Key requirements:

Tasty Bite manufactures a range of Ready to Serve Meals which are packaged in multi-layered BPA-free pouches. Its products have a shelf life of 18 months and do not require refrigeration. Tasty Bite has been serving the Australian market for the past 14 years and details can be viewed at:

www.tastybite.com.au

Tasty Bite intends to stretch their brand in Australia. You have been hired by Tasty Bite as a consultant to advise them about the following aspects of the Marketing Channel design for their new range of Ready to Serve Meals:

1. Specification of the main distribution tasks

2. Development of possible alternative channel structures

3. Evaluation of the variables affecting channel structure, i.e. market, product, company, intermediary, environmental and behavioural variables

4. Selection of the optimum channel structure and justification for the same

5. Criteria used to find and select prospective channel members

6. Product differentiation and channel management

7. Product positioning, brand strategy and channel management

You are required to visit stores at Woolworths, IGA and Costco to view Tasty Bite and its competitor's products. You are also required to address the above seven aspects of the Marketing Channel design and make appropriate recommendations based on your research in each area. The submission should be in a Business Report format and correctly referenced (minimum of 15 references). Please refer to the detailed marking guide attached to this brief.