Birds Eye Foods Memo, Competitors, Brand, Summary of Frozen Vegetables Market

This memo presents the Birds Eye Foods brand, its competitor Green Giant, and a brief summary of the frozen vegetables market.
Birds Eye Foods
Within the large market for frozen foods, I chose the Birds Eye Foods line of frozen vegetables for my brand analysis. I chose the Birds Eye Foods company and its line of frozen vegetable products because the technology behind the company’s products truly fascinates me. From the early technique of “flash-freezing,” to the modern feature of steaming vegetables inside the bag, I have a particular fondness for such innovative food preparation techniques.
Birds Eye Foods has a long history dating back to 1927 when Clarence Birdseye discovered a way to “flash-freeze” food. Initially the technique was used for meat products, however eventually the practice spread to almost every corner of the grocery store. The company Birds Eye Foods has had many owners over the years, and even now the international businesses operating under the same name are separately owned. Since about the year 2000, Birds Eye Foods has focused primarily on producing and marketing frozen vegetables, both through branded and non-branded strategies.
Green Giant
The Green Giant brand of frozen vegetables immediately stood out to me as a key competitor to Birds Eye Foods. As I looked through the frozen foods aisle in the supermarket, I noticed that Green Giant offers a line of frozen vegetable products that is complementary to Birds Eye Foods’. Green Giant frozen vegetables are preserved with the same “flash-freeze” technique as Birds Eye Foods’, which locks in freshness. Green Giant also offers a line of frozen vegetables which can be steamed right inside their store-bought bag. Further, Green Giant has taken a stab at the health-foods segment of the market by selling a line of boxed frozen vegetables called “Healthy Weight.”
Green Giant last year became the first frozen vegetables distributor to feature sauce on vegetables, inside a steaming-ready bag. New innovations like this are grabbing market share away from historically dominant players in the frozen vegetables sub-category, like Birds Eye Foods. Because of innovations like this, Green Giant is continuing to see sales growth.
Frozen Vegetables Market
The frozen vegetables sub-category is part of the overall frozen foods industry. Despite the economic downturn, the frozen foods industry and frozen vegetables sub-category of goods are actually growing slightly. This sub-category includes frozen peas, corn, green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, mushrooms, and potatoes, for example. Vegetables are “flash-frozen” using a technique which preserves their juiciness and freshness when thawed. Innovations in this sub-category include mixing different vegetables together, and adding sauces to the vegetables. The frozen vegetables sub-category in terns of sales is not very large to begin with, though its participants continue to find innovative ways to expand product lines and grow sales, regardless.
In the coming months, I intend to perform an analysis of the frozen vegetables market, and recap and contrast the marketing strategies of Birds Eye Foods and Green Giant. I will also develop a three-point plan for Birds Eye Foods to use in improving its competitive position within the frozen vegetables sub-category. I have attached an annotated bibliography containing sources I may use to complete the analysis. The full report will be delivered to you in person on November 30.

Other posts on Birds Eye:
Birds Eye Foods Memo, Competitors, Brand, Summary of Frozen Vegetables Market
Birds Eye Foods Brand Analysis and Comparison with Competitor Brand: Target Market Segmentation Strategy
Brand Analysis Report: Birds Eye Foods vs. Green Giant Frozen Vegetables-- Distribution
Brand Analysis Report: Birds Eye Foods vs. Green Giant Frozen Vegetables-- Promotion
Brand Analysis Report: Birds Eye Foods vs. Green Giant Frozen Vegetables-- Pricing
Brand Analysis Report: Birds Eye Foods vs. Green Giant Frozen Vegetables-- Product Positioning and Strategy
Brand Analysis Report: Birds Eye Foods vs. Green Giant Frozen Vegetables-- Brand Recommendations
Brand Analysis Report: Birds Eye Foods vs. Green Giant Frozen Vegetables, Full Report
Brand Analysis Report: Birds Eye Foods Frozen Vegetables; Review of Product Sub-Category
Annotated Bibliography for Birds Eye Foods’ Frozen Vegetables, Full Document
Annotated Bibliography for Birds Eye Foods’ Frozen Vegetables, Part 1
Annotated Bibliography for Birds Eye Foods’ Frozen Vegetables, Part 2
Annotated Bibliography for Birds Eye Foods’ Frozen Vegetables, Part 3

Attached: Annotated Bibliography

Annotated Bibliography for Birds Eye Foods’ Frozen Vegetables

Annotated Bibliography for Birds Eye Foods’ Frozen Vegetables

Beirne, Mike. "Birds Eye Steamfresh Says: 'You're the Inspiration'" Brandweek 48.33 (2007): 10. Academic Search Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .

This article comes from a marketing publication called Brandweek. The author of this article writes about the strength of the Birds Eye ‘steam-in-the-bag’ concept, and comments about the latest marketing campaign the company has used to promote this product. I plan to reference this article when I write about target markets, as this is a perfect example of how Birds Eye has focused its marketing strategy on busy people and students, and invented this product specifically for them. Also, creating the ‘steam-in-the-bag’ style is a good example of how the company has taken a packaging strategy approach in this instance, providing greater functionality in an existing product.

"Birds Eye Phases Out Private Label, Will Focus on Brands." Frozen Food Age 55.1 (2006): 10. Business Source Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .

This article, found in a frozen food periodical, begins by theorizing why consumers are buying more plain frozen vegetables as a result of frozen vegetable innovations like steam-fresh bags. The suggestion is that, as consumers enter the frozen foods aisle to purchase new innovations that attract them, like steam-fresh bags, they spend more time in the aisle, and as a result simply end up purchasing more plain frozen vegetable products. This type of marketing strategy hinges on product positioning, and it will make a solid feature of my brand analysis. This somewhat recent article also comments on how, by dumping its non-branded frozen business, Birds Eye has freed up lower-performing resources it can now use to promote its branded, more popular products. I will discuss this move as well, because it marked a key product management strategy.

"Birds Eye to Sell Frozen-Food Plants." Rural Cooperatives 73.5 (2006): 35-36. Print.

This article was published in a journal about farming cooperatives. It refers to a coop known as Pro-Fac Cooperative Inc. which works closely with Birds Eye to supply its vegetables, and which also owns a sizable piece of the ownership stake underlying Birds Eye. This article talks about Birds Eye’s efforts in 2006-07 to either sell or close down five of its plants. In making this move, Birds Eye was attempting to exit the non-branded frozen foods market and sell only branded goods. This reference will come in handy as I conduct an “environmental scan” of the frozen vegetables sub-category market. Consolidation is a popular theme in the frozen foods industry, where margins are low and competition is stiff. This article will help me shape such an image of the industry.

Other posts on Birds Eye:
Birds Eye Foods Memo, Competitors, Brand, Summary of Frozen Vegetables Market
Birds Eye Foods Brand Analysis and Comparison with Competitor Brand: Target Market Segmentation Strategy
Brand Analysis Report: Birds Eye Foods vs. Green Giant Frozen Vegetables-- Distribution
Brand Analysis Report: Birds Eye Foods vs. Green Giant Frozen Vegetables-- Promotion
Brand Analysis Report: Birds Eye Foods vs. Green Giant Frozen Vegetables-- Pricing
Brand Analysis Report: Birds Eye Foods vs. Green Giant Frozen Vegetables-- Product Positioning and Strategy
Brand Analysis Report: Birds Eye Foods vs. Green Giant Frozen Vegetables-- Brand Recommendations
Brand Analysis Report: Birds Eye Foods vs. Green Giant Frozen Vegetables, Full Report
Brand Analysis Report: Birds Eye Foods Frozen Vegetables; Review of Product Sub-Category
Annotated Bibliography for Birds Eye Foods’ Frozen Vegetables, Full Document
Annotated Bibliography for Birds Eye Foods’ Frozen Vegetables, Part 1
Annotated Bibliography for Birds Eye Foods’ Frozen Vegetables, Part 2
Annotated Bibliography for Birds Eye Foods’ Frozen Vegetables, Part 3

"End-of-Line Packaging Systems Maximize Efficiency." Packaging Digest 44.5 (2007): 44-46. Business Source Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .

This packaging journal article outlines the packaging process for goods like bags of frozen vegetables. Once frozen vegetables are flash-frozen, the article shows how the foods are bagged and boxed up for transport to wholesale distributors and retail stores. Because distribution is an important consideration of any marketing strategy, it will help for me to incorporate some content from this article into my brand analysis. Packaging plays an important role in how goods are distributed, and I plan to use this article as a starting point from which to expand into discussion of channel structure, intermediaries, and partnerships.

Fleenor, D. Gail. "Frozen Vegetable Sales are Steaming." Progressive Grocer 88.5 (2009): 110-12. Business Source Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .

This article comes from a grocer journal, and was recently published. Content of the article ranges from a discussion about growth in the frozen vegetables sub-industry, to a statistical analysis of figures supporting the claim. Further, the author makes a link between innovative techniques for preparing frozen vegetables, like steaming, and growth the sub-industry has seen for non-steaming products. Next, the article outlines why the frozen vegetables sub-category has taken off in terms of sales volume, with regard to the demographic of today’s frozen vegetable consumer. Finally, the article talks about product innovations by Green Giant, my competitor brand of choice, which I can use to contrast the marketing techniques that Birds Eye employs.

Hartnett, Michael. "Growing Vegetables Sales." Frozen Food Age 54.11 (2006): 26-37. Business Source Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .

From the frozen food periodical Frozen Food Age, this author discusses the stiff competition that Birds Eye faces in the frozen food sub-category. Several other players in this sub-category have released timely product innovations in response to Birds Eye’s steam-fresh line of products. These moves have cut into Birds Eye’s market share and threaten its continued innovative dominance. Based on information from this article, I will be able to construct a brand recommendation for Birds Eye to use for coping in this environment. I can use the figures quoted in this article to support my recommendation.

Reyes, Sonia. "Birds Eye Thaws out $20M for Soup Intro." Brandweek 43.35 (2002): 4. ProQuest Research Library. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .

This article came from the marketing publication Brandweek. It talks about Birds Eye’s jump from its core line of frozen vegetables into the market of frozen soup. Birds Eye undertook a large marketing campaign to show consumers that they can have the same flash-frozen Birds Eye vegetables they already love in a new, chunky soup form. Referring to the advertisements used by Birds Eye for this campaign, I can hone in on the company’s strategy for reaching target consumers with the right content.

Reyes, Sonia. "Birds Eye's Veggie Tales." Brandweek 42.37 (2001): 1-2. Academic Search Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .

This article, also from Brandweek, goes back to 2001 when Birds Eye first decided to delve heavily into the frozen vegetable market. The article mentions the growth in size of the company’s marketing budget and competition that is already present in the sub-industry. With this article, I will be able to analyze Birds Eye’s entry into the market which ultimately became its primary revenue driver. I will be able to analyze differences in the company’s marketing strategy from that time, to what it has become today. The article also mentions the use of sweepstakes as a marketing tool.

Riell, Howard. "Birds Eye Lines Seek to Inspire Consumers." Frozen Food Age (May 2006): 12. Business Source Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .

The author of this article outlines Birds Eye’s attempt to take the frozen foods sub-category to a whole new level of competition by introducing two new lines of innovative frozen vegetable product. In addition to the steam-fresh vegetables, Birds Eye now sells “Steam and Serve,” and “Herb Garden Collection.” Both of these lines seek to lure customers into making a purchase by getting them excited about the prospect of consuming vegetables. The varieties of vegetables available within these product lines appeal to a wide target market, which is an aspect of product positioning that I plan to focus on. A labeling and packaging strategy such as this one is an interesting attempt to get customers to buy something they wouldn’t ordinarily buy: frozen vegetables. I will discuss this combination of new product development and product modification. Finally, this article mentions product prices, which I also plan to cover in my outline of Birds Eye’s attempt to gain market share.

Watson, Elaine. "Frozen Frustration." Food Manufacture 81 (2006): 13. Business Source Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .

This article includes a thorough survey of consumer perceptions regarding frozen vegetables. For companies like Birds Eye, increasing the pool size of potential consumers may have something to do with changing the way consumers think and feel about frozen produce. This has to do with product positioning, in that Birds Eye must seek to promote a reputation about frozen vegetables that is more positive than in the past. The data in this article will be useful when I form a brand recommendation for Birds Eye’s promotional tactics regarding this topic.


Other posts on Birds Eye:
Birds Eye Foods Memo, Competitors, Brand, Summary of Frozen Vegetables Market
Birds Eye Foods Brand Analysis and Comparison with Competitor Brand: Target Market Segmentation Strategy
Brand Analysis Report: Birds Eye Foods vs. Green Giant Frozen Vegetables-- Distribution
Brand Analysis Report: Birds Eye Foods vs. Green Giant Frozen Vegetables-- Promotion
Brand Analysis Report: Birds Eye Foods vs. Green Giant Frozen Vegetables-- Pricing
Brand Analysis Report: Birds Eye Foods vs. Green Giant Frozen Vegetables-- Product Positioning and Strategy
Brand Analysis Report: Birds Eye Foods vs. Green Giant Frozen Vegetables-- Brand Recommendations
Brand Analysis Report: Birds Eye Foods vs. Green Giant Frozen Vegetables, Full Report
Brand Analysis Report: Birds Eye Foods Frozen Vegetables; Review of Product Sub-Category
Annotated Bibliography for Birds Eye Foods’ Frozen Vegetables, Full Document
Annotated Bibliography for Birds Eye Foods’ Frozen Vegetables, Part 1
Annotated Bibliography for Birds Eye Foods’ Frozen Vegetables, Part 2
Annotated Bibliography for Birds Eye Foods’ Frozen Vegetables, Part 3

Brand Analysis Report: Birds Eye Foods vs. Green Giant Frozen Vegetables-- Brand Recommendations

Brand Recommendations


The following series of three recommendations for the Birds Eye Foods brand are designed to increase the company’s presence in the frozen food industry, namely the frozen vegetables sub-category of products (Figure 6). Frozen vegetables seem to be near the end of the growth stage of the product life cycle. Just when it appears this sub-category has entered maturity, another new innovation is put on the market, leading sales to grow a little bit more. It is this slow sales growth of the sub-category, however, that indicates that it may already be in the maturity stage. Accordingly, this first suggestion relates to research and development expenditures.


First, it would be wise for the company to invest heavily in research and development of new products, so that a healthy backlog of creative innovations for the frozen vegetables sub-category can be built-up. The Birds Eye Foods founder, Clarence Birdseye, in 1927 invented the “flash-freeze” technique, which anchors the entire frozen food industry today.[24] Beginning with this first key invention, Birds Eye has continued over the years to hit jackpot after jackpot with creative design and variety of products. Most recently, the company pioneered widespread use of the “Steamfresh” bag whereby customers can steam frozen vegetables right inside the bag they come in from the store.This innovation has since been copied by Birds Eye’s competitors, and the company is beginning to lose its edge in this area. For this reason, continued R&D is necessary to sustain the growth of Birds Eye as a company.


Secondly, Birds Eye needs to follow Green Giant’s lead in engaging in disintermediation. General Mills realized that it could save costs by cutting out the intermediaries in Green Giant’s distribution channels. Birds Eye should attempt to break off arrangements it has made with wholesalers like Snyder of Berlin, who is actually a wholesale merchant that delivers Birds Eye’s goods to other wholesalers. The process of disintermediation could be very delicate for a company like Birds Eye, which is why this suggestion is one which should, understandably, take considerable time to enact. If Birds Eye is able to successfully and strategically cut out intermediaries from its distribution channels, then it will undoubtedly save money in the process. Savings from disintermediation is just the fuel needed to make the next suggestion a success.


Third, the company must adopt a more aggressive pricing strategy. Specifically, I would recommend that the company attempt to move as much inventory as possible without walking too close to the line of fiscal viability. This should be done with an objective analysis of the company’s finances so that a switch to everyday low pricing can occur. In the near-term, even below-market pricing would be an acceptable first step toward spearheading new everyday low prices. If consumers buy more and more of Birds Eye’s products, they will become hooked on the innovative and tasty products, and positive brand equity and brand personality will drive product sales effectively for some time to come. If Green Giant does not have the fiscal resources to engage in a price war, the end result of this action could be highly beneficial in the long term for Birds Eye.

Other posts on Birds Eye:
Birds Eye Foods Memo, Competitors, Brand, Summary of Frozen Vegetables Market
Birds Eye Foods Brand Analysis and Comparison with Competitor Brand: Target Market Segmentation Strategy
Brand Analysis Report: Birds Eye Foods vs. Green Giant Frozen Vegetables-- Distribution
Brand Analysis Report: Birds Eye Foods vs. Green Giant Frozen Vegetables-- Promotion
Brand Analysis Report: Birds Eye Foods vs. Green Giant Frozen Vegetables-- Pricing
Brand Analysis Report: Birds Eye Foods vs. Green Giant Frozen Vegetables-- Product Positioning and Strategy
Brand Analysis Report: Birds Eye Foods vs. Green Giant Frozen Vegetables-- Brand Recommendations
Brand Analysis Report: Birds Eye Foods vs. Green Giant Frozen Vegetables, Full Report
Brand Analysis Report: Birds Eye Foods Frozen Vegetables; Review of Product Sub-Category
Annotated Bibliography for Birds Eye Foods’ Frozen Vegetables, Full Document
Annotated Bibliography for Birds Eye Foods’ Frozen Vegetables, Part 1
Annotated Bibliography for Birds Eye Foods’ Frozen Vegetables, Part 2
Annotated Bibliography for Birds Eye Foods’ Frozen Vegetables, Part 3

Works Cited


"Birds Eye Foods, Inc. - FORM S-1 - October 8, 2009." Internet FAQ Archives - Online Education. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

"Birds Eye Foods : Promotions." Welcome to Birds Eye Foods: Frozen vegetables to nourish your family. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

"Birds Eye Phases Out Private Label, Will Focus on Brands." Frozen Food Age 55.1 (2006): 10. Business Source Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .

"Birds Eye Steamfresh Meals For Two." Grand Forks Herald | Grand Forks, North Dakota. 10 Feb. 2009. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

"Birds Eye to Sell Frozen-Food Plants." Rural Cooperatives 73.5 (2006): 35-36. Print.

"Clarence Birdseye Biography." Biography.com. Web. 13 Nov. 2009. .

Fleenor, D. Gail. "Frozen Vegetable Sales are Steaming." Progressive Grocer 88.5 (2009): 110-12. Business Source Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .

Garrison, Bob. "Eyes on the Prize: A Smaller Birds Eye Foods Embraces a Fork-to-Field Approach and its New Future as a Branded Marketer." All Business. 1 May 2007. Web. 13 Nov. 2009. .

"Green Giant Fresh Brand History." Green Giant Fresh®. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

"History of Birds Eye® : Clarence Birdseye : Father of Frozen Food." Welcome to Birds Eye Foods: Frozen vegetables to nourish your family. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

Kerin, Roger A., Eric N. Berkowitz, and Steven W. Hartley. Marketing (Mcgraw Hill/Irwin Series in Marketing). 8th ed. New York: Irwin/McGraw-Hill, 2005. Print.

McCarthy, Shawn P. The Art of .COMbat Ancient Wisdom for the Competitive Economy. New York: Wiley, 2001. Print.

"Morar Consulting - Brand Performa." Morar Consulting - Home page. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

Reyes, Sonia. "Birds Eye's Veggie Tales." Brandweek 42.37 (2001): 1-2. Academic Search Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .

Riell, Howard. "Birds Eye Lines Seek to Inspire Consumers." Frozen Food Age (May 2006): 12. Business Source Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .

"Snyder of Berlin : About Us : Distribution Information." Welcome to Birds Eye Foods: Frozen vegetables to nourish your family. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

"Sup: Promotions Archives." SunSentinel.com. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

Watson, Elaine. "Frozen Frustration." Food Manufacture 81 (2006): 13. Business Source Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .


[1] "History of Birds Eye® : Clarence Birdseye : Father of Frozen Food." Welcome to Birds Eye Foods: Frozen vegetables to nourish your family. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

[2] "Green Giant Fresh Brand History." Green Giant Fresh®. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

[3] Fleenor, D. Gail. "Frozen Vegetable Sales are Steaming." Progressive Grocer 88.5 (2009): 110-12. Business Source Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .

[4] Ibid.

[5] Watson, Elaine. "Frozen Frustration." Food Manufacture 81 (2006): 13. Business Source Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .

[6] "Green Giant adds new on-pack claim: 'Frozen Vegetables Are As Nutritious As Fresh'" The Free Library. Frozen Food Digest, Inc. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

[7] Watson, Elaine. "Frozen Frustration." Food Manufacture 81 (2006): 13. Business Source Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .

[8] Riell, Howard. "Birds Eye Lines Seek to Inspire Consumers." Frozen Food Age (May 2006): 12. Business Source Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .

[9] "Sup: Promotions Archives." SunSentinel.com. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

[10] "Birds Eye Steamfresh Meals For Two." Grand Forks Herald | Grand Forks, North Dakota. 10 Feb. 2009. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

[11] "Birds Eye Phases Out Private Label, Will Focus on Brands." Frozen Food Age 55.1 (2006): 10. Business Source Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .

[12] Garrison, Bob. "Eyes on the Prize: A Smaller Birds Eye Foods Embraces a Fork-to-Field Approach and its New Future as a Branded Marketer." All Business. 1 May 2007. Web. 13 Nov. 2009. .

[13] Ibid.

[14] "Birds Eye to Sell Frozen-Food Plants." Rural Cooperatives 73.5 (2006): 35-36. Print.

[15] "Birds Eye Foods, Inc. - FORM S-1 - October 8, 2009." Internet FAQ Archives - Online Education. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

[16] "Morar Consulting - Brand Performa." Morar Consulting - Home page. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

[17] Garrison, Bob. "Eyes on the Prize: A Smaller Birds Eye Foods Embraces a Fork-to-Field Approach and its New Future as a Branded Marketer." All Business. 1 May 2007. Web. 13 Nov. 2009. .

[18] "Birds Eye Foods, Inc. - FORM S-1 - October 8, 2009." Internet FAQ Archives - Online Education. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

[19] Reyes, Sonia. "Birds Eye's Veggie Tales." Brandweek 42.37 (2001): 1-2. Academic Search Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .

[20] "Birds Eye Foods : Promotions." Welcome to Birds Eye Foods: Frozen vegetables to nourish your family. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

[21] Kerin, Roger A., Eric N. Berkowitz, and Steven W. Hartley. Marketing (Mcgraw Hill/Irwin Series in Marketing). 8th ed. New York: Irwin/McGraw-Hill, 2005. Print.

[22] "Snyder of Berlin : About Us : Distribution Information." Welcome to Birds Eye Foods: Frozen vegetables to nourish your family. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

[23] McCarthy, Shawn P. The Art of .COMbat Ancient Wisdom for the Competitive Economy. New York: Wiley, 2001. Print.

[24] "Clarence Birdseye Biography." Biography.com. Web. 13 Nov. 2009. .

Brand Analysis Report: Birds Eye Foods vs. Green Giant Frozen Vegetables-- Pricing

Pricing

Constraints on Birds Eye and Green Giant’s pricing of frozen vegetables include the price of fresh vegetables and the cost of fuel used for transporting vegetables. While the company claims its frozen vegetables can be fresher and easier to prepare (steam) than fresh vegetables, if prices were to climb too high, demand for the plain frozen vegetables would surely become elastic. On the other hand, with a value-added perception inserted, a product like vegetables covered with sauce might not experience the same elasticity since it is not something the consumer can readily and easily make themselves.


Birds Eye and Green Giant both price their frozen vegetable products between $1.99 and $3.99, while Birds Eye has some higher-end frozen “meals” that include meat and pasta and are price about $5.99. Besides marketing efforts and brand recognition, putting these products of seemingly equal caliber on routine sale is the only way to really push a lot of quantity.Regardless of current marketing efforts, both companies useodd-even pricing for every product without fail. Additionally, offering quantity discounts is a strategy commonly employed whereby consumers can purchase a large number of frozen vegetable products and receive a discounted price for doing so. This strategy is advantageous in that it entices customers to buy more of a company’s product. However, because both companies basically take turns having sales on very similar product lines, the advantage is relative.

Other posts on Birds Eye:
Birds Eye Foods Memo, Competitors, Brand, Summary of Frozen Vegetables Market
Birds Eye Foods Brand Analysis and Comparison with Competitor Brand: Target Market Segmentation Strategy
Brand Analysis Report: Birds Eye Foods vs. Green Giant Frozen Vegetables-- Distribution
Brand Analysis Report: Birds Eye Foods vs. Green Giant Frozen Vegetables-- Promotion
Brand Analysis Report: Birds Eye Foods vs. Green Giant Frozen Vegetables-- Pricing
Brand Analysis Report: Birds Eye Foods vs. Green Giant Frozen Vegetables-- Product Positioning and Strategy
Brand Analysis Report: Birds Eye Foods vs. Green Giant Frozen Vegetables-- Brand Recommendations
Brand Analysis Report: Birds Eye Foods vs. Green Giant Frozen Vegetables, Full Report
Brand Analysis Report: Birds Eye Foods Frozen Vegetables; Review of Product Sub-Category
Annotated Bibliography for Birds Eye Foods’ Frozen Vegetables, Full Document
Annotated Bibliography for Birds Eye Foods’ Frozen Vegetables, Part 1
Annotated Bibliography for Birds Eye Foods’ Frozen Vegetables, Part 2
Annotated Bibliography for Birds Eye Foods’ Frozen Vegetables, Part 3

Works Cited


"Birds Eye Foods, Inc. - FORM S-1 - October 8, 2009." Internet FAQ Archives - Online Education. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

"Birds Eye Foods : Promotions." Welcome to Birds Eye Foods: Frozen vegetables to nourish your family. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

"Birds Eye Phases Out Private Label, Will Focus on Brands." Frozen Food Age 55.1 (2006): 10. Business Source Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .

"Birds Eye Steamfresh Meals For Two." Grand Forks Herald | Grand Forks, North Dakota. 10 Feb. 2009. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

"Birds Eye to Sell Frozen-Food Plants." Rural Cooperatives 73.5 (2006): 35-36. Print.

"Clarence Birdseye Biography." Biography.com. Web. 13 Nov. 2009. .

Fleenor, D. Gail. "Frozen Vegetable Sales are Steaming." Progressive Grocer 88.5 (2009): 110-12. Business Source Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .

Garrison, Bob. "Eyes on the Prize: A Smaller Birds Eye Foods Embraces a Fork-to-Field Approach and its New Future as a Branded Marketer." All Business. 1 May 2007. Web. 13 Nov. 2009. .

"Green Giant Fresh Brand History." Green Giant Fresh®. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

"History of Birds Eye® : Clarence Birdseye : Father of Frozen Food." Welcome to Birds Eye Foods: Frozen vegetables to nourish your family. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

Kerin, Roger A., Eric N. Berkowitz, and Steven W. Hartley. Marketing (Mcgraw Hill/Irwin Series in Marketing). 8th ed. New York: Irwin/McGraw-Hill, 2005. Print.

McCarthy, Shawn P. The Art of .COMbat Ancient Wisdom for the Competitive Economy. New York: Wiley, 2001. Print.

"Morar Consulting - Brand Performa." Morar Consulting - Home page. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

Reyes, Sonia. "Birds Eye's Veggie Tales." Brandweek 42.37 (2001): 1-2. Academic Search Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .

Riell, Howard. "Birds Eye Lines Seek to Inspire Consumers." Frozen Food Age (May 2006): 12. Business Source Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .

"Snyder of Berlin : About Us : Distribution Information." Welcome to Birds Eye Foods: Frozen vegetables to nourish your family. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

"Sup: Promotions Archives." SunSentinel.com. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

Watson, Elaine. "Frozen Frustration." Food Manufacture 81 (2006): 13. Business Source Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .


[1] "History of Birds Eye® : Clarence Birdseye : Father of Frozen Food." Welcome to Birds Eye Foods: Frozen vegetables to nourish your family. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

[2] "Green Giant Fresh Brand History." Green Giant Fresh®. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

[3] Fleenor, D. Gail. "Frozen Vegetable Sales are Steaming." Progressive Grocer 88.5 (2009): 110-12. Business Source Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .

[4] Ibid.

[5] Watson, Elaine. "Frozen Frustration." Food Manufacture 81 (2006): 13. Business Source Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .

[6] "Green Giant adds new on-pack claim: 'Frozen Vegetables Are As Nutritious As Fresh'" The Free Library. Frozen Food Digest, Inc. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

[7] Watson, Elaine. "Frozen Frustration." Food Manufacture 81 (2006): 13. Business Source Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .

[8] Riell, Howard. "Birds Eye Lines Seek to Inspire Consumers." Frozen Food Age (May 2006): 12. Business Source Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .

[9] "Sup: Promotions Archives." SunSentinel.com. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

[10] "Birds Eye Steamfresh Meals For Two." Grand Forks Herald | Grand Forks, North Dakota. 10 Feb. 2009. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

[11] "Birds Eye Phases Out Private Label, Will Focus on Brands." Frozen Food Age 55.1 (2006): 10. Business Source Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .

[12] Garrison, Bob. "Eyes on the Prize: A Smaller Birds Eye Foods Embraces a Fork-to-Field Approach and its New Future as a Branded Marketer." All Business. 1 May 2007. Web. 13 Nov. 2009. .

[13] Ibid.

[14] "Birds Eye to Sell Frozen-Food Plants." Rural Cooperatives 73.5 (2006): 35-36. Print.

[15] "Birds Eye Foods, Inc. - FORM S-1 - October 8, 2009." Internet FAQ Archives - Online Education. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

[16] "Morar Consulting - Brand Performa." Morar Consulting - Home page. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

[17] Garrison, Bob. "Eyes on the Prize: A Smaller Birds Eye Foods Embraces a Fork-to-Field Approach and its New Future as a Branded Marketer." All Business. 1 May 2007. Web. 13 Nov. 2009. .

[18] "Birds Eye Foods, Inc. - FORM S-1 - October 8, 2009." Internet FAQ Archives - Online Education. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

[19] Reyes, Sonia. "Birds Eye's Veggie Tales." Brandweek 42.37 (2001): 1-2. Academic Search Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .

[20] "Birds Eye Foods : Promotions." Welcome to Birds Eye Foods: Frozen vegetables to nourish your family. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

[21] Kerin, Roger A., Eric N. Berkowitz, and Steven W. Hartley. Marketing (Mcgraw Hill/Irwin Series in Marketing). 8th ed. New York: Irwin/McGraw-Hill, 2005. Print.

[22] "Snyder of Berlin : About Us : Distribution Information." Welcome to Birds Eye Foods: Frozen vegetables to nourish your family. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

[23] McCarthy, Shawn P. The Art of .COMbat Ancient Wisdom for the Competitive Economy. New York: Wiley, 2001. Print.

[24] "Clarence Birdseye Biography." Biography.com. Web. 13 Nov. 2009. .

Brand Analysis Report: Birds Eye Foods vs. Green Giant Frozen Vegetables-- Distribution

Distribution


Birds Eye and Green Giant products span grocery stores across the country. As Birds Eye wishes to periodically release new products to market, it engages in regional rollouts to gauge customer acceptance of the new items.Eventually these new products penetrate the entire market, and depending on sales, may leave or stay. Birds Eye generally engages in intensive distribution when it places its products in as many supermarkets as possible. Distribution of Birds Eye products in the United States is conducted through a series of intermediaries.[22] Large merchant wholesalecompanies pick up frozen Birds Eye products from the plants, and using refrigerated trucks deliver them to various warehouses. From the warehouses, the products are shipped out to retailers and other distributors. At this time, channel conflict as a result of disintermediation has not occurred within the Birds Eye foods supply chain.


General Mills, the owner of Green Giant, has for the past decade attempted to disintermediate its own distribution channels. By eliminating external players, the company realized it could save costs. It even worked with Coca Cola and Hershey to create a “consumer goods marketplace where purchasing managers can buy large quantities of items and find distribution mechanisms.”[23] This step has led to disintermediation in a distribution channel traditionally stacked with intermediaries.

Other posts on Birds Eye:
Birds Eye Foods Memo, Competitors, Brand, Summary of Frozen Vegetables Market
Birds Eye Foods Brand Analysis and Comparison with Competitor Brand: Target Market Segmentation Strategy
Brand Analysis Report: Birds Eye Foods vs. Green Giant Frozen Vegetables-- Distribution
Brand Analysis Report: Birds Eye Foods vs. Green Giant Frozen Vegetables-- Promotion
Brand Analysis Report: Birds Eye Foods vs. Green Giant Frozen Vegetables-- Pricing
Brand Analysis Report: Birds Eye Foods vs. Green Giant Frozen Vegetables-- Product Positioning and Strategy
Brand Analysis Report: Birds Eye Foods vs. Green Giant Frozen Vegetables-- Brand Recommendations
Brand Analysis Report: Birds Eye Foods vs. Green Giant Frozen Vegetables, Full Report
Brand Analysis Report: Birds Eye Foods Frozen Vegetables; Review of Product Sub-Category
Annotated Bibliography for Birds Eye Foods’ Frozen Vegetables, Full Document
Annotated Bibliography for Birds Eye Foods’ Frozen Vegetables, Part 1
Annotated Bibliography for Birds Eye Foods’ Frozen Vegetables, Part 2
Annotated Bibliography for Birds Eye Foods’ Frozen Vegetables, Part 3

Works Cited


"Birds Eye Foods, Inc. - FORM S-1 - October 8, 2009." Internet FAQ Archives - Online Education. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

"Birds Eye Foods : Promotions." Welcome to Birds Eye Foods: Frozen vegetables to nourish your family. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

"Birds Eye Phases Out Private Label, Will Focus on Brands." Frozen Food Age 55.1 (2006): 10. Business Source Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .

"Birds Eye Steamfresh Meals For Two." Grand Forks Herald | Grand Forks, North Dakota. 10 Feb. 2009. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

"Birds Eye to Sell Frozen-Food Plants." Rural Cooperatives 73.5 (2006): 35-36. Print.

"Clarence Birdseye Biography." Biography.com. Web. 13 Nov. 2009. .

Fleenor, D. Gail. "Frozen Vegetable Sales are Steaming." Progressive Grocer 88.5 (2009): 110-12. Business Source Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .

Garrison, Bob. "Eyes on the Prize: A Smaller Birds Eye Foods Embraces a Fork-to-Field Approach and its New Future as a Branded Marketer." All Business. 1 May 2007. Web. 13 Nov. 2009. .

"Green Giant Fresh Brand History." Green Giant Fresh®. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

"History of Birds Eye® : Clarence Birdseye : Father of Frozen Food." Welcome to Birds Eye Foods: Frozen vegetables to nourish your family. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

Kerin, Roger A., Eric N. Berkowitz, and Steven W. Hartley. Marketing (Mcgraw Hill/Irwin Series in Marketing). 8th ed. New York: Irwin/McGraw-Hill, 2005. Print.

McCarthy, Shawn P. The Art of .COMbat Ancient Wisdom for the Competitive Economy. New York: Wiley, 2001. Print.

"Morar Consulting - Brand Performa." Morar Consulting - Home page. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

Reyes, Sonia. "Birds Eye's Veggie Tales." Brandweek 42.37 (2001): 1-2. Academic Search Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .

Riell, Howard. "Birds Eye Lines Seek to Inspire Consumers." Frozen Food Age (May 2006): 12. Business Source Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .

"Snyder of Berlin : About Us : Distribution Information." Welcome to Birds Eye Foods: Frozen vegetables to nourish your family. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

"Sup: Promotions Archives." SunSentinel.com. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

Watson, Elaine. "Frozen Frustration." Food Manufacture 81 (2006): 13. Business Source Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .


[1] "History of Birds Eye® : Clarence Birdseye : Father of Frozen Food." Welcome to Birds Eye Foods: Frozen vegetables to nourish your family. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

[2] "Green Giant Fresh Brand History." Green Giant Fresh®. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

[3] Fleenor, D. Gail. "Frozen Vegetable Sales are Steaming." Progressive Grocer 88.5 (2009): 110-12. Business Source Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .

[4] Ibid.

[5] Watson, Elaine. "Frozen Frustration." Food Manufacture 81 (2006): 13. Business Source Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .

[6] "Green Giant adds new on-pack claim: 'Frozen Vegetables Are As Nutritious As Fresh'" The Free Library. Frozen Food Digest, Inc. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

[7] Watson, Elaine. "Frozen Frustration." Food Manufacture 81 (2006): 13. Business Source Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .

[8] Riell, Howard. "Birds Eye Lines Seek to Inspire Consumers." Frozen Food Age (May 2006): 12. Business Source Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .

[9] "Sup: Promotions Archives." SunSentinel.com. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

[10] "Birds Eye Steamfresh Meals For Two." Grand Forks Herald | Grand Forks, North Dakota. 10 Feb. 2009. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

[11] "Birds Eye Phases Out Private Label, Will Focus on Brands." Frozen Food Age 55.1 (2006): 10. Business Source Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .

[12] Garrison, Bob. "Eyes on the Prize: A Smaller Birds Eye Foods Embraces a Fork-to-Field Approach and its New Future as a Branded Marketer." All Business. 1 May 2007. Web. 13 Nov. 2009. .

[13] Ibid.

[14] "Birds Eye to Sell Frozen-Food Plants." Rural Cooperatives 73.5 (2006): 35-36. Print.

[15] "Birds Eye Foods, Inc. - FORM S-1 - October 8, 2009." Internet FAQ Archives - Online Education. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

[16] "Morar Consulting - Brand Performa." Morar Consulting - Home page. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

[17] Garrison, Bob. "Eyes on the Prize: A Smaller Birds Eye Foods Embraces a Fork-to-Field Approach and its New Future as a Branded Marketer." All Business. 1 May 2007. Web. 13 Nov. 2009. .

[18] "Birds Eye Foods, Inc. - FORM S-1 - October 8, 2009." Internet FAQ Archives - Online Education. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

[19] Reyes, Sonia. "Birds Eye's Veggie Tales." Brandweek 42.37 (2001): 1-2. Academic Search Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .

[20] "Birds Eye Foods : Promotions." Welcome to Birds Eye Foods: Frozen vegetables to nourish your family. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

[21] Kerin, Roger A., Eric N. Berkowitz, and Steven W. Hartley. Marketing (Mcgraw Hill/Irwin Series in Marketing). 8th ed. New York: Irwin/McGraw-Hill, 2005. Print.

[22] "Snyder of Berlin : About Us : Distribution Information." Welcome to Birds Eye Foods: Frozen vegetables to nourish your family. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

[23] McCarthy, Shawn P. The Art of .COMbat Ancient Wisdom for the Competitive Economy. New York: Wiley, 2001. Print.

[24] "Clarence Birdseye Biography." Biography.com. Web. 13 Nov. 2009. .

Brand Analysis Report: Birds Eye Foods vs. Green Giant Frozen Vegetables-- Promotion

Promotion

In 2007, the Birds Eye CEO, Neil Harrison, stated that his company’s marketing “dashboard involves metrics about household penetration, buying rate, brand loyalty, our quality versus competition and our value perception versus competition.”[17] Birds Eye attempts to promote its products by routinely featuring coupons in grocery storeadvertisements and in newspapers, as is evidenced by the exclusion of coupon redemptions from the company’s revenue figure presented in the SEC Form S-1 previously mentioned.[18] Keeping consumer awareness about the company’s products very high has been a key to rapidly advancing Birds Eye’s name in the frozen vegetables sub-category as a quality, reputable brand name. For consumers who read newspapers and grocery advertisements on a regular basis, Birds Eye’s reach is varied and its frequencyof exposure is active and routine. Birds Eye and Green Giant both routinely advertise their products on television, but neither affords much attention to their line of frozen vegetables. Lastly, Birds Eye generally hosts one sweepstakes promotion each year that is a product of the company’s enormously expanded marketing budget, and is aimed at attracting new customers while encouraging existing customers to buy in larger quantities.[19]


While Green Giant’s name does seem to align more with vegetables, Birds Eye has long been a pioneer of the entire frozen foods industry, and in doing so has createdbrand recognition which consumers interpret to mean a quality frozen food company. Green Giant has historically sold canned vegetables, and so advancing to the frozen segment of that market has made Green Giant do a little stretching as well. The Birds Eye website offers many coupons and a free recipe book which shows ways to use Birds Eye products at home.[20] These strategies have helped Birds Eye’s sales stay up through a tough US economic climate.





Both Birds Eye and Green Giant have begun pushing a health campaign whereby each company touts the healthy nutrition of its products. This trend is very popular in all food industries and sub-categories in the United States. Frozen vegetable makers have long thought that the nutrition of vegetables speaks for itself, however to keep up with recent industry trends, both Birds Eye and Green Giant have begun selling Steamfresh sides and entrees that are labeled as being healthy. Both companies use a sales promotion technique to market their products, by offering coupons and rebates in their advertisements to stimulate demand (Figure 5). Given the relatively equal shelf space that each company’s offerings occupy in grocery stores, there is no clear-cut advantage in the realm of promotion, save for Green Giant’s well-known mascot.[21]

Other posts on Birds Eye:
Birds Eye Foods Memo, Competitors, Brand, Summary of Frozen Vegetables Market
Birds Eye Foods Brand Analysis and Comparison with Competitor Brand: Target Market Segmentation Strategy
Brand Analysis Report: Birds Eye Foods vs. Green Giant Frozen Vegetables-- Distribution
Brand Analysis Report: Birds Eye Foods vs. Green Giant Frozen Vegetables-- Promotion
Brand Analysis Report: Birds Eye Foods vs. Green Giant Frozen Vegetables-- Pricing
Brand Analysis Report: Birds Eye Foods vs. Green Giant Frozen Vegetables-- Product Positioning and Strategy
Brand Analysis Report: Birds Eye Foods vs. Green Giant Frozen Vegetables-- Brand Recommendations
Brand Analysis Report: Birds Eye Foods vs. Green Giant Frozen Vegetables, Full Report
Brand Analysis Report: Birds Eye Foods Frozen Vegetables; Review of Product Sub-Category
Annotated Bibliography for Birds Eye Foods’ Frozen Vegetables, Full Document
Annotated Bibliography for Birds Eye Foods’ Frozen Vegetables, Part 1
Annotated Bibliography for Birds Eye Foods’ Frozen Vegetables, Part 2
Annotated Bibliography for Birds Eye Foods’ Frozen Vegetables, Part 3


Works Cited


"Birds Eye Foods, Inc. - FORM S-1 - October 8, 2009." Internet FAQ Archives - Online Education. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

"Birds Eye Foods : Promotions." Welcome to Birds Eye Foods: Frozen vegetables to nourish your family. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

"Birds Eye Phases Out Private Label, Will Focus on Brands." Frozen Food Age 55.1 (2006): 10. Business Source Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .

"Birds Eye Steamfresh Meals For Two." Grand Forks Herald | Grand Forks, North Dakota. 10 Feb. 2009. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

"Birds Eye to Sell Frozen-Food Plants." Rural Cooperatives 73.5 (2006): 35-36. Print.

"Clarence Birdseye Biography." Biography.com. Web. 13 Nov. 2009. .

Fleenor, D. Gail. "Frozen Vegetable Sales are Steaming." Progressive Grocer 88.5 (2009): 110-12. Business Source Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .

Garrison, Bob. "Eyes on the Prize: A Smaller Birds Eye Foods Embraces a Fork-to-Field Approach and its New Future as a Branded Marketer." All Business. 1 May 2007. Web. 13 Nov. 2009. .

"Green Giant Fresh Brand History." Green Giant Fresh®. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

"History of Birds Eye® : Clarence Birdseye : Father of Frozen Food." Welcome to Birds Eye Foods: Frozen vegetables to nourish your family. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

Kerin, Roger A., Eric N. Berkowitz, and Steven W. Hartley. Marketing (Mcgraw Hill/Irwin Series in Marketing). 8th ed. New York: Irwin/McGraw-Hill, 2005. Print.

McCarthy, Shawn P. The Art of .COMbat Ancient Wisdom for the Competitive Economy. New York: Wiley, 2001. Print.

"Morar Consulting - Brand Performa." Morar Consulting - Home page. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

Reyes, Sonia. "Birds Eye's Veggie Tales." Brandweek 42.37 (2001): 1-2. Academic Search Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .

Riell, Howard. "Birds Eye Lines Seek to Inspire Consumers." Frozen Food Age (May 2006): 12. Business Source Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .

"Snyder of Berlin : About Us : Distribution Information." Welcome to Birds Eye Foods: Frozen vegetables to nourish your family. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

"Sup: Promotions Archives." SunSentinel.com. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

Watson, Elaine. "Frozen Frustration." Food Manufacture 81 (2006): 13. Business Source Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .


[1] "History of Birds Eye® : Clarence Birdseye : Father of Frozen Food." Welcome to Birds Eye Foods: Frozen vegetables to nourish your family. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

[2] "Green Giant Fresh Brand History." Green Giant Fresh®. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

[3] Fleenor, D. Gail. "Frozen Vegetable Sales are Steaming." Progressive Grocer 88.5 (2009): 110-12. Business Source Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .

[4] Ibid.

[5] Watson, Elaine. "Frozen Frustration." Food Manufacture 81 (2006): 13. Business Source Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .

[6] "Green Giant adds new on-pack claim: 'Frozen Vegetables Are As Nutritious As Fresh'" The Free Library. Frozen Food Digest, Inc. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

[7] Watson, Elaine. "Frozen Frustration." Food Manufacture 81 (2006): 13. Business Source Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .

[8] Riell, Howard. "Birds Eye Lines Seek to Inspire Consumers." Frozen Food Age (May 2006): 12. Business Source Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .

[9] "Sup: Promotions Archives." SunSentinel.com. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

[10] "Birds Eye Steamfresh Meals For Two." Grand Forks Herald | Grand Forks, North Dakota. 10 Feb. 2009. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

[11] "Birds Eye Phases Out Private Label, Will Focus on Brands." Frozen Food Age 55.1 (2006): 10. Business Source Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .

[12] Garrison, Bob. "Eyes on the Prize: A Smaller Birds Eye Foods Embraces a Fork-to-Field Approach and its New Future as a Branded Marketer." All Business. 1 May 2007. Web. 13 Nov. 2009. .

[13] Ibid.

[14] "Birds Eye to Sell Frozen-Food Plants." Rural Cooperatives 73.5 (2006): 35-36. Print.

[15] "Birds Eye Foods, Inc. - FORM S-1 - October 8, 2009." Internet FAQ Archives - Online Education. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

[16] "Morar Consulting - Brand Performa." Morar Consulting - Home page. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

[17] Garrison, Bob. "Eyes on the Prize: A Smaller Birds Eye Foods Embraces a Fork-to-Field Approach and its New Future as a Branded Marketer." All Business. 1 May 2007. Web. 13 Nov. 2009. .

[18] "Birds Eye Foods, Inc. - FORM S-1 - October 8, 2009." Internet FAQ Archives - Online Education. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

[19] Reyes, Sonia. "Birds Eye's Veggie Tales." Brandweek 42.37 (2001): 1-2. Academic Search Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .

[20] "Birds Eye Foods : Promotions." Welcome to Birds Eye Foods: Frozen vegetables to nourish your family. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

[21] Kerin, Roger A., Eric N. Berkowitz, and Steven W. Hartley. Marketing (Mcgraw Hill/Irwin Series in Marketing). 8th ed. New York: Irwin/McGraw-Hill, 2005. Print.

[22] "Snyder of Berlin : About Us : Distribution Information." Welcome to Birds Eye Foods: Frozen vegetables to nourish your family. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

[23] McCarthy, Shawn P. The Art of .COMbat Ancient Wisdom for the Competitive Economy. New York: Wiley, 2001. Print.

[24] "Clarence Birdseye Biography." Biography.com. Web. 13 Nov. 2009. .

Brand Analysis Report: Birds Eye Foods vs. Green Giant Frozen Vegetables-- Product Positioning and Strategy

Product Positioning and Strategy:



Figure 1: Consumer Perceptions About Frozen Foods5

On a perceptual map, Birds Eye Foods’ frozen vegetable products can be labeled as both nutritious and convenient. It is expected that parents likely buy the vegetable products for their children, however these frozen vegetables likely rate low in terms of being thought of as a children’s food. Birds Eye has yet to address the issue of product offerings that are suitable for children, but it continues to pride itself on offering a long line of varying products, each with equal ease of preparation. Birds Eye has also worked to alter customers’ perceptions about the difference between fresh and frozen vegetables. What some customers don’t realize is that frozen vegetables can be frozen within hours of their harvesting, making them actually much fresher than the supposed “fresh” vegetables at the supermarket, but while maintaining the nutritious value of the foods. Birds Eye has taken note that if customers perceive their frozen vegetables as actually being fresher and just as nutritious, then they are likely to buy more of them.[5] In this way, Birds Eye seeks toposition frozen vegetables in consumers’ minds as being very fresh and healthy. Green Giant has also adopted this strategy, for in December 2003 the company began to put the phrase “Frozen Vegetables Are as Nutritious as Fresh” onto the packaging of its frozen vegetable products.[6] Birds Eye and Green Giant are both actively working to overcome the stigma about frozen foods. This is important because research performed by Elaine Watson in the United Kingdom in 2006 reveals that 32% of consumers view frozen food as being not as fresh as chilled food (Figure 1).[7]

Birds Eye has introduced two new lines of steam-able frozen vegetable products, “Steam and Serve” and “Herb Garden Collection.”[8] The packaging of these products attempts to appeal to the taste of consumers with large pictures of savory vegetable concoctions. This labeling and packaging strategy is interesting because it attempts to entice new customers to purchase frozen vegetable products that they would not have considered before.

[9][10]

Next, Birds Eye has established itself in the marketplace as a frozen vegetables innovator.Customers spend a great deal of time in the frozen food aisle just learning about steam-fresh packages and the like.[11] Packaging plays a very important role for both Birds Eye and Green Giant frozen vegetable products. The packages are generally colorful and display a diagram which teaches a customer about the technology inside of the bag (i.e. steaming). The consumers’ recognition of packaging between the two brands is the key to creating brand equity amongst them (Figures 2 and 3). When consumers see either brand name on a frozen vegetables product, they know to expect quality and freshness. Birds Eye packages are blue, while Green Giant packages are green. Green Giant has for a long time sold canned products with green labels, so the brand equity built up in that industry has transferred over to frozen foods, and helped the company’s frozen vegetable offerings sell better. Furthermore, while Birds Eye’s bird logo is recognizable to many consumers, Green Giant owns the “Green Giant” logo consisting of a large green man, which holds overwhelming recognition in the world of branding. This has further lent itself to Green Giant’s sizable brand equityand competitive branding advantage (Figure 4).


Birds Eye Foods for a long time sold its frozen vegetable products under both brand names it owned and through private labels. It conducted the latter activity simply to move quantity through its factories.[12] Birds Eye Foods hired Neil Harrison to be its CEO in 2005, and one of his first moves was to discontinue Birds Eye’s sale of non-branded frozen vegetables. He insisted that those sales were “crippling” the company by occupying key resources that could be better used.[13] So in 2006 and 2007 Birds Eye Foods sold 5 of its frozen vegetable plants.[14] With this move, Birds Eye cemented its place in the branded frozen vegetable market and proceeded to focus its efforts on marketing those products.


Birds Eye, being the new product innovator that it is, often releases new types of products and new varieties of existing products. Like most companies, Birds Eye must pay a slotting fee to grocers for placing these new products into grocery store freezers. A Form S-1 that Birds Eye Foods submitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 8, 2009, states that slotting fees were incurred during the launch of Birds Eye’s Steamfresh line of meals that were substantial enough to impact to company’s gross margin.[15]While it is unclear how much Birds Eye and Green Giant must pay for slotting fees related to individual products, it is obvious that the total cost for these fees is sizable and likely hurts each party equally as much given the level of market penetration each company seeks.[16]


Other posts on Birds Eye:
Birds Eye Foods Memo, Competitors, Brand, Summary of Frozen Vegetables Market
Birds Eye Foods Brand Analysis and Comparison with Competitor Brand: Target Market Segmentation Strategy
Brand Analysis Report: Birds Eye Foods vs. Green Giant Frozen Vegetables-- Distribution
Brand Analysis Report: Birds Eye Foods vs. Green Giant Frozen Vegetables-- Promotion
Brand Analysis Report: Birds Eye Foods vs. Green Giant Frozen Vegetables-- Pricing
Brand Analysis Report: Birds Eye Foods vs. Green Giant Frozen Vegetables-- Product Positioning and Strategy
Brand Analysis Report: Birds Eye Foods vs. Green Giant Frozen Vegetables-- Brand Recommendations
Brand Analysis Report: Birds Eye Foods vs. Green Giant Frozen Vegetables, Full Report
Brand Analysis Report: Birds Eye Foods Frozen Vegetables; Review of Product Sub-Category
Annotated Bibliography for Birds Eye Foods’ Frozen Vegetables, Full Document
Annotated Bibliography for Birds Eye Foods’ Frozen Vegetables, Part 1
Annotated Bibliography for Birds Eye Foods’ Frozen Vegetables, Part 2
Annotated Bibliography for Birds Eye Foods’ Frozen Vegetables, Part 3



Works Cited


"Birds Eye Foods, Inc. - FORM S-1 - October 8, 2009." Internet FAQ Archives - Online Education. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

"Birds Eye Foods : Promotions." Welcome to Birds Eye Foods: Frozen vegetables to nourish your family. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

"Birds Eye Phases Out Private Label, Will Focus on Brands." Frozen Food Age 55.1 (2006): 10. Business Source Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .

"Birds Eye Steamfresh Meals For Two." Grand Forks Herald | Grand Forks, North Dakota. 10 Feb. 2009. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

"Birds Eye to Sell Frozen-Food Plants." Rural Cooperatives 73.5 (2006): 35-36. Print.

"Clarence Birdseye Biography." Biography.com. Web. 13 Nov. 2009. .

Fleenor, D. Gail. "Frozen Vegetable Sales are Steaming." Progressive Grocer 88.5 (2009): 110-12. Business Source Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .

Garrison, Bob. "Eyes on the Prize: A Smaller Birds Eye Foods Embraces a Fork-to-Field Approach and its New Future as a Branded Marketer." All Business. 1 May 2007. Web. 13 Nov. 2009. .

"Green Giant Fresh Brand History." Green Giant Fresh®. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

"History of Birds Eye® : Clarence Birdseye : Father of Frozen Food." Welcome to Birds Eye Foods: Frozen vegetables to nourish your family. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

Kerin, Roger A., Eric N. Berkowitz, and Steven W. Hartley. Marketing (Mcgraw Hill/Irwin Series in Marketing). 8th ed. New York: Irwin/McGraw-Hill, 2005. Print.

McCarthy, Shawn P. The Art of .COMbat Ancient Wisdom for the Competitive Economy. New York: Wiley, 2001. Print.

"Morar Consulting - Brand Performa." Morar Consulting - Home page. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

Reyes, Sonia. "Birds Eye's Veggie Tales." Brandweek 42.37 (2001): 1-2. Academic Search Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .

Riell, Howard. "Birds Eye Lines Seek to Inspire Consumers." Frozen Food Age (May 2006): 12. Business Source Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .

"Snyder of Berlin : About Us : Distribution Information." Welcome to Birds Eye Foods: Frozen vegetables to nourish your family. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

"Sup: Promotions Archives." SunSentinel.com. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

Watson, Elaine. "Frozen Frustration." Food Manufacture 81 (2006): 13. Business Source Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .


[1] "History of Birds Eye® : Clarence Birdseye : Father of Frozen Food." Welcome to Birds Eye Foods: Frozen vegetables to nourish your family. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

[2] "Green Giant Fresh Brand History." Green Giant Fresh®. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

[3] Fleenor, D. Gail. "Frozen Vegetable Sales are Steaming." Progressive Grocer 88.5 (2009): 110-12. Business Source Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .

[4] Ibid.

[5] Watson, Elaine. "Frozen Frustration." Food Manufacture 81 (2006): 13. Business Source Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .

[6] "Green Giant adds new on-pack claim: 'Frozen Vegetables Are As Nutritious As Fresh'" The Free Library. Frozen Food Digest, Inc. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

[7] Watson, Elaine. "Frozen Frustration." Food Manufacture 81 (2006): 13. Business Source Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .

[8] Riell, Howard. "Birds Eye Lines Seek to Inspire Consumers." Frozen Food Age (May 2006): 12. Business Source Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .

[9] "Sup: Promotions Archives." SunSentinel.com. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

[10] "Birds Eye Steamfresh Meals For Two." Grand Forks Herald | Grand Forks, North Dakota. 10 Feb. 2009. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

[11] "Birds Eye Phases Out Private Label, Will Focus on Brands." Frozen Food Age 55.1 (2006): 10. Business Source Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .

[12] Garrison, Bob. "Eyes on the Prize: A Smaller Birds Eye Foods Embraces a Fork-to-Field Approach and its New Future as a Branded Marketer." All Business. 1 May 2007. Web. 13 Nov. 2009. .

[13] Ibid.

[14] "Birds Eye to Sell Frozen-Food Plants." Rural Cooperatives 73.5 (2006): 35-36. Print.

[15] "Birds Eye Foods, Inc. - FORM S-1 - October 8, 2009." Internet FAQ Archives - Online Education. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

[16] "Morar Consulting - Brand Performa." Morar Consulting - Home page. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

[17] Garrison, Bob. "Eyes on the Prize: A Smaller Birds Eye Foods Embraces a Fork-to-Field Approach and its New Future as a Branded Marketer." All Business. 1 May 2007. Web. 13 Nov. 2009. .

[18] "Birds Eye Foods, Inc. - FORM S-1 - October 8, 2009." Internet FAQ Archives - Online Education. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

[19] Reyes, Sonia. "Birds Eye's Veggie Tales." Brandweek 42.37 (2001): 1-2. Academic Search Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .

[20] "Birds Eye Foods : Promotions." Welcome to Birds Eye Foods: Frozen vegetables to nourish your family. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

[21] Kerin, Roger A., Eric N. Berkowitz, and Steven W. Hartley. Marketing (Mcgraw Hill/Irwin Series in Marketing). 8th ed. New York: Irwin/McGraw-Hill, 2005. Print.

[22] "Snyder of Berlin : About Us : Distribution Information." Welcome to Birds Eye Foods: Frozen vegetables to nourish your family. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

[23] McCarthy, Shawn P. The Art of .COMbat Ancient Wisdom for the Competitive Economy. New York: Wiley, 2001. Print.

[24] "Clarence Birdseye Biography." Biography.com. Web. 13 Nov. 2009. .

Birds Eye Foods Brand Analysis and Comparison with Competitor Brand

Brand Analysis and Comparison with Competitor Brand

Target Market and Segmentation Strategy

For the vast majority of Birds Eye Foods’ frozen vegetable products, the target market consists of consumers who want easy-to-prepare food that is fresh-tasting once prepared.College students, single workers, and families are all just as likely to want frozen vegetable products. Birds Eye markets many different frozen vegetable products, which can basically be divided into two categories: plain vegetables and vegetables with an added feature. Plain vegetables may be as simple as a bag of peas, while an added feature might be something like a steam-able pouch. It does not seem cost effective for Birds Eye to segment its target market because the majority of consumers who purchase frozen vegetable products are looking for roughly the same product features.Both families and single persons are likely to want plain, value-added, and healthy-style frozen vegetable products, thereby making segmentation impractical. If it had to be done, though, a segment based on the psychographic customer characteristic of fitness and overall health level could be established. It is not implausible to foresee that health conscious consumers would be drawn to frozen vegetable products labeled as being particularly healthy or good for you.

Green Giant draws customers on the same premise of easy-to-prepare and fast-cooked, fresh frozen vegetables, making their target market the same as Birds Eye’s. Because both firms market nearly identical products with oftentimes matching features, their respective target markets no doubt resemble one another. It is also important to note that those target markets are incredibly wide, thanks to the vast array of products each company offers in the sub-category.

Other posts on Birds Eye:

Birds Eye Foods Memo, Competitors, Brand, Summary of Frozen Vegetables Market

Birds Eye Foods Brand Analysis and Comparison with Competitor Brand: Target Market Segmentation Strategy

Brand Analysis Report: Birds Eye Foods vs. Green Giant Frozen Vegetables-- Distribution

Brand Analysis Report: Birds Eye Foods vs. Green Giant Frozen Vegetables-- Promotion

Brand Analysis Report: Birds Eye Foods vs. Green Giant Frozen Vegetables-- Pricing

Brand Analysis Report: Birds Eye Foods vs. Green Giant Frozen Vegetables-- Product Positioning and Strategy

Brand Analysis Report: Birds Eye Foods vs. Green Giant Frozen Vegetables-- Brand Recommendations

Brand Analysis Report: Birds Eye Foods vs. Green Giant Frozen Vegetables, Full Report

Brand Analysis Report: Birds Eye Foods Frozen Vegetables; Review of Product Sub-Category

Annotated Bibliography for Birds Eye Foods’ Frozen Vegetables, Full Document

Annotated Bibliography for Birds Eye Foods’ Frozen Vegetables, Part 1

Annotated Bibliography for Birds Eye Foods’ Frozen Vegetables, Part 2

Annotated Bibliography for Birds Eye Foods’ Frozen Vegetables, Part 3

Works Cited

"Birds Eye Foods, Inc. - FORM S-1 - October 8, 2009."Internet FAQ Archives - Online Education. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

"Birds Eye Foods : Promotions." Welcome to Birds Eye Foods: Frozen vegetables to nourish your family. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

"Birds Eye Phases Out Private Label, Will Focus on Brands."Frozen Food Age 55.1 (2006): 10. Business Source Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .

"Birds Eye Steamfresh Meals For Two." Grand Forks Herald | Grand Forks, North Dakota. 10 Feb. 2009. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

"Birds Eye to Sell Frozen-Food Plants." Rural Cooperatives73.5 (2006): 35-36. Print.

"Clarence Birdseye Biography." Biography.com. Web. 13 Nov. 2009. .

Fleenor, D. Gail. "Frozen Vegetable Sales are Steaming."Progressive Grocer 88.5 (2009): 110-12. Business Source Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .

Garrison, Bob. "Eyes on the Prize: A Smaller Birds Eye Foods Embraces a Fork-to-Field Approach and its New Future as a Branded Marketer." All Business. 1 May 2007. Web. 13 Nov. 2009. .

"Green Giant Fresh Brand History." Green Giant Fresh®. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

"History of Birds Eye® : Clarence Birdseye : Father of Frozen Food." Welcome to Birds Eye Foods: Frozen vegetables to nourish your family. Web. 30 Nov. 2009..

Kerin, Roger A., Eric N. Berkowitz, and Steven W. Hartley.Marketing (Mcgraw Hill/Irwin Series in Marketing). 8th ed. New York: Irwin/McGraw-Hill, 2005. Print.

McCarthy, Shawn P. The Art of .COMbat Ancient Wisdom for the Competitive Economy. New York: Wiley, 2001. Print.

"Morar Consulting - Brand Performa." Morar Consulting - Home page. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

Reyes, Sonia. "Birds Eye's Veggie Tales." Brandweek 42.37 (2001): 1-2. Academic Search Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .

Riell, Howard. "Birds Eye Lines Seek to Inspire Consumers."Frozen Food Age (May 2006): 12. Business Source Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .

"Snyder of Berlin : About Us : Distribution Information."Welcome to Birds Eye Foods: Frozen vegetables to nourish your family. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

"Sup: Promotions Archives." SunSentinel.com. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

Watson, Elaine. "Frozen Frustration." Food Manufacture 81 (2006): 13. Business Source Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .

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[1] "History of Birds Eye® : Clarence Birdseye : Father of Frozen Food."Welcome to Birds Eye Foods: Frozen vegetables to nourish your family. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

[2] "Green Giant Fresh Brand History." Green Giant Fresh®. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

[3] Fleenor, D. Gail. "Frozen Vegetable Sales are Steaming." Progressive Grocer 88.5 (2009): 110-12. Business Source Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009..

[4] Ibid.

[5] Watson, Elaine. "Frozen Frustration." Food Manufacture 81 (2006): 13.Business Source Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .

[6] "Green Giant adds new on-pack claim: 'Frozen Vegetables Are As Nutritious As Fresh'" The Free Library. Frozen Food Digest, Inc. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

[7] Watson, Elaine. "Frozen Frustration." Food Manufacture 81 (2006): 13.Business Source Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .

[8] Riell, Howard. "Birds Eye Lines Seek to Inspire Consumers." Frozen Food Age (May 2006): 12. Business Source Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .

[9] "Sup: Promotions Archives." SunSentinel.com. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

[10] "Birds Eye Steamfresh Meals For Two." Grand Forks Herald | Grand Forks, North Dakota. 10 Feb. 2009. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

[11] "Birds Eye Phases Out Private Label, Will Focus on Brands." Frozen Food Age 55.1 (2006): 10. Business Source Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .

[12] Garrison, Bob. "Eyes on the Prize: A Smaller Birds Eye Foods Embraces a Fork-to-Field Approach and its New Future as a Branded Marketer." All Business. 1 May 2007. Web. 13 Nov. 2009. .

[13] Ibid.

[14] "Birds Eye to Sell Frozen-Food Plants." Rural Cooperatives 73.5 (2006): 35-36. Print.

[15] "Birds Eye Foods, Inc. - FORM S-1 - October 8, 2009." Internet FAQ Archives - Online Education. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

[16] "Morar Consulting - Brand Performa." Morar Consulting - Home page. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

[17] Garrison, Bob. "Eyes on the Prize: A Smaller Birds Eye Foods Embraces a Fork-to-Field Approach and its New Future as a Branded Marketer." All Business. 1 May 2007. Web. 13 Nov. 2009. .

[18] "Birds Eye Foods, Inc. - FORM S-1 - October 8, 2009." Internet FAQ Archives - Online Education. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

[19] Reyes, Sonia. "Birds Eye's Veggie Tales." Brandweek 42.37 (2001): 1-2. Academic Search Premier. Web. 18 Oct. 2009. .

[20] "Birds Eye Foods : Promotions." Welcome to Birds Eye Foods: Frozen vegetables to nourish your family. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

[21] Kerin, Roger A., Eric N. Berkowitz, and Steven W. Hartley. Marketing (Mcgraw Hill/Irwin Series in Marketing). 8th ed. New York: Irwin/McGraw-Hill, 2005. Print.

[22] "Snyder of Berlin : About Us : Distribution Information." Welcome to Birds Eye Foods: Frozen vegetables to nourish your family. Web. 30 Nov. 2009. .

[23] McCarthy, Shawn P. The Art of .COMbat Ancient Wisdom for the Competitive Economy. New York: Wiley, 2001. Print.

[24] "Clarence Birdseye Biography." Biography.com. Web. 13 Nov. 2009. .