Tastycake Sensables Background- Tasty Baking Company (TBC) manufactures, co-packages, and sells a variety of premium single portion cakes, pies, snack bars, pretzels and brownies under the name Tastykake. At present there are about 100 different varieties. The company posts revenues of a bit over $200 million. One of the products that TBC brought to market was the Sensable Sugar Free line of treats, which many called a sugar-free Twinkie (Prouty, 2008). Sensables are marketed with only 2-5 grams of net carbs per serving, but have only a 21 day shelf life at room temperature.

New Product Development- In business and engineering there is a process required to bring new products to market. It is typically an eight stage process in which different tasks are the focus, allowing the development process to remain robust. In the era of computers, however, some of the steps have been truncated, thus decreasing time to market and increasing competitive advantage. Each stage is rather fluid (i.e. may be omitted, last shorter or longer, etc.).

Step

Components

Issues for TBC

1. Idea Generation

Sometimes known as fuzzy front end; comprised of SWOT analysis, market and consumer trends, R&D development, feedback, opportunity analysis, etc.

Low carb, Atkins frenzy, books, diets, health conscious America.

2. Idea...

Concept Development and Testing
Investigate past products and the competition; features and benefits; consumer issues; costs; feasibility.

Issues with low carb and no sugar products: palatability, shelf-life, taste, texture.

4. Business Analysis

Establish likely selling price, penetration needs, estimate break even.

Is low-carb a fad or a trend?

5. Beta and Market Testing

Produce physical mock up; test product and packaging; conduct focus groups, adjust, re-research, begin to store data.

East Coast shows some success; big box stores (Target, Wal-Mart, etc.) are interested.

6. Technical Implementation

Quality management, resources, published data sheets, supplier collaboration, chain marketing, logistics.

True issue; flavors had to be artificial; shelf life issue; consumer perception.

7. Commercialization

Product launch, distribution chain, critical path analysis.

Ad campaign -- indulge.

8. New…