Customers whale crossings to the chocolate factory – Aftenposten

People from across the country ordering now test winner in such large quantities that the factory has had to recoup extra help. – Consumers are taking revenge, says professor.

On Tuesday night sat NRK program “Focal Point” spotlight on Norwegian grocery and told eg the story of how little whale Sjokoladefabrikk on Fokserød outside Sandefjord lost orders in favor candy giant Nidar when the battle for the large retail purchases should be decided.

Factory Owner Rune Forsberg told the program how difficult it is for a small player to fight a place in the big chains shelves. Giants in the industry, with far greater capital power than whale, could contribute financially and was thus preferred by chains.

Can be a turning point

But now experiencing factory a huge support among consumers . People from across the country ordering the test winner in such large quantities that the factory this week has had to recoup extra help.

– It is amazing fantastic fun. Maybe this could be a turning point for us. We have already been contacted by Rema 1000 and will have a meeting with them on Tuesday, so maybe it can loosen even more now says factory owner Rune Forsberg Aftenposten.

– What is new is that social media is become very strong, and a message is conveyed very quickly, he adds.

Expert on marketing, Professor Tor W. Andreassen at NHH, is not surprised by what happens around Whale:

– What we are experiencing now is that consumers are taking revenge, and takes side in the battle between David and Goliath. People have sympathy for the little challenger and rebel against it being squeezed out of the shelves at the big chains. Moreover, they obviously want to taste this chocolate that has won so many taste tests and stores refuse them to buy with them, Andreassen says to Aftenposten.

chains risking loss

He says that whale now riding on a wave mood, but predicts major market opportunities for Sandefjord now after the program. He does not ignore the fact that the big chains can come to notice lower sales in their stores because the public will increasingly go after whale-chocolate, which, inter alia, sold by Nille, Europris and plantation country around.

– Reduced turnover is a language these chains understand, and when it becomes more interesting to look at the possibility of getting Whale-chocolate back on the shelves again. It will be a challenge for the factory, says Andreassen.

The rebel

– Whale has been the role of the little rebel who protested against the market power of the big chains and got to pay for it. Then it is not easy for the factory if it now turns out that the chains want him into range. They have protested against a system where the supplier with the most capital behind wins place on the shelves. Getting chains as customers turn will seem as if they then accept this system anyway, Andreassen says.

Published: 19 March. 2015 9:32 p.m.