Case Study: Tastykake Sensables

Q1: In this case you definitely are able to recognize some new products development processes. At first there is an idea of creating a new food innovation to win or to keep their costumers. After that they try to figure out what is the best recipe and to which product (cookie, bar or cake) it would fit the best. As usual there are some problems or recreating in the product development itself like the amount of malitiol. Continuing with the design of the new product line because “people eat with their eyes”, said by Karen Schutz (Marketing Manager of Tastykake). Last but not least, after a test run the roll out.
Q2: What is very questionable is that the taste of the “Sensebales” compared to their traditional product line might lose on quality. If I were their customer I would question myself. Is it really worth it to buy cookies, which might have less crabs and sugar but taste less delicious?
On the one hand there are costumers who might have diabetes and are not able to eat real sugar. Moreover adding low-fat products to their product portfolio might helps to lose no market shares to competitors.
On the other hand, nobody is or should eating cookies or sweets in general that often. This is why I think it is better to buy than normal sweets because first of all it is probably tastier and secondly even healthier. I would rather consume non-artificial ingredients than synthetic ones because the human body cannot handle them very well.
Q3: In times of the healthy wave it might be successful because people start to think different and want to try new products opportunities. Nevertheless I think it would not last long. The consumers might try them but from my experience of low-crab food it does not pay out as expected. Usually the artificial ingredients will support your hungry feeling.
All in all I think there will be a response but only for a very short time. There could be a market in Philadelphia and surroundings but as I said before, people are going to notice...