Sun-Maid Raisins Gets an Update

Do you remember the last time you bought raisins? It may have been awhile if you are like many consumers who look for the newest products on the market.

Raisins have been a staple of many families; that box of Sun-Maid Raisins in your pantry is from one of the oldest farm cooperative organizations around. Sun-Maid has been in business since 1912 and the cooperative is owned by family farmers who grow raisins and grapes in the Central Valley of California. However, although longevity can be a powerful statement for a company, it can also keep a company from being seen as relevant and up-to-date by today’s younger Millennial consumers. This is the case faced by Sun-Maid.

For the first time in more than 10 years, Sun-Maid will be launching a nation-wide marketing campaign to attract new consumers. The challenge is clear: Raisins are not a top-of-mind snack and faces many challengers for valuable grocery store shelf-space. Consumers are attracted by innovative, new foods. And, while Sun-Maid has launched new flavors of sour raisin snacks, the need for a makeover was clear.

Maintaining growers is also crucial. Raisin acreage in San Joaquin Valley has declined and raisin crops have been replaced by higher value crops including almonds, wine grapes, and other crops. The challenge is to increase consumption, retain growers, and gain new consumers.

What kind of snack do you buy?

Group Activities and Discussion Questions:

1. Discuss how to build and use a SWOT analysis grid: strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (internal and external factors).
2. Review Sun-Maid Raisins: http://www.sunmaid.com
3. For Sun-Maid, break students into teams and have each team build a SWOT analysis grid.
   1. Strengths: what is company good at?
   2. Weaknesses: what needs work?
   3. Opportunities: what is going on in marketplace?
   4. Threats: what should company be wary of?
4. Based on the analysis, what are the issues and risks that might occur?
5. Debrief by building SWOT analysis grid on the white board. Does this give a good picture of the situation faced by Sun-Maid?

Source:  Rodriguez, R. (19 August 2018). Will adding a sour kick get millennials to eat raisins? Fresno Bee.