As most fanciers of crumb coffeecake know all too well, making your own can sometimes be a near-disaster.
And even among consumers who shop for such a goodie, this cake often is too dry to suit one’s taste.
Nevertheless, Kraft General Foods’ Entenmann’s operation has done a brisk business in crumb coffeecake as part of its overall shelf-stable pastry line. Entenmann’s held a 43 percent share of what Information Resources Inc. reports was a $565 million business for shelf-stable pastries in the 52 weeks ended Sept. 12.
But there’s always Sara Lee Bakery lurking around as a rugged competitor, though the Chicago-based firm’s goodies are all in the frozen sector.
As a matter of fact, this unit of Sara Lee Corp. has just popped into the market a crumb coffeecake that company officials are understandably quite excited about.
Even though this item has just surfaced, Sara Lee officials are predicting the new crumb coffeecake can be in the top 5 of its 60 frozen items, a list headed by its pound cake and followed in order by apple pie, French cream cheese cake, pecan coffeecake and cherry pie.
The new item is very moist, a critical product attribute among all coffeecakes, certainly a plus for Sara Lee. The company has been working on this new item for about a year.
Sara Lee has done considerable taste-testing, and nearly 9 out of 10 consumers (88 percent) said they prefer the new Sara Lee item over competitive products.
“We think with this new product we’ll attract new buyers to the frozen baked goods category,” says Michael Knowles, vice president-brand marketing. Sara Lee has a category-leading 30 percent share of the $405 million frozen baked goods business at retail, according to IRI data.
Trial and repeat business will decide whether this new item will fly for Sara Lee Bakery, worldwide sales estimated at $1 billion at manufacturer prices. Research is good, but it doesn’t control purchases.
Yet, Sara Lee already has evidence that it has a winner. All Sara Lee baked goods carry on the packaging a toll-free number for questions and comments from consumers, a response mechanism that receives 20,000 calls annually.
“Already, we’ve had the highest level of favorable response, people saying `We like your new crumb cake very much,’ of any new item we’ve introduced recently,” reports Knowles.
Farley buys Bunte brand
Farley Candy Co., the Chicago-based general line candymaker, agreed to acquire the Oklahoma City plant of Pinkerton Group Inc.’s American Candy Co. unit. The acquisition, privately held Farley’s first such move in some time, brings into its fold an operation that’s been manufacturing Bunte-branded candies, such as jelly beans, along with private-label products, total sales believed to be about $60 million a year. Farley itself is expected to finish 1993 with manufacturer sales of close to $300 million.
– National Car Rental System reportedly has narrowed its search for an agency for its $25 million national advertising account to Leo Burnett Co.; W.B. Doner & Co. in Southfield, Mich.; N.W. Ayer-New York; and Hill, Holliday, Connors, Cosmopulos-Boston. A decision is expected by Dec. 1.
On the move: Steve Belletire named VP of product development at Joss Design Group. … Ellen Ryan Mardiks promoted to a senior VP at Golin/Harris Communications. … Barbara J. Whicker named VP-public affairs and marketing at United Way/Crusade of Mercy.
Strictly Personal: Birthday greetings to Abe Samuels, Gary Bradley, J.L. Dearlove, Nancy Zelden and Mary-Jo McLaughlin.
Platinum Technology Inc. in Oakbrook Terrace, a leading vendor of software, is the latest account acquisition of Arian, Lowe, Travis & Gusick, which has just finished a pretty decent year. Gross income rose 19.5 percent for the 12 months ended Oct. 1 that included such new clients as McCain Citrus, Revell-Monogram, Quintessence and Zenith Electronics. Separately, the agency named Bob Davies, a VP, to director of insight development, a newly created post that includes facilitating an understanding of the consumer market and attitudes.
With its big win of a $50 million fluid-milk advertising account, J. Walter Thompson USA Chicago will be hiring, but J. Steve Davis, its executive VP-general manager, isn’t sure how many. Heading up the new client (United Dairy Industry Association and National Dairy Board) is Jerry Johnston, a senior VP and management supervisor at JWT. Johnston, who also heads up the Oscar Mayer Foods account at the agency, was one of the leaders in the successful pitch. There were others, of course. It’s a little different story at D’Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles Chicago, which has had the dairy association in Rosemont as a client since 1974. Hoy McConnell, managing director of D’Arcy Chicago, expects to hold onto the current 140-person staff at least for the time being, hoping that the agency can pick up new business to offset the loss. If the agency isn’t successful in the near future, there obviously will be a staff cut. D’Arcy Chicago, whose principal client remains Amoco Oil Co., has a sizable Yellow Pages advertising unit that most people don’t realize exists in the office.
National Cheese Institute, a Washington, D.C.-based trade organization, is in the early stages of selecting a full-time public relations agency for what is said to be a $300,000 fee income account. Some 10 agencies have reportedly been sent questionnaires. The client has used PR agencies in the past for projects.
