Steers brand growth post Covid-19

Notional brief

In post-Covid-19 lockdown periods, Steers will need to rebuild its revenue and value chain with brand-oriented growth. The solution will have to be rapid, affordable with limited impact on tight reserves, flexible (as there may be more lockdowns), easy to implement, contribute to employment and take into account physical distancing which may be problematic in outlets. It must also factor in lower / insecure disposable income.

 Like all businesses, particularly in the hospitality trade, Steers will have to apply brand growth strategies to recover market position and revenues after the Covid-19 lockdowns end.

Solution

Market penetration and development with a combination of Steers-owned or franchised food trailers, with line extensions based on restricted disposable income.

Product strategies and extensions

As Steers will have to reconstruct its value chain and supply may be uncertain, it will not be secure enough to develop new products with certainty of supply. It should contract its range to its best-selling items and focus on stockpiling against future lockdowns. Product brand extensions cannot be considered. Product line extensions can consist of new, highly affordable menu items. Line extensions will need to be agile to cope with insecure supply and availability of stockpiled ingredients. Premium priced products will be doubtful revenue drivers so the cash cows will shift to budget products.

Market strategies

Steers will need to recover its volumes with more sales to existing customers and will seek sales to new customers in new areas. Existing customers will be hesitant to return to branches due to physical (not social) distancing indoctrination as well as food health. Steers will also not be able to afford expensive new outlets in many localities. The financing and operational risk lies in lockdown closures on national, regional and town and cities.

For the price of one brick and mortar Steers outlet, 30 or more small mobile outlets can be acquired, equipped and branded, enabling Steers to pursue aggressive market development and expansion strategies, provided the company can step away from westernized business models.

The trailer market strategy

A Steers franchise costs approximately ZAR 1,7 million. A functional trailer will cost approximately ZAR 50,000 to set up, allowing for fridge/freezer and branding. So, at least 30 new trailer outlets can be set up for the price of a traditional bricks and mortar outlet. A number of trailers (est. 6 / 7) can be moved around in a small local area and serviced by one bakkie.

The trailers can be moved to where demand is highest (market penetration) and to new offtake areas (market development) on a trial basis.

Branding (identity & performance)

Steers branding will transfer to the trailers, including the visual identity and the properties of the burger, though the drawback will be flame grilling. The latter may have to be modified depending on gas availability and economies of scale. A trailer will typically handle lower volumes of food in the morningas and afternoons.

Menu strategy

The menu will have to depend on most purchased budget items. Although there will be the temptation to have a fixed menu, this may not always be possible to provide, so a blackboard can also be put up.

Forms of ownership

The trailers can be owned by Steers or franchised with finance organised by Steers, with the risk mitigated by operational revenues. If finance is provided, it might include operating capital. Steers can also provide franchises to existing trailer owners, further reducing costs.

Co-branding

Trailers can be co-branded with Coca Cola brand portfolios (Coke, Fanta, water, Minute Maid, Monster) to increase and maintain traffic.

Post-Covid-19 operational considerations

During intermittent lockdowns, trailers can be moved rapidly or shut down.

As many franchisees will be new, they should be provided with business models and trainers. If the trailers use existing Steers staff, these can be provided with additional training (administration and / or food handling). Steers staff in the bakkie operation can provide supervision and mentorship to the trailers or a private master franchisor can act as the supervisor.

The strategy will also bolster Steers value chain by strengthening consistency of demand.

Health considerations

As the trailers will not have sit down areas, physical (not social) distancing will be strengthened. The trailers will have a smaller area, so will be easier to sanitise.

Stakeholder considerations

A group of six trailers will have two people on duty for a total of 12 plus one supervisor / driver creating 13 employment opportunities. 30 trailers will create income and employment for 65 people contributing more to employment than the approximately 8 people employed in a ZAR 1,7 million outlet. This will have a small impact on community income.

Investors and owners will receive ongoing streams of revenue, additional if existing outlets are closed or underperform.

Steers might also use trailers to distribute food on a community basis under corporate social responsibility and earn loyalty of the community.

Conclusion: brand vision and business paradigm shift

Trailers may be seen to superficially devalue the brand in a westernized business model however this can be countered by upkeep of the trailers and the quality of their operations. This can also be balanced with bricks and mortar outlets as standard setters for the brand, the UVP and purpose. Although trailers may appear to be a short-term solution, they can become a long-term cash cow. Once the period of need for budget consciousness is past, they can become a valuable point for testing and introducing line extensions.

Steers vending proves that the brand is able to be mobile and agile, and sets a precedent that can lead to trailer sales.

The business paradigm shift is not seismic. It entails addition of managing smaller units to an existing range of management functions. As Steers provides franchised vending opportunities as a part of its franchise opportunities, the function already exists, and it just needs to be expanded.

If Steers has not considered a trailer strategy yet, it should, Subject to testing, it should improve sustainability without impact on brand cohesion.

Revised - Namibia Breweries, the Reinheitsgebot and portfolio management

Revision places references as links in text.

Hypothesis

The need for volumes, the competitive landscape, an aged position and the need for reinvigoration are driving changes to Namibia Breweries brewing brand portfolio.

Introduction

Namibia Breweries (NBL) developed an initial philosophy, beer brand portfolios and a rigid value based on the Reinheitsgebot, a set of traditional German purity laws. However, the Reinheitsgebot is exacting and reduces volumes due to time to brew, cost and availability of suitable ingredients. This led to changes and additions in the beer brand portfolios, ultimately driven by the need to grow and satisfy investors as well as to continue sustainable growth, which may point to a shift away from the Reinheitsgebot.

A Windhoek Lager advertisement promotes the Reinheitsgebot but sends an inconsistent message to Tafel Radler drinkers which does not adhere to the Reinheitsgebot. This also creates the risk of cannibalisation.

Recent history and competitive landscape

NBL traditionally had one primary competitor, CastleBrewing (CBN). CBN had a minor presence in the Namibian beer market (Castle and Carling). In the 1990s NBL embarked on penetration of the South African market. It soon discontinued three brands, Windhoek Special and Windhoek Export, followed by closing its coastal Hansa Brewery in 2005. This left it with the Windhoek and Tafel (9) portfolios and the Hansa Draft brand, production of which was moved to Windhoek.

CBN signaled its intention to compete which would restrict NBL. NBL received protection from the Namibian government however CBN was eventually permitted to open a plant. CBN competes locally and for the Angola market, especially among youth segments with Castle Lite.

NBL brands and consumer accountability

The mark of the Reinheitsgebot, used on NBL brands that adhere to the Reinheitsgebot.

Advertising emphasises purity according to the Reinheitsgebot.

NBL has been consistent in its insistence on the Reinheitsgebot. This limited the range of product forms and the company was partially outflanked by innovative products such as ciders, craft beers, alcohol free beer and radlers such as Flying Fish (which has youth appeal) and Schoffenhofer.

NBL’s primary accountability is to its consumers.

In the past, NBL was held accountable for delivery of the Reinheitsgebot, however the proliferation of new local brands and new imported forms has eroded the credibility and popularity of NBL’s Reinheitsgebot position, albeit not its authenticity.

NBL is accountable to a brand-chauvinistic segment of older consumers, but also has to be accountable to younger consumers as the source of future brand equity and revenue. Accountability among older consumers has to take the form of the Reinheitsgebot standard in its brews. Accountability to its younger segments has to take the form of brands within brand portfolios that suite the lifestyle needs of the younger consumers.

 A younger generation of consumers are choosing beer-based beverages that don't adhere to the Reinheitsgebot.

It also has to be accountable to its investors by consistently producing the combination of revenue and growth, with the underpinning of volumes.

NBL portfolio management

NBL is protecting its volumes with a wide spectrum of portfolio management and other tactics.

Reinheitsgebot flank

NBL protects its flanks from challengers by maintaining the core Reinheitsgebot outliers, Windhoek, Tafel and Hansa, however when challengers have emerged it has either acquired them, as in the case of the Camelthorn acquisition and its addition as a brand portfolio or threat of legal action in the case of Desert Lager. The Reinheitsgebot arguably seems to have shifted from the core to the flanks

Emulation, addition of brands and volume enhancements to brand portfolios

Where a competitor product is successful, NBL emulates it as a brand within the context of one of its brand portfolios, not just restricting the imported competition, but also supporting the new brand with the existing brand, as is the case with radlers which have been added to theTafel Lager portfolio and alcohol free beer added to the Windhoek portfolio. In the case of the radlers, the addition of lemon stretches the volumes. The brands have been extremely successful although the addition of citrus means the brands cannot be classified as Reinheitsgebot.

International brands

A Heineken branded bar in Namibia. NBL is growing its volumes and creating barriers to market entry with international brands.

NBL has added Heineken as a product brand and Amstel as a small brand portfolio. These act as a buffer to the success of other entrants and fragment CBN’s market but may come at the cost of cannibalization of NBL’s existing brands. Neither of the brands make strong claims to Reinheitsgebot standards.

Portfolio rationalization

Breweries is quick to rationalize when a brand does not serve a role either in a portfolio or as a driver of volumes. This was the case with Windhoek Special (5) and Windhoek Export (6) as well as a brief flirtation with Guinness.

Retreat from the Reinheitsgebot position

King Lager is the first Namibian mainstream lager not brewed according to the Reinheitsgebot. This, together with Tafel Radler, points to a possible shift away from the Reinheitsgebot, which may favour improved corporate sustainability through volumes.

Although potentially controversial, NBL appears to be retreating from the Reinheitsgebot. This is evident in the addition of non-Reinheitsgebot brews and its reduced appearance in planned IMC. Notably, NBL now brews King Lager from local barley. The brand is a bridge to offtakelocal barley production but due to poor economies of scale a barley maltingplant has not yet been developed, and the barley is not malted in accordance with Reinheitsgebot standards. Once a barley malting plant is established, it is likely that NBL will discontinue the brand. Very little budget and IMC effort has been allocated to it.

Quality of portfolio and brand management

NBL operates in an agile manner, rapidly adding and discontinuing brands. However, with the exception of King Lager, there is very little innovation, rather reactive portfolio management. Emulating other entrants, however, reduces the risks in managing its portfolios.

Quality of the corporate brand

The corporate brand engages with routine issues, such as DUI, responsible consumption, age limits and, in the Namibian context, water consumption. The brand primarily acts as an endorser for its local portfolios but doesn’t use its own planned communication to endorse its international portfolios, rather the international brand communication executed locally.

Challenge ahead and conclusion

Although NBL successfully manages its brands and portfolios on a reactive basis, it will need to become more proactive. It will need to gradually shift away from the Reinheitsgebot to push volumes. This needs to be done in a manner which does not alienate its traditional market which insists on the Reinheitsgebot standard to preserve existing volumes.

NBL also limits its financial risks with low budget allocations to IMC for new brands, particularly King Lager which has to offtake barley preparatory to a local malting plant which is needed to preserve the Reinheitsgebot through local economies of scale. (The King Lager market does not lend itself easily to social media as it is targeted at lower LSM rural markets.) It needs to become more confident of its new brands or committed to backing them with marketing capacity and budget. This can be done by assessing portfolio roles with a long-term view.

Images © Namibia Breweries.