friend bought this for a movie night and we were disappointed. It's just plain old popcorn,
nothing special, that I could have made from scratch at a fraction of the cost.
Bottom LineNo, I would not recommend this to a friend
5.0 1/6/2016
Should be called Simply Pop
By Donna
from New Jersey
I give it a very high rating but wish the name could be changed to simply pop....it's not skinny,
it's high in fat. Your advertising symbol that says "indulge guilt free" is misleading. It's very high
in fat. Especially if you indulge. I have changed nothing about my diet and I have gained weight.
Bottom LineYes, I would recommend this to a friend (SkinnyPop1, 2016)
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Princess Fara @kisskissfara Feb 11
So #skinnypop isn't really skinny if you eat half the bag, right?
0 retweets0 likes
User Actions
Follow
SkinnyPop PopcornVerified account@theskinnypop
@kisskissfara We are still skinny on ingredients.
#SnackOn
10:55 AM - 12 Feb 2016
0 retweets0 likes
Reply to @theskinnypop @kisskissfara
Princess Fara @kisskissfara Feb 12
@theskinnypop lol! It is delicious! I absolutely love it!
0 retweets0 likes
(@theskinnypop, 2016)
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SkinnyPop
Food/Beverages
109,559 people like this
(SkinnyPop Facebook)
theskinnypop
FOLLOWOptions
SkinnyPop Popcorn
SkinnyPop Popcorn. The simply delicious guilt-free snack.shop.skinnypop.com/
218 posts
4,756 followers
194 following (SkinnyPop Instagram)
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SkinnyPop Popcorn
Verified account
@theskinnypop
TWEETS
3,314
FOLLOWING
1,049
FOLLOWERS
14.8K
LIKES
798
(SkinnyPop Twitter)
2.5 Financials
SkinnyPop was acquired on July 17, 2014 through TA Associates, a Private Equity firm. Previous
to acquisition, SkinnyPop sales were estimated to be $90 million a year. (Ortenberg, 2016) The
parent company to SkinnyPop is Amplify Snack Brands. SkinnyPop is the main revenue maker
for Amplify. Sales in 2014 for Amplify was $132.4 million which was more than double the total
for 2013 which closed at $55.4 million. Due to an increase in marketing and administrative costs,
net income in 2014 was down to $13.6 million from the previous years’ $24.8 million. (ZRS, 2015)
Net sales at the end of 9 months at September 30, 2015 increased 38.5% to $137.5 million
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compared to the previous 9-month period of 2014. Driver for sales stemmed from increase in brand
level velocity and new distribution channels. (Amplify1, 2015) SkinnyPop is one of two brands
that are owned by Amplify. The second brand is Paqui which consists of a line of tortilla chips.
Pacqui was acquired in April 2015 by Amplify.
The majority of all sales and revenue for Amplify stem from the Skinny Pop brand.
(Amplify3) SkinnyPop is expected to continue in growth for sales, gross profit and revenue in 2016.
With expansion into tortilla chips and additional flavors for both types of BFY, RTE products,
continued growth is apparent.
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2.6 Distribution
The channels for distribution include club and mass store chains, grocery stores, drug stores and
other types of distribution channels.
Growth driven by expansion of grocery channel distribution, gains in household penetration and
additional regions of club stores. (Amplify, 2015) Product line sold across the U.S. and Canada.
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(Ortenberg, 2016) Growth since acquisition in July 2014. Fifty-two week retail sales by channel
is shown in the next graph ending December 27, 2015.
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(Amplify3)
In short, Amplify plans to continue with their plan for long-term growth via an increase in
household penetration by offering new product innovations in terms of flavor varieties and possible
international expansion. They are currently in a category of RTE that shows strong growth
internationally as depicted by the next chart in addition to a strong growth over other snack food
categories like, pretzels, microwave popcorn, potato chips and cookies just to name a few.
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3.1 What Consumers Mean to SkinnyPop
Consumers and the choices they make are the driving force that either makes or breaks a brand.
Consumers have various manners of communication channels in which they can be influenced to
support a brand or deterred away from supporting a brand. The ways in which this can occur are
through the following:
“Advocacy – 38% of people recommend a brand they like or follow on social media.
Brand – 21% of consumers say they purchased a new product because it was from a brand
they like.
Conversions – 38% of moms are more likely to buy products from brands that other women
Like on Facebook.
Email Marketing – 64% of respondents will open an email if they trust the brand.
Search – 16% increase in brand recall when a recognized brand appeared in search results.
Social Media – 77% of brand conversations on social media are people looking for advice,
information, or help.
Word of Mouth – brands that inspire higher emotional intensity receive 3 times the word-
of-mouth marketing.” (Karr, 2015)
Brand awareness is essential for SkinnyPop to further their target market and maintain the current
brand supporters. Creating a recognizable logo and memorable slogan are two elements that assist
with brand awareness to the SkinnyPop consumer. “To build brand awareness, you must make
sure your target market is exposed to your products and recognizes them in multiple ways. An
identifiable logo and distinct brand message can present the repetition that can make your name
memorable.” (Berman, n.d.)
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3.2 Target Market Profile
The target market for the SkinnyPop brand is non-gender specific. Any person that has an active
lifestyle and/or values their health via the foods they eat are target. In addition, there are families
with or without children and millennials who the brand targets the most in their marketing efforts.
Millennials are not only tech savvy and very vocal on social media platforms but have adopted a
means to wanting to eat better on a daily basis. “The most health-centric are Generation Z —
consumers under age 20 — with 41% saying they would willingly pay a premium for "healthier"
products. That compares with 32% of Millennials (ages 21 to 34) and about 21% of Baby Boomers
(about 50 to mid-60s).” (Horovitz, 2015) This small statistic alone shows that more, younger
people care about their health just as much as Generation X & Y consumers and older. As stated,
this is also applied to families with or without children and those individuals that lead active
lifestyles. As long as the brand has guaranteed health benefits such as no artificial flavors or colors,
this target market will infiltrate the product into their current lifestyle.
3.3 Analysis of Survey Responses
A survey was administered to a small sampling of graduate students via online communications
through West Virginia University. The sampling size could only account for a miniscule portion
of the United States population. Therefore, for this study, we will say the population studied would
only apply to the U.S. graduate student population on the east coast. The margin of error in a
sample = 1 divided by the square root of the number of people in the sample. Fifteen people took
the survey therefore the formula for margin of error is equal to
1
√15
which is 25.8%. The larger the
sampling size the smaller the percentage of error whereas the smaller the sampling size, the higher
the percentage of error.
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The questions administered to the students helped in understanding the current consumer
knowledge of the brand in general. There were also questions on flavor choices currently available
versus those that should be made available on either a permanent and/or limited edition basis.
Optional demographic questions were included to categorize the respondents into smaller sample
buckets.
3.3.1 Statistical Analysis of Survey
Of the 15 respondents, 4 out of 15 respondents (27%) had not heard of the SkinnyPop brand name
before taking the survey.
Interesting on 4 out of 11 respondents (36%) have actually purchased the brand with white cheddar
flavor being popular among 75% of that sampling.
For the 11 respondents that have not purchased the brand, the reasoning behind not purchasing is
as follows:
27% stated that they pop their own popcorn
18% stated they enjoy a competitor over SkinnyPop (Boy Scouts & Smartfood Popcorn)
27% were not aware of the brand
18% had no reason as to why they didn’t purchase
9% stated that they don’t normally eat popcorn as a snack.
For the last part of the survey, respondents were given a list of potential popcorn flavors that
SkinnyPop could offer in the future either on a permanent basis or limited edition basis. The
choices included: salt & vinegar, hint of lime, garlic flavored, ranch flavor or other. For other,
respondents were able to write in any flavor they could think of to add to the line.
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7% would like Salt & Vinegar flavored popcorn
7% would like Hint of Lime flavored popcorn
20% would like Garlic flavored popcorn
27% would like Ranch flavored popcorn
27% had no preference for product offerings
7% chose a Jalapeno Cheddar flavor &
7% chose either Caramel corn or parmesan cheese flavored corn
Of those who chose flavors:
27% would like new flavors introduced on a limited basis in order to keep creating new
flavors periodically
45% would like new flavors introduced on a permanent basis &
27% stated that it would really depend on the taste of the new flavor in order to determine
whether it should be permanent or limited.
In retrospect, more consumers like permanent product choices compared to limited product choices.
It falls in line with the comfort level of knowing your favorite brand is always available for your
consumption.
3.3.2 Consumer Reviews Outside the Sample Population
On the World Wide Web, there are many reviews and/or blogs in relation to SkinnyPop popcorn.
Many bloggers disclosed that they received popcorn from the company to try out and post their
reviews on their personal blog sites. Others either reviewed through various marketplace sites like
Amazon.com or posted comments on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. There are
also reviews conducted to compare SkinnyPop to their main competitor Smartfood popcorn.
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3.3.3 The “Skinny” on SkinnyPop
Upon first introduction of the brand being made available, many consumers flocked to their local
Costco or Walgreens in order to purchase the product after their favorite blogger(s) posted a review.
Many came back to the blog disgruntled after a while as they found they were not able to locate
the brand in Costco as it was stated that the warehouse retailer would no longer stock the bag sizes
being purchased. (They are now able to purchase in bulk multi-pack single serving sizes.) Many
consumers believe the product is great for snacking and does not taste like cardboard or a product
with powder cheese as other products. The consensus on many sites stated the same in terms of
being able to consume a large volume of popcorn (4 cups) that would only equal to 155 calories
per serving. Low calories and the added fact that the product is made with simple ingredients like
salt, sunflower oil and corn. For the health conscientious consumer, this product hits the mark in
fulfilling the need for something light and simple yet tasty.
Some reviews posted on sites include:
Amazon.com – “5. 0 out of 5starsI Love Skinny Pop!
ByI'd rather be at the Beach TOP 500 R EVI EWER on February 8, 2014
Skinny Pop is not too salty, too dry or too greasy. It is tender but crunchy...I don't know how they
managed that. To me, it is just delicious. Of course, I love that it is so low calories and has NO Trans Fat
and NO Cholesterol. I had actually quit eating popcorn before Skinny Pop because the Low Fat popcorn
was dried out and tasteless, and the only other kind you could find was either loaded with the artificial
Butter taste, or too greasy....or both! I highly recommend your trying Skinny Pop.” (Amazon, 2014)
Spark People
I do skinny pop and the white cheddar smart food. I like both brands. I don't own a microwave an
never will. For a special treat I pop the corn in coconut oil. That way i don't need butter and it has a
wonderful flavor. (DIDS70, 2012)
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Wegmans Grocery Store -
5 / 5
Best Popcorn Ever
October 31, 2015
MARY
Dietary Needs:Gluten Free / Celiac
THis popcorn is so good that I eat whole bag
(Mary, 2015)
What are consumers saying about the competition?
Snack-girl.com
Boom Chick a Pop is the best popcorn bar none, better than home made. When Costco sells it we
buy a few Huge bags and stash then away. Wegman's sells it in their health food section so I am
presuming it is non GMO. But I guess you never know.
Stephanie on June 20, 2013
(Stephanie, 2013)
Good Guide
Smartfood DelightSea Salt Flavored Popcorn
7.2
health score
(GG, n.d.) The total score of 7.2 is out of 10 points.
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SheSpeaks (Review on Smartfood popcorn)
ishhappens
03.09.14
Be advised this stuff is super addictive, i have a rule to never eat out of the bag cause i will just eat
way too much. I absolutely love that there is a snack alternative to fried chips that is even better yet!
How rare is that? This popcorn stays in my pantry! A++ rating from me and my family!!
(Ishhappens, 2014)
Consumers have their own preferences in the foods they eat and the brands they support. This has
been shown via the array of answers given by respondents in the survey and the sampling of
reviews posted about competitor brands and the SkinnyPop brand. Many consumers see the brand
as comparable to other brands like Boom Chicka Pop and Smartfood. The degree to which one
appreciates a salty and/or buttery flavor that doesn’t taste artificial remains to be a plus in the
minds of consumers. As long as the taste is right and the product is readily available at their local
store, there is a fair chance of consumerism towards the brand of choice.
3.4 What Do Consumers Think About SkinnyPop?
3.4.1 Logo
The name and logo of using the word skinny in SkinnyPop makes the name more endearing as it
personifies the brand as containing what a consumer wants or needs. Generally skinny is a step up
from the word diet. As previously stated, skinny was adopted by the brand to exemplify that the
product is made with “few ingredients, better-for-you and a lifestyle.” In other words it is the “it”
word to use to define food products of low caloric and low to no processed components of the item.
(MDG, n.d.)
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3.4.2 Packaging
More consumers are stating that even though the current packaging has low calories per serving,
they would be appreciative of a 100 calorie bag serving. Many other competitors in the snacking
industry offers these alternatives like Nabisco 100 Calorie Chips Ahoy, Jolly time 100 Calorie
Healthy Pop Mini Bags and 100 Calorie Sun Chips. When a consumer does not have to maintain
their own portion control as the brand does it for them in how the product is packaged, it makes
snacking easier without much thought.
3.4.3 Slogan
The slogan snacking without compromise was implemented to show that the brand understands
the consumer need for better-for-you snacks. Consumer perception is just that. They expect the
snacks to be as the brand claims. Therefore when seeing the slogan, consumers are reassured that
they are receiving a healthy product that tastes good and worth the cost paid.
3.4.4 Marketing
The marketing tactic used in the beginning involved cents or dollars off coupons at a local
wholesaler for the consumer. Millennials are the current trendsetters for various consumer
experiences with brands. Always looking for new flavor adventures, they want healthy or indulgent
snacks that meet their desire for new flavors in food and beverages. To them, SkinnyPop currently
fills that need on the better-for-you category in offering a tasty snack that doesn’t add any extra
preservatives, colors or other non-describable ingredients that many manufacturers list on their
packaging. By offering simple ingredients of salt, sunflower oil and corn, millennials have helped
SkinnyPop see a 1,900% increase in sales from 2011 to 2014, according to FoodBusinessNews.
(Fromm, 2015)
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4.1 Goals
1. To increase brand awareness of the SkinnyPop brand and R-T-E snacks that are better-for-you
by maintaining the promise made through the SkinnyPop slogan of snacking without compromise.
2. To increase market share in the ready-to-eat snack food category with increases in product
availability and product choices.
4.2 Objectives
1. Increase brand recognition by 10% over current customer base within 3 months.
2. Increase market share by 5% over a 3-month period.
4.3 Strategies
1. SkinnyPop relies heavily on social media and word-of-mouth marketing of their brand.
Therefore, these same strategies will used but with greater intensity. SkinnyPop will become more
transparent in online presence through the platforms of Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Creating
a constant buzz on these platforms will increase brand recognition as more users start following
the brand on the various platforms and sharing their finds with their friends and families.
2. Introducing new flavors on a monthly basis will increase consumer market share. The brand
will then be able to determine which flavors were well received and others that had a lukewarm to
low reception. This is gauged through sales figures by flavor of popcorn offered. Social media and
sales are compared to understand consumer feelings on the flavors offered and whether or not
those feelings match sales. More consumers will continue to look to SkinnyPop of introducing
either limited flavors and/or permanent flavors on a continuing basis.
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4.4 Tactics
1. Have employees take turns monitoring Twitter and Facebook in order to be able to respond to
all posts in a timely manner.
a. Maintain social platforms on a daily basis by retweeting, liking and/or sharing YouTube
videos if no new posts are made by the brand.
b. Create new teaser buzz twice a day, especially in the face of new flavor introduction
and/or new snack offering (brand acquisition). This assists with creating word-of-mouth marketing
by consumers.
c. Have quarterly college visits where students can learn more about the brand and receive
samples and/or coupons at a booth.
d. Work with distribution channels in product movement and displays at their location to
assist in making the brand stand out more during monthly flavor promotions via brand name and
product placement at aisle ends.
2. Upon introduction of new flavors, offer samples and simple 5 question surveys to gauge what
the consumer thinks of the new flavor in addition for suggestions of future flavors.
a. Flavor samplings and surveys can be handed out at various distribution channels, college
campuses, airports and malls. Wherever heavy foot traffic of consumers occur is considered a good
place to not only gain market share but also increase brand recognition.
b. Create clever and short videos that introduces the flavor of the month that can be shared
on various social media platforms. Depending on videos created and humor associated with flavor
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introduction, could become viral thus initiating widespread buzz and increase in consumerism of
brand.
c. Create a relation with a cause that can become an ongoing habit for the brand. For every
bag of SkinnyPop purchased, 1 bag is sent to an emerging country with assistance of transferring
product through other aids like Red Cross. In addition to each bag being sent twice a year, a supply
of fresh bottled water can be sent with the bags. This can promote healthy eating for both developed
and emerging countries. Teaming with Red Cross brings additional brand recognition in that
SkinnyPop shows that they care about social causes that matter to consumers.
4.5 Key Points to Observe for Skinny Pop Future
Ready-to-eat food products grew by 60% over 2-year period between 2012-2014.
(Watson, 2015) Therefore, Skinny Pop can easily gain an additional market share growth of 5% in
3-months.
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Bloggers and other social media enthusiasts love to conduct taste tests and post the results online.
(Achitoff-Gray,
n.d.)
Knowing that consumers utilize social media a great deal, it is to the benefit of SkinnyPop to
remain active and transparent on all social media platforms used. View the taste tests posted and
comment on those tests to again show true presence online.
The CastlesShow @NatashaCastles Feb 3
I never really cared for popcorn until I stumbled upon @theskinnypop!! Sooooo good!!!
Follow
SkinnyPop PopcornVerifiedaccount@theskinnypop
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@NatashaCastles Thanks for sharing your
#SkinnyPopLove!
(SkinnyPop, 2016 Twitter Feed) Future brand advocates love to post about their find of a new and
good product. Therefore, these should be the first to look for in offering mailed samples for earned
advertising of the products and brand name.
4.6 Risk Factors
Some of the key risk factors of the company that have been disclosed by the CEO & CFO are as
follows:
“The bulk of sales were generated from a limited number of sellers. Costco Wholesale
Corp. US:COST accounted for 34.7% of net sales in 2014 and Wal-Mart Stores Inc.’s
US:WMT Sam’s Club accounted for 20.9%. (This means in order for SkinnyPop to
prosper further in the R-T-E market share, a need for partnering with more distributors and
retailers is a must.)
The company depends exclusively on one third-party co-manufacturer, with one location,
to make all of its SkinnyPop products. Any change in the relationship, or disruption of
delivery channels from the location could hurt business. (In order to start offering
SkinnyPop on a global scale, consideration needs to be taken of a 2nd and even 3rd co-
manufacturer via an exclusive contract with said party(s).)
The company relies on its one third-party co-manufacturer to maintain product quality. If
that one co-manufacturer fails to maintain the integrity of the brand, it would weigh heavily
on the company’s BFY reputation.” (Again this ties in with gaining exclusivity with
another party or two for insurance of maintaining reputation while still providing a quality
product.) (Kilgore, 2015)
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