retailers. Specifically, to determine whether Balzac’s can increase wholesale distribution in provinces
outside of Ontario, like Quebec and Vancouver. A critical concern is that Balzac’s brand equity will be
tarnished if this expansion strategy is pursued because they are a regional brand known for providing a
fulfilling in-store experience. Currently, Balzac’s is selling pounds of their coffee grounds to Loblaws,
Sobeys, Metro and Costco stores in Ontario (Balzac’s Coffee Roasters, 2020). The impetus to this inquiry
was the brand's new financing that coincided with the start of their grocery retail distribution in 2016. In
fact, “The
revenue from Balzac’s wholesale business is still a fraction of what the cafés earns … At
grocery stores (outside of Ontario), the brand might be entirely new to someone coming across it in the
coffee aisle” (
Castaldo, 2019
).
Plan
The team will conduct secondary research on coffee consuming behaviors in Quebec, and Vancouver.
Given the points of parity or difference observed in the different markets, the team will reach out to a
proportional number of grocery retailers in each city. They will participate in a survey asking
demographic and behavioural questions about coffee consumers in their select retail stores. This will be
completed independently, involving a series of Likert scale, multiple choice, and rating scale questions.
Group 11, 3
Next the team will conduct qualitative interviews with current wholesale retail coffee consumers in
Ontario to observe the brand resonance of Balzac’s. We will specifically conduct this research in the
regions of Toronto, Kitchener, and Mississauga. These interview questions will be developed using the
four principles of the Brand Asset Valuator: differentiation, relevance, esteem, and knowledge. The data
will help the team understand the consumer perspective of Balzac’s brand equity in its current market
and determine the feasibility of national expansion. Executed by asking demographic, behavioural and
situation-based questions.
Group 11, 4
Group 11, 5
Works Cited
“Balzac's - Overview, News & Competitors.”
ZoomInfo
, ZoomInfo Technologies LLC, 3 Dec. 2021,
https://www.zoominfo.com/c/balzacs/7523305.
Castaldo, Joe. “Balzac's Coffee Roasters' Measured Expansion Puts Brand Equity above Size and
Profits.”
The Globe and Mail
, 27 Sept. 2019, https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/rob
