Second Pass As of June 10

You might also like

Download as docx, pdf, or txt
Download as docx, pdf, or txt
You are on page 1of 76

I.

Marketing Background

A. Overview of the Industry

1. Market Size

Instant Noodles has been considered a basic commodity here in the Philippines.1
It has been part of the Filipinos diet either as a snack or as a viand paired with rice. With
the convenience and affordability they provide, instant noodles have become part of the
Filipinos way of living. Consequently, the market for noodles has been continuously
increasing over the years in terms of sales volume. As more noodle products were
consumed each year, the sales volume of the noodle market reached a total of
approximately 243.79 thousand tonnes at the end of 2010. This growth in the market is
reflected in the graph below:

Object 3

Source: Euromonitor. Noodles in the Philippines 23 September 2010. Web. 17 May 2011. <portal.euromonitor.com>

1 S. 1913, 13th Cong. (2010) (enacted). Web. 22 May 2011.


<http://www.senate.gov.ph/lisdata/32082391!.pdf>

1
*Instant Noodles Dried/pre-cooked noodles sold with flavoring such as seasoning oil or powder
*Other Noodles Comprised of Snack Noodles (fried noodles consumed as snack) and Plain Noodles
(basic dried/pre-cooked noodles sold without additional flavoring)
*Total Noodles Instant Noodles + Other Noodles (Snack Noodles and Plain Noodles)

Object 5 The
significance of instant noodles is evident. During the year of 2010, instant noodle
products dominated with 92% of the sales volume in the noodle industry while the snack
noodles and plain noodles only contributed 8%.

2
From the line graph below, the growth of the market is also reflected. With the
sales volume for noodles growing each year, it only seems natural for its sales value to
increase as well. During 2010, the sales value of all types of noodles amounted to
approximately 8,716 Million Pesos more than what the industry had acquired 5 years ago.
The total sales value for 2010 was almost 150% more than it was during 2005.

Object 7

Source: Euromonitor. Noodles in the Philippines 23 September 2010. Web. 17 May 2011. <portal.euromonitor.com>

Similarly, it is also the instant noodles that dominated in the markets sales value.
During 2010, an amount of 25,593.80 Million Pesos out of the 27,284.86 Million Pesos
for the whole noodle industry was contributed by instant noodles. This constituted to
approximately 94% of the entire market.

3
Object 9

Within the last five years, the instant noodle industry has already grown by about
25.73% and is expected to grow even more with increasing rates. 2 It is definite that
instant noodles dominate over both snack noodles and plain noodles. But if we break
down the sales volume of instant noodles alone, it can also be observed that most of it is
made up of sales from pouch instant noodles.

*Instant noodles are further divided into 2 categories, namely the pouch instant noodles and the
cup/bowl noodles. Pouch instant noodles are dehydrated noodles with flavoring in separate
packets packaged in plastic pouches that are to be prepared and eaten in separate plates or
bowls. Cup/bowl noodles are dehydrated noodles with flavoring in separate packets packaged in
disposable paper or plastic bowls, to be prepared and eaten directly from the container.

2 Euromonitor. Consumer Lifestyles in the Philippines. 19 April 2011. Web. 17 May 2011.
<portal.euromonitor.com>

4
Object 11

Source: Euromonitor. Noodles in the Philippines 23 September 2010. Web. 17 May 2011. <portal.euromonitor.com>

The instant noodle industry is greatly dominated by the pouch instant noodle
products that only a miniscule portion is comprised of cup/bowl instant noodles. During
2010, almost 96% of the instant noodles consumed were in the pouch format.

5
Object 13

Growth has also manifested in this industry in terms of value. In spite of instant
noodles having relatively low prices as compared to other consumer goods, the total sales
value of this industry continues to increase, similar with its volume. Below is a diagram
showing the sales value of instant noodles from 2005 to 2010:

6
Object 15

Source: Euromonitor. Noodles in the Philippines 23 September 2010. Web. 17 May 2011. <portal.euromonitor.com>

Object 17 Once again,


instant noodles in pouch format contribute to the majority of the sales value of the noodle
industry with 89% of the total sales during 2010.

7
Over the years, the sales value of noodles has also increased but at a higher rate
compared to its sales volume. This implies a general increase of the prices of the products
in the market. From 2009 to 2010, the sales value of instant noodles alone increased by
5.56% which contributes largely to the noodle industrys 5.43% growth rate. Similar
values have been seen in previous years as well. Consequently, from 2005 to 2010, the
sales value of noodles already increased by 46.94%, a reflection that shows how
positively Filipino consumers are patronizing the products of this industry.3

2. Market Trends

Over the years, different instant noodle brands have come up with more varieties
of products to suit consumers various and ever-changing wants and needs. They have
improved their products to make them tastier and healthier in an effort to increase their
respective market shares and reach segments that were not covered in the past.
The different flavors of instant noodles play a significant factor in the choices of
its consumers. Currently, the Soy sauce and Calamansi flavor is the most popular for dry
instant noodles, more popularly known as Pancit Canton. From the graph, the dominance
of this particular flavor is apparent. However, when it comes to wet instant noodles, more
customers seem to prefer the beef and chicken flavors.

*Instant noodles can also be defined as either wet or dry noodles. Wet instant noodles are eaten
with hot broth (Ex: Chicken Mami) while dry instant noodles are made to replicate stir-fry
noodles (Ex: Pancit Canton).

3 Euromonitor. Consumer Lifestyles in the Philippines. 19 April 2011. Web. 17 May 2011.
<portal.euromonitor.com>

8
Object 20

Source: Euromonitor. Noodles in the Philippines 23 September 2010. Web. 17 May 2011. <portal.euromonitor.com>

With the globalization of the world, international cultures have already been
introduced to different people around the globe; with that, more consumers, especially
younger ones, are becoming interested in new flavors, whether indigenous to their
respective country or from other parts of the world.4 As a result, many instant noodle
brands have introduced new flavors that aim to cater to their adventurous palates. For
example, Monde Nissin Corporation has released their specialty noodles which include
Lucky Me! Lomi and Sotanghon. The brand also continued to expand its noodles soups
such as Lucky Me! Sopas. And Jjampong 5 Likewise, Universal Robina Corporation also
released its Payless Pancit Shanghai line which promotes mostly Asian flavors such as
Oriental and Patatim.6 However, Payless Pancit Shanghai claims to differ from its
competitors because the brand uses a new type of noodle, flat noodle, which is said to
contribute to the heightened tastiness of the product since it is claimed to be able to
absorb more of the sauce and the flavoring.7

4 PRWeb. "Global Instant Noodles Market to Reach 139.2 Billion Packs by 2015, According to a New
Report by Global Industry Analysts, Inc. 04 January 2011. Web. 20 May 2011.
<http://www.prweb.com/pdfdownload/8041134.pdf>
5 Euromonitor. Consumer Lifestyles in the Philippines. 19 April 2011. Web. 17 May 2011.
<portal.euromonitor.com>
6 Ibid.
7 Ibid.

9
Health and wellness concerns have also become popular issues when it comes to
food, and the instant noodle industry is no exception. In fact, most of the brands today
have their very own healthier variants of instant noodles. With the wide array of
fortification strategies available, many of these brands have already incorporated
additional nutrients from healthy and natural sources to their products. 8 An example is
Monde Nissin Corporation, which came up with a Malunggay-fortified variant, Lucky
Me! N-Rich. Similarly, URC released Payless Instant Mami Chicken with Real
Malunggay and Corn.9 Aside from that, instant noodle brands have also managed to shift
most of the consumers paradigms regarding the damaging effects of instant noodles to
the body by assuring consumers that they are avoiding the use of harmful raw materials.
These campaigns are proclaimed through guarantee seals printed on the packaging and
are usually featured and emphasized when advertising the product. For example, Lucky
Me! noodles already have the NAPA (No Artificial Preservatives Added) seal on their
packaging which guarantees consumers that there are no artificial preservatives added in
their products.10

B. Market Profile

Most Filipino households spend around 53.5% of their budget on food. 11


Surprisingly, however, most of the grocery spending comes from the lower socio-
economic class, accounting for 46% of grocery spending in the country. The middle class
only makes up 39% while 15% can be traced back to households that belong to the socio-
economic classes A and B.12

8 United States Agency for International Development. Instant Noodles: A Potential Vehicle for
Micronutrient Fortification. 2002. Web. 20 May 2011.
<http://www.mostproject.org/Updates_Feb05/noodles.pdf>
9 Ibid.
10 Lucky Me! Product List. Monde Nissin Corporation. 2008. 24 May 2011.
<http://www.mondenissin.com/main.php/products/lucky_me>
11 MCA Limited. Retailing in the Philippines. Philippines Special Report. March 2002. Web. 20 May
2011 <http://www.philippinesforum.com/resources/research/files/spe_retail.pdf>
12 Ibid.

10
Object 23

Source: Euromonitor. Consumer Lifestyles in the Philippines. 19 April 2011. Web. 17 May 2011. <portal.euromonitor.com>

With the need for speed and efficiency in todays society, people can no longer
afford to do things as slowly nor as carefully as before. More Filipinos are moving to
highly urbanized areas. In fact, within the next decade, almost 72% of the total Philippine
population is projected to live in urban areas. 13 Such rapid urbanization has triggered
busy lifestyles among these people which are set by increased working time, heavier
traffic, growing importance given to workouts and healthy existence.14 They no longer
have the luxury of spending time for the most basic household tasks such as cooking,
cleaning, and many more. Thus, they tend to look for products and services that are easy
to prepare, easy to use, and easy to consume.

Purchase Habits

Shopping for food and basic necessities is usually a family activity and is
typically done in regular intervals. Moreover, most Filipino consumers buy basic
household goods in stores that are located nearest to them, which are more convenient.
Consequently, there has been a rising popularity of one-stop shops that have extensive

13 Euromonitor. Consumer Lifestyles in the Philippines. 19 April 2011. Web. 17 May 2011.
<portal.euromonitor.com>
14 PRWeb. "Global Instant Noodles Market to Reach 139.2 Billion Packs by 2015, According to a New
Report by Global Industry Analysts, Inc. 04 January 2011. Web. 20 May 2011.
<http://www.prweb.com/pdfdownload/8041134.pdf>

11
selections of various products such as supermarkets, convenience stores, and sari-sari
stores.15
When shopping for household necessities such as food, laundry detergents,
bathroom toiletries and the like, there are certain key factors that most Filipino
households take note of. First of which, and normally considered the most essential, is the
price of the product.

When Filipinos shop, the amount of money they have to shell out is still a very
important factor. Ninety-two percent plan their shopping in advance, and 79
percent prepare a shopping list before hitting the supermarkets or any place they
want to do their shopping. They look for cheaper options and prioritize buying the
basics: 73 percent allot time to look for the best promotions, and even if 89 percent
decide what brand to buy before shopping, 81 percent end up choosing the brand to
put in their baskets at the point of purchase, and 74 percent are willing to try a new
product.16

With that, local and cheaper brands have become more competitive in the market,
especially for basic household goods. Despite this, quality remains to be one of the top
priorities for Filipino consumers.17 Most households remain loyal to brands which they
themselves have tried and tested.18
The demand for convenience, especially in food, has also been increasing at a
substantial rate. More people are leaning towards consuming pre-cooked meals, which
are more convenient and cheaper than having to cook their own meals. The instant noodle
industry has been one of the sectors that are positively affected by this. These products
are finely tuned to fit the needs posed by most of the consumers, especially in the
Philippines.19 Aside from the convenience they provide, they are also attractive to most

15 Euromonitor. Consumer Lifestyles in the Philippines. 19 April 2011. Web. 17 May 2011.
<portal.euromonitor.com>
16 Osorio, Bong R. "Shopping Styles of the Filipino Consumer." The Philippine Star 08 June 2009.
Web. 20 May 2011. <http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?
articleId=475365&publicationSubCategoryId=82>
17 Ibid.
18 Ibid.
19 PRWeb. "Global Instant Noodles Market to Reach 139.2 Billion Packs by 2015, According to a New
Report by Global Industry Analysts, Inc. 04 January 2011. Web. 20 May 2011.
<http://www.prweb.com/pdfdownload/8041134.pdf>

12
Filipinos because of their affordability and long shelf life, which can be attributed to their
low moisture and high sodium content.20 As a response to these characteristics, Filipinos
have been patronizing instant noodles as reflected by how much they demand for the
product. Today, the Philippines has the 9th largest demand for instant noodles in the
world.21

Object 25

Source: World Instant Noodles Association. 10 May 2011. Web. 21 May 2011. < http://www.instantnoodles.org/noodles/expanding-
market.html>

Demand for instant noodles continues to increase across the world, most
especially in developing countries such as the Philippines due to the various benefits they
provide. As seen from the graph above, the national demand for instant noodles has
progressively increased in the last 4 years. Similar trends can be experienced in both
developing and developed countries. Moreover, instant noodles have proved to be a
boon in certain regional markets, as they are considered cost-effective goods for cutting

20 United States Agency for International Development. Instant Noodles: A Potential Vehicle for
Micronutrient Fortification. 2002. Web. 20 May 2011.
<http://www.mostproject.org/Updates_Feb05/noodles.pdf>
21World Instant Noodles Association. 10 May 2011. Web. 21 May 2011. <
http://www.instantnoodles.org/noodles/expanding-market.html>

13
down the cost of living during trying times. 22 Today, it has become a basic necessity for
most Filipino families and is mandated by law to be available for the general public at
reasonable prices.2324

Usage Habits

For higher socio-economic classes, the instant noodle industry is propelled


forward with the demand for convenience due to changing lifestyles and buying
behavior of consumers, increased working time, growing number of women working, and
consumers having less time to cook meals at home, especially in urban areas.25
Likewise, increasing number of nuclear families, rise in disposable incomes, young
singles with little or no cooking skills, enhanced awareness of healthful diets and
increased interest in ethnic and international foods, represent additional factors that are
expected to have a bearing on eating and food preparation habits. 26 Working mothers are
turning away from traditional cooking and are now shifting to pre-cooked or easy-to-cook
meals, which they are able to sufficiently prepare given their time-constrained and hectic
lifestyles.
In recent years, there has already been a significant increase in the consumption of
instant noodles, particularly in lower socio-economic classes C, D, and E. 27 In relation to
that, many of the households belonging to the classes D and E consume instant noodles as
their viand. One instant noodle pack can make rice palatable for a whole family, says
Filomeno Aguilar of the Philippine Institute for Development Studies. In the three cases
he presented in his discussion paper, two families, both belonging to the lower socio-
economic classes, admit that instant noodles are part of their regular meals.28 In additional

22 PRWeb. "Global Instant Noodles Market to Reach 139.2 Billion Packs by 2015, According to a New
Report by Global Industry Analysts, Inc. 04 January 2011. Web. 20 May 2011.
<http://www.prweb.com/pdfdownload/8041134.pdf>
23 S. 1913, 13th Cong. (2010) (enacted). Web. 22 May 2011.
<http://www.senate.gov.ph/lisdata/32082391!.pdf>
24 S. 7581, 9th Cong. (1992) (enacted). Web. 22 May 2011.
<http://www.dti.gov.ph/uploads/DownloadableForms/RA%207581%20-%20Price%20Act.pdf>
25 Ibid.
26 Ibid.
27 MCA Limited. Retailing in the Philippines. Philippines Special Report. March 2002. Web. 20 May
2011 <http://www.philippinesforum.com/resources/research/files/spe_retail.pdf>
28 Aguilar, Filomeno V. Rice in the Filipino Diet and Culture. Tech. no. 2005-15. Philippine Institute
for Development Studies. Web. 20 May 2011. <http://dirp3.pids.gov.ph/ris/dps/pidsdps0515.pdf>

14
to their affordability, instant noodles suffice as substitutes for viands because for most of
these people, instant noodles are able to deliver the same satisfaction traditional viands
provide.

C. Environmental Analysis

1. Analysis of Opportunities and Threats

Opportunities:

The Strength and Growth of the Instant Noodle Industry

Filipinos are among the largest consumers of packaged food in Asia. Instant
noodles are one of the most significant components of this industry and indeed are
abundantly consumed by Filipinos. The Instant noodle industry in the Philippines
continues to be stable as its market increases each year. This strength and stability of the
market provides a good opportunity to enter the market. There would always be
customers who would desire to buy instant noodle products, provided that they are of
great value to them.

Adventurous customers wanting new and unique flavors


During 2009 and 2010, new instant noodle products with unique flavors were
witnessed to be able to sustain the excitement of consumers with the industry 29.
Additionally, this launch encouraged more frequent consumption and even attracted new
customers. It has also been observed that these products was more attracted to the
younger and more affluent crowd, as compared to the major target market of the entire
instant noodle industry. Thus, this is an opportunity for a product that can be positioned
with such qualities.

Recognition of brand

29 Euromonitor. Noodles in the Philippines 23 September 2010. Web. 17 May 2011.


<portal.euromonitor.com>

15
When it comes to food, quality and taste are two of the most important factors for
purchasing and consumption decisions. Thus, when the brand name is already able to
make consumers distinguish a particular one for its renowned superiority, the brand itself
becomes an advantage. This gives that particular product a good opportunity to be made
known in the market as well.

Rapid Urbanization
The significant growth in the number of people living in urban areas gives rise to
increasing demand for convenience. Many consumers deem this as a factor in choosing
products, most especially food. Since people demand for time-efficient ways for doing
their daily routines, the speed at which instant noodles are prepared poses as a big
opportunity for the industry to further improve on.30

Increasing number of working mothers


Working mothers, especially those with demanding occupations, have little or
almost no time to prepare meals for their own families. Instead, they are open towards
food products that are already pre-cooked or easy-to-prepare. 31 Such attributes, which can
be found in instant noodles, make these goods a big hit among such households in the
Philippines.

Increasing awareness for health


In the process of making instant noodles, raw ingredients can be fortified with
essential micronutrients, such as Vitamin B6 and antioxidants, using various fortification
strategies.32 Aside from that, the increasing awareness of Filipinos regarding health
concerns is a driving factor why fortification strategies can be advantageous for the
instant noodle industry given the health benefits that fortified products provide.

30 Euromonitor. Consumer Lifestyles in the Philippines. 19 April 2011. Web. 17 May 2011.
<portal.euromonitor.com>
31 PRWeb. "Global Instant Noodles Market to Reach 139.2 Billion Packs by 2015, According to a New
Report by Global Industry Analysts, Inc. 04 January 2011. Web. 20 May 2011.
<http://www.prweb.com/pdfdownload/8041134.pdf>
32 United States Agency for International Development. Instant Noodles: A Potential Vehicle for
Micronutrient Fortification. 2002. Web. 20 May 2011.
<http://www.mostproject.org/Updates_Feb05/noodles.pdf>

16
Low price range
The low price range of instant noodles is an advantage because it can provide a
shield for the manufacturers and corporations from the economically-detrimental effects
of financial downturns or recessions. Because of their affordability, instant noodles have
become an effective alternative during these periods of cost-cutting.33

Threats:

Quality Control Issues


Filipino households are more meticulous when it comes to the quality of the food
they are purchasing, most especially since their families will be the ones consuming these
products. Moreover, just like any other food industry, the instant noodle industry is
vulnerable to issues regarding the quality of its products. One small scare such as the
Salmonella contamination of Maggi can stop current (and probably future) consumers
from buying instant noodles.34

Rising prices of Raw Materials


Flour is an essential ingredient in the manufacturing of instant noodles. 35 With the
rising prices of flour and other essential ingredients in the market, companies can be
exposed to less profitable operations.36 Manufacturers, however, cannot simply increase
their products prices too much for this action may possibly drive away consumers in the
long run.
2. Key Success Factors

33Euromonitor. Consumer Lifestyles in the Philippines. 19 April 2011. Web. 17 May 2011.
<portal.euromonitor.com>
34 Montenegro, Candice. Instant Noodles Recalled after Testing Positive for Salmonella. GMA News.
05 May 2011. Web. 20 May 2011. <http://www.gmanews.tv/story/219686/nation/instant-noodles-
recalled-after-testing-positive-for-salmonella>
35 United States Agency for International Development. Instant Noodles: A Potential Vehicle for
Micronutrient Fortification. 2002. Web. 20 May 2011.
<http://www.mostproject.org/Updates_Feb05/noodles.pdf>
36 Amojelar, Darwin G. "DTI Warns of More Price Increases." The Manila Times Newspaper. The
Manila Times Newspaper. Web. 22 May 2011. <http://www.manilatimes.net/business/dti-warns-of-
more-price-increases/>.

17
Product Distinction

The instant noodle industry is made up of brands that are more often than not
common with one another. Traditionally, these noodle brands have the usual flavors such
as beef, chicken, and seafood. Such flavors are retained because most consumers prefer
these flavors over novel ones.37 However, with the heightening competition in this
industry, brands must be able to distinguish themselves from the rest through continuing
to create unique variations of their products.38 Since consumers are more likely to
patronize what is familiar to them, noodle brands have to come up with flavors that
deeply touch the current fads of the Philippine culture. For example, Lucky Me! has
launched Lucky Me! Jjampong as a way to tap into the Filipinos current Korean craze.

Most of the instant noodle brands engage in intensive marketing strategies in hopes of
attaining a larger share of the market. These marketing strategies are not only applied to
enhance the brands image but at the same time used to introduce newly launched flavors
in the market.39 The most visible of these marketing strategies are the advertisements
aired on television and other forms of mass media. Companies are able to hire well-
known celebrities to endorse their products. For example, aside from Sharon Cuneta,
Lucky Me! has also hired Derek Ramsay to endorse Lucky Me! Lomi. 40 Such a strategy
remains to be effective because of the association as well as the influence that the
endorser has over the consumers, especially those who are constituents of the celebritys
fan base. Not only do consumers associate instant noodles with the individuals who
endorse them, but they are also enticed by the experience of eating instant noodles,
something that other kinds of processed food lack. It could be the comfortable warmth
the consumers stomach feels, or even the excitement when eating spicy noodles with
ones friends. Consumers are able to identify themselves as part of that experience and
thus would add more to the satisfaction of eating the product.

37 Hwang, Jim. Three Minutes to Go. Taiwan Review. 01 June 2007. Web. 20 May 2011.
<http://taiwanreview.nat.gov.tw/ct.asp?xItem=24252&CtNode=128>
38 Euromonitor. Noodles in the Philippines 23 September 2010. Web. 17 May 2011.
<portal.euromonitor.com>
39 Chu, Solim, Sy, Tiu, and Wee. Gourmet Cuisine Manual. 2008. Microsoft Office Word Document.
40 Media. Monde Nissin Corporation. 2008. 25 May 2011.
<http://www.mondenissin.com/main.php/multimedia>

18
Advertising

Advertising comprises a large part of the promotions of most consumer goods in


the market. 41 The main goal of most advertisers is to be able to make consumers as well
as potential buyers aware of their products. Advertising, however, does not necessarily
sell the product but rather, it only assists the companies to sell it. 42 Through advertising,
companies, especially for consumer goods, are able to communicate and explain to their
consumers the information that they would need to influence their buying decisions.

This strategy is important, especially for products with large markets, because it is
able to give important information in a short span of time. 43 However, not only does it
have to give the right information, it also has to be attractive in order to catch the
44
viewers attention as well as be able to retain them in memory. Most often than not,
attractive advertising stirs the publics curiosity which in turn will help boost their
demand for the product. 45

For the instant noodle industry alone, brands such as Lucky Me! have are
applying advertising strategies intensively with the use of high profile celebrities and
46
other highly effective advertising techniques to market their products. For instance,
when Payless Pancit Shanghai was introduced in the market, its success was directly
connected to their advertising campaign, which included two popular celebrities, Kim
Chiu and Gerald Anderson. 47

Likewise, to be able to succeed in the instant noodle industry, brands must


consistently update their advertising strategies, especially if they are launching new
products or variants. Since instant noodles have a large part in a consumers buying

41 Higgins, Lexis F. "Chapter 10: What are the Options for Promoting Products and
Services? Principles of Marketing: An Applied, Collaborative Learning Approaches. Web. 04 June
2011. <www.principlesofmarketing.com>.
42 Simon Cotter. Importance of Advertising 10 February 2009. Web. 04 June 2011
43 Ibid.
44 Ibid.
45 Ibid.
46Media. Monde Nissin Corporation. 2008. 25 May 2011.
<http://www.mondenissin.com/main.php/multimedia>
47Euromonitor. Noodles in the Philippines 23 September 2010. Web. 17 May 2011.
<portal.euromonitor.com>

19
pattern, the brands must able to encapsulate in their advertisements the essence of their
product. 48 The brands have to be able to establish a certain level of trust for their product,
especially because instant noodles are already considered basic necessities for the
Filipino households. This is probably why Lucky Me is successful in gaining the biggest
share in the market, because they effectively promote their products attractively as well
as the experience that comes with it.

Availability

Instant noodles, especially for the Philippines, are considered fast moving
consumer products. These products include a wide array of products that are frequently
bought by consumers such as household cleaning products, toiletries and other basic
necessities. 49 One of the most important factors for the success of this industry is the
availability of the product in the markets is the constant availability of these goods in
stores. 50

Commonly, instant noodles are sold at lower prices which translate to companies
having lesser sales margins. However, because these products have a quicker shelf
turnover, most companies are able to gain profit by means of sales volume. If, however,
companies fail to constantly supply stores with their products, it will result to lesser sales
volume, which would mean that they would have lesser profits.51

II. Competitive Analysis

A. Competitive Positioning

48 Simon Cotter. Importance of Advertising 10 February 2009. Web. 04 June 2011.


<http://www.simoncotter.com/importance-of-advertising.html>
49 London Business School. Fast Moving Consumer Goods January 2009. Web. 04 June 2011.
<http://www.london.edu/assets/documents/theschool/SubjectGuide_FastMovingConsumerGoods_v
3_JAN09_AF.pdf>
50 FIEGE. Fast Moving Consumer Goods . Web. 04 June 2011.
<www.fiege.com/en/industries/fast_moving_consumer>
51 Online Free Trading. Fast Moving Consumer Goods. Web. 04 June 2011
<http://www.onlinefreetrading.com/advice/home-business/fmcg/fmcg.shtml>

20
Brand: Payless
Company: Universal Robina Corporation

Paylesss main marketing pitch seems to be the idea that it is less expensive than
most, if not all, of its major competition. It seems to promote itself as a cheap yet
delicious alternative to its competitors. Its inexpensiveness is especially emphasized by
the name of the brand being Payless. It also tries to present itself as healthy by
claiming that its noodles possess eleven different types of vitamins. 52 In terms of flavors,
it seems to focus on Filipino flavors such Bulalo and Chicken Espesyal, although it has
some other internationally-inspired flavors as well.

Brand: Nissin
Company: Nissin-Universal Robina Corporation

Nissins main drive seems to be toward seafood and Japanese flavors. 53 It seems
to be fond of adding the word ramen to their flavors like Beef Ramen and Seafood Ramen.
The brand gives the impression that it is focusing more on marketing its products taste
rather than health benefits since there are no claims about its instant noodles being
healthy nor containing vitamins anywhere on the packaging and in its advertisements.

Brands: QuickChow and Tekki


Company: Zest-O Corporation

QuickChow, similar to Payless, seems to focus on Filipino flavors, as well. Its


main advertising point seems to be taste, and its target market seems to be children and
the mothers who buy them. The name implies that its products are food on-the-go, but
this is rather redundant since the product is of course instant noodles. In terms of flavors,
the company does not seem to stray far from the conventional ones such as beef, chicken,
pork, and seafood.54

52 "More Health, More Savings This School Year with Payless Instant Mami Chicken With Corn and
Malunggay." UniversalRobina.com. Universal Robina Corporation, 26 June 2010. Web. 26 May 2011.
<http://www.universalrobina.com/2010/06/26/more-health-more-savings-this-school-year>.
53 "Branded Consumer Foods Group - Domestic." URC.com. Universal Robina Corporation, 2011. Web.
26 May 2011. <http://www2.urc.com.ph/prods_bcfg.html>.

54 "Products." Zesto.com.ph. Zest-O Corporation, 2009. Web. 26 May 2011.


<http://www.zesto.com.ph/zesto_products_2.php>.

21
Tekki Noodles, on the other hand, focuses on roughly the same ideas as
QuickChow does, except the target market seems to be adults rather than children.
Furthermore, unlike Quick Chow which is sold in a pouch, Tekki Noodles are packaged
solely in cups55 making it more convenient for consumers to eat when not at home. Thus,
the products are more expensive.

B. Market Shares / Sales Volume / Sales and Profit Trends

55 "Products - Cup Noodles." Zesto.com.ph. Zest-O Corporation, 2009. Web. 26 May 2011.
<http://www.zesto.com.ph/zesto_products_3.php>.

22
Object 27

Source: Euromonitor. Noodles in the Philippines 23 September 2010. Web. 17 May 2011. <portal.euromonitor.com>

During 2005 2009, the trend for the different instant noodles brands market
shares are apparent. Monde Nissin Corporations Lucky Me! is the leading brand.
Compared to its competitors, its market shares is considerably higher. From the graph,

23
the next component with the highest market share is the conglomeration of different other
brands, most probably those which are less known than the other brands currently
presented on this diagram. This presents a trend that there is increasing popularity among
these less-known brands. In fact, its market share is on an upward trend as well. Payless
garners the next top-highest market shares, which is more than twice the amount of the
competitors that are lower in rank. Nevertheless, its market share throughout the years is
still distant from Lucky Me!s share. Additionally, as the market shares of Lucky Me!, the
other unknown brands, and Payless generally increase throughout the years, the market
shares of the remaining smaller brands, such as Nissin, QuickChow, and Tekki, are in
contrast, generally decreasing. Similar trends can be observed with the market shares of
the instant noodles companies.

24
Object 30

Source: Euromonitor. Noodles in the Philippines 23 September 2010. Web. 17 May 2011. <portal.euromonitor.com>

Since Lucky Me! was evidently the leader from the graph of market shares trend
for instant noodle brands, it is only natural for the its corporation to be at the top position
throughout 2005 2009 as well. Once again, the increasing popularity of other unknown

25
brands and their respective companies is trending as the growth of their collective market
share seems to be continuous. Similarly, Monde Nissin and Universal Robina
Corporation also have generally growing market shares throughout the years. On the
other hand, the remaining companies garnered not only significantly lower market shares
per year, but also had generally downward trends as these percentages decreased from
2005 until 2009.

C. Marketing Strategies (for each of the 4 Ps)

Brand: Payless
Company: Universal Robina Corporation

Product

Payless focuses on traditional Filipino flavors since it is targeting to market to the


Filipino community. Its focus on Filipino flavors can evidently be seen in the way that it
names its flavors after popular Filipino soups. The weakness of Payless is reflected in its
name. When people hear the name Payless, they often associate it with cheap but not
delicious food, unlike the other brand names. In a market where prices are very close to
one another, often differing only by a peso or two, this does not give the brand a very
good advantage.56

Price

A 55g package of Payless Noodles costs P6.10. This is actually the cheapest price
among all the brands. The price may not be a very good advantage, but it can be an
advantage nonetheless. This advantage has allowed Payless to maintain its number two
position despite lagging behind Lucky Me! by a huge amount.57

Place

Payless seems to be fairly present in various supermarkets and grocery stores, the
primary distribution points of instant noodles according to Euromonitor. 58 However, these

56 Euromonitor. Noodles in the Philippines 23 September 2010. Web. 17 May 2011.


<portal.euromonitor.com>
57 Ibid.
58 Ibid.

26
outlets do not only carry Payless products, but also its competitors. This could possibly
make it more difficult to sell the products since people may choose other different brands
over Payless.

Promotion

While Payless promotions and advertisements seem somehow generic compared


to its competitors, the mere mention of its name is already an advertisement about its
price. Its choice of Kim Chiu as product endorser 59 hints that the brand is trying to
promote its noodles to the younger generations as well.

Brand: Nissin
Company: Nissin-Universal Robina Corporation

Product

Nissin is quite standard in the way its products are presented. Aside from trying to
present itself as Japanese with its name and at times adding ramen to its flavors, it really
is not quite different from its competitors.

Price

Nissin wet noodles are priced at P6.75 per 55g, making them the second most
expensive noodles after Lucky Me!. This gives consumers an impression that the
products are actually of good quality, but also an idea that the brand is not ultimately
focused on selling to the lower-income households that have very small amounts of
money budgeted for food.

Place

Nissin share the same shelf in supermarkets and groceries with many of its
competitors. This may be an advantage as its products are put in direct contrast to other
brands, making consumers aware of the noodles features.

59 "Kim Chiu Is Payless Pancit Shanghais Brand Ambassador." UniversalRobina.com. Universal Robina
Corporation, 23 July 2009. Web. 26 May 2011. <http://www.universalrobina.com/2009/07/23/kim-
chiu-is-payless-pancit-shanghais-brand-ambassador/>.

27
Promotion

Nissins main promotion seems to be the seafood element of its noodles and at
times, its Japanese cultural attributes.60 This is evident in most of its advertisements,
especially the ones where its commercial models are wearing Japanese clothing and are
located in Japanese landscapes. This line of advertising has not worked as well as the
brand would have desired since instead of having an increase with its overall share, it has
actually dropped during 2009.61

Brands: QuickChow and Tekki


Company: Zest-O Corporation

Product
QuickChow and Tekki noodles seem to be very generic and not offer many
distinctions from all the other instant noodle products being offered in the market. Similar
to the other noodle brands, QuickChow noodles are mainly available in Filipino flavors
while Tekki Shomen Cup Noodles lean toward other Asian flavors.

Price
QuickChow costs P 6.75 per 55g, while a regular Tekki cup noodle costs P 18.25
(a lot more expensive than noodles available in pouch format). Although these prices are
cheaper than most of the other brands (with products of similar formats), they do not
contribute much to the products popularity among consumers.

Place
Both share the same shelf as all the rest of their competitors. But usually, it can be
observed that QuickChow and Tekki are placed at the bottom or ends of the shelves. This
poses as a very big disadvantage for these two brands since they are less likely to be
noticed, as compared to the other leading ones.

60 Nissin-Universal Robina Corp - Nissin Cup Noodles - Kiji-in. Prod. Campaigns & Grey Philippines.
YouTube.com. 18 May 2011. Web. 26 May 2011. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=vW4VKmmKH2c>.
61 Euromonitor. Noodles in the Philippines 23 September 2010. Web. 17 May 2011.
<portal.euromonitor.com>

28
Promotion
Most of their promotions attempt to emphasize on how delicious their product
tastes, something that most of their competitors also do. But these do not actually add
much to differentiate their products from the other different brands. Additionally, their
commercials do not proclaim additional features about the product either. 62 Overall, both their
market shares have fallen as of 2009.

D. Strengths and Weaknesses of Competition (in terms of 4 Ps)

Brand: Payless
Company: Universal Robina Corporation

Strengths Weaknesses

Well-known Brand
Product Has limited flavors
Offers a variety of new
Does not have cup noodles
flavors
Price Has the lowest prices of
instant noodles
Stacked alongside
Place competitors in shelf spaces
of supermarkets
Endorsed by high-profile
celebrities such as Kim
Promotion Chiu and Gerald Anderson Promotions and
Establishes a niche market advertisements are generic
among teenagers and young
adults

Brand: Nissin
Company: Nissin-Universal Robina Corporation
62 QUICKCHOW INSTANT MAMI ("Bakit Ngayon Ka Lang") - LYLE SACRIS. Dir. Lyle Sacris. Youtube.com.
12 Aug. 2010. Web. 26 May 2011. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0WvJR2MMGU>.

29
Strengths Weaknesses

Well-known Brand
Product Not fortified with any
Unique Japanese flavors
micronutrients
such as Ramen
Price Affordable prices
Stacked alongside
Place competitors in shelf spaces
of supermarkets
Not attracting consumers
Promotion because it is promoting
more of the Japanese
culture.

Brands: QuickChow and Tekki


Company: Zest-O Corporation

Strengths Weaknesses

Offers a variety of flavors


Product Cannot be differentiated
Sells pouch and cup
from its competitors.
noodles
Price Affordable prices
Usually placed at the
bottom or at the ends of the
Place shelves
Is not available in certain
supermarkets
Commercials are not
Promotion effective in selling the
product.

III. Company Background

A. Company Profile of Monde Nissin

History

Monde Nissin Corporation (Monde) is a privately owned company well known


for its production of various food products, which include biscuits and noodles. Although
the company offers its products under different brands such as Monde, M.Y. San, and of
course, Lucky Me!, the corporation actually began with manufacturing and selling

30
biscuits only. During 1980, Monde Nissin Corporation was originally incorporated as
Monde Denmark Nissin Biscuit Corporation (The corporation subsequently changed its
name to Monde Nissin).63 By then, its top-selling products were Nissin Wafer and Nissin
Butter Coconut, which are all still available in the market today. Then, 9 years after its
establishment, the company ventured into the instant noodle segment as it launched its
first Instant Mami (noodle soup) variants under the Lucky Me! brand. According to the
companys official website, the initial flavors released were Beef and Chicken, both of
which would become the fastest selling ones in this segment. Due to the success of the
brand and its products, the company decided to introduce the very first noodles in
pouches and the first bowl noodle, the Lucky Me! Pancit Canton and the Lucky Me!
Supreme La Paz Batchoy respectively.
As for the biscuit segment, Monde acquired the M.Y. San Corporation in 2002.
Until today, the corporation continues to manufacture its flagship biscuit brands such as
SkyFlakes crackers, Fita crackers, and M.Y. San Graham crackers. 64 Furthermore, the
company also manufactures additional biscuit products such as Butter Cookies, Healthins
Soda Crackers, and Lions Crme Crackers.65 Under the Monde brand, more biscuit
products are being produced as well.
The noodles segment continued to prosper and the corporation took this
opportunity to further expand its variety of noodle products. Throughout the following
years, Lucky Me! pioneered the manufacture of Bihon (instant rice noodles), Instant
Spaghetti, Pancit Canton in cups, Instant Lomi, Instant Sopas, and numerous new and

63 Wikipilinas. Monde Nissin Corporation. Web. 22 May 2011.


<http://en.wikipilipinas.org/index.php?title=Monde_Nissin_Corporation>

64 The Company. MondeNissin.com. Monde Nissin Corporation. 2008. 25 May 2011.


<http://www.mysan.com.ph/index.html>

65 Product Catalog 2010-2011. MondeNissin.com. Monde Nissin Corporation. 2008. 22 May 2011.
<http://www.mysan.com.ph/images/catalog.pdf>

31
unique blends of flavors for instant noodles such as Hot chili, Chilimansi (Chili Citrus
Flavor), and Jjampong (the first locally-produced Asian-inspired flavor).66

Vision, Mission, and Values

Although the corporation is mostly owned by Indonesians67 and is headed by


Betty Ang, Monde Nissin provides the Filipino community with high quality products
and excellent service. According to the official website, the companys constituents
consider the corporation as our home, a place where we can grow and explore our
skills.68 They claim not only to produce revolutionary noodle and biscuit goods, but also
to achieve growth and development that nurtures enthusiasm, innovation, and agility.
As stated in the values segment on the official website of the corporation, Monde
Nissin claims to nurture a corporate culture that is anchored on traditional core values
such as Teamwork, Learning Continuously, and Caring Service. 69 It can be understood
from its vision and mission statements that the company emphasizes on its workforces
sharpened skills and knowledge as well as its constant self-improvement and happiness.
Monde Nissin believes that these team players are the foundations of its unparalleled
success as it continues to be the leading brand for instant noodles in the Philippines.

Logo

66 Milestones. MondeNissin.com. Monde Nissin Corporation. 2008. 22 May 2011.


<http://www.mondenissin.com/main.php/products/lucky_me/lm_milestones>

67 Centeno, Dela Cruz, Emata, Milano, Sarmiento, and Margaux Tan. LS10 Monde Nissin. Scribd
2011. Web. 23 May 2011. <http://www.scribd.com/doc/49091613/LS10-Monde-Nissin>

68 About Us. MondeNissin.com. Monde Nissin Corp., 2008. Web. 25 May 2011.
<http://www.mondenissin.com/main.php/about_us>.

69 Ibid.

32
The different elements of the corporation is truly faithful to its values since even
the logo represents the companys core qualities and mindset, as stated on the official
website.70 The colors, orange and red, symbolize the spirit of enthusiasm, determination
for creativity, and passion for excellence. The sails of fast-moving cutter represent its
adventurous and continuous search for innovative ideas that Monde Nissin aims to grow
and develop through revolutionary systems and up-to-date technology. Moreover, the
company does not undermine the diversity of individuals. In fact, they acknowledge these
differences in their values and ideals, represented by the middle sail that is longer than
the others. This uniqueness is cherished in order to provide a favorable environment for
people to achieve their highest potential and thus, effectively contribute toward attaining
a common good through genuine partnership.

Awards and Citations

Monde Nissin strives to provide only the best goods and services to its customers.
With such devotion to high quality and innovation, it is not surprising how the
corporation has received numerous local and international awards and citations such as
the following:71

Five-time Consumer Union of the Philippines Awardee as Best Biscuit


Manufacturer in the Philippines
Five Time awardee of Readers Digest Superbrands in the Instant Noodles
Category (specifically for Lucky Me!)

70 About Us. MondeNissin.com. Monde Nissin Corp., 2008. Web. 25 May 2011.
<http://www.mondenissin.com/main.php/about_us>.

71 About Us. MondeNissin.com. Monde Nissin Corp., 2008. Web. 25 May 2011.
<http://www.mondenissin.com/main.php/about_us>.

33
Honored with a Product Award by the Philippine Association of Food
Technologies (PAFT) for its adaptation of La Paz Batchoy into a convenient
pack
National Consumer Quality Award for Instant Noodles category (specifically for
Lucky Me!)
Golden Shell Award for Marketing Excellence in Exports 2004
Gold Award MONDE SELECTION Bruxelles WORLD SELECTION OF
QUALITY 2007

Current Products

Today, the corporation offers different brands and variants of its products, more
specifically for biscuits and noodles.727374 The following table is a list of all these products.

Biscuits
Monde
Voice Combo Sandwich, Voice 2 PLUS Sandwich, Sumo Hoops, Sumo Mini-
Cookie Sandwich, Sumo Wafer Stick, Bingo, Nissin Wafer, Nissin Stick Wafer,
Nissin Cubee Wafer, Eggnog Cookies, Breadstix, Nissin Butter Coconut, Tee Up
Cream Puffs, One One Rice Cracker, One One Snowy Crisps, Choco Blast

72 Monde Product List. MondeNissin.com. Monde Nissin Corporation. 2008. 22 May 2011.
<http://www.mondenissin.com/main.php/products/biscuits/monde>

73 Monde M.Y. San Product List. MondeNissin.com. Monde Nissin Corporation. 2008. 22 May 2011.
<http://www.mondenissin.com/main.php/products/biscuits/mysan>

74 Lucky Me! Product List. MondeNissin.com. Monde Nissin Corporation. 2008. 24 May 2011.
<http://www.mondenissin.com/main.php/products/lucky_me>

34
M.Y. San
Skyflakes, Fita, M.Y. San Grahams, Butter Cookies, Windmill Wafers, Happy
Time Assortment, Lions Cream Crackers, Healthins Soda Crackers, Danish
Style Butter Cookies

Lucky Me!
Wet Noodles Beef na Beef, Chicken na Chicken, Chicken and Egg (Itnok),
Native Chicken, Spicy Hot Beef, N-Rich with Malunggay
Wet Noodles (Specialty Noodles) Sotanghon Lite, La Paz Batchoy, Bulalo,
Lucky Me! Seafood, Lomi, Sopas
Instant Dry Noodles (Pancit Canton) Original, Kalamansi, Chili-Mansi, Extra Hot,
Noodles
Sweet & Spicy, Chow Mien
Dry Noodles (Specialty Noodles) Pancit Bihon, Curly Spaghetti, Baked Mac,
Mac and Cheez
Cup Noodles (Supreme) La Paz Batchoy, Bulalo, Pinoy Chicken, Special Beef,
Sotanghon Lite, Jjampong, Lucky Me! Seafood, Kari, Po-ku

B. Current Position of the Company/Brand in the Market

Monde Nissin Corporation is the current leading company in the noodle industry.
With an average market share of 63.70% from 2005 until 2009, its competitors market
shares during all of the years are nowhere near Lucky Me!. In fact, it firmly holds on to
the top position in the industry as its market share growth is actually the highest among
all the other corporations. The company achieves almost a 2% increase from 2008 to
2009 while some of the other companies experience decreases. [13]

% Retail value rsp 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

Monde Nissin Corp. 64.68 63.93 63.00 62.69 64.19

Universal Robina Corp. 11.26 11.70 12.14 12.48 12.73

Zest-O Corp. 6.58 6.21 6.20 5.57 5.30

Nissin-Universal Robina Corp. 5.33 5.26 5.21 5.69 4.30

Nestl Philippines Inc. 0.54 0.78 0.84 0.69 0.60

SM Investments Corp. - 0.24 0.30 0.30 0.31

35
% Retail value rsp 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

Indofood Sukses Makmur Tbk PT 0.83 0.43 0.33 0.29 0.25

Supervalue Inc. 0.21 - - - -

Others 10.58 11.45 11.97 12.30 12.31

Total 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00


Source: Euromonitor. Noodles in the Philippines 23 September 2010. Web. 17 May 2011. <portal.euromonitor.com>

Object 32

Consequently, the corporations instant noodle brand, Lucky Me!, currently also
has dominance over the noodle brands of other companies. It has been recognized as the
market leader in the instant noodle industry in the country. With the brand having a
market share of 64.19% during 2009, its competitors are far behind. Payless, the second
leading brand, only had 12.73%, which is less than 20% of Lucky Me!s market share.
Over the last few years, this domination has been far-reaching as Lucky Me! continues to
be the top choice for Filipinos when it comes to instant noodles.

36
% Retail value
Company 2006 2007 2008 2009
rsp

Lucky Me Monde Nissin Corp 63.93 63.00 62.69 64.19

Payless Universal Robina Corp 11.70 12.14 12.48 12.73

Nissin Nissin-Universal Robina Corp 5.26 5.21 5.69 4.30

Quick Chow Zest-O Corp 3.61 3.86 3.41 3.22

Tekki Zest-O Corp 2.60 2.34 2.16 2.08

Maggi Nestl Philippines Inc 0.78 0.84 0.69 0.60

SM Bonus SM Investments Corp 0.24 0.30 0.30 0.31

Indomie Indofood Sukses Makmur Tbk PT 0.43 0.33 0.29 0.25

Others Others 11.45 11.97 12.30 12.31

Total Total 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00


Source: Euromonitor. Noodles in the Philippines 23 September 2010. Web. 17 May 2011. <portal.euromonitor.com>

Object 34

During the period when Lucky Me! Wok Noodles were still being manufactured
and sold by the corporation, its sales were insignificant as compared to those of the other

37
products offered by Lucky Me!.75 Wok Noodles were offered as a dry cup noodle product,
with flavors such as Savory Shrimp, Spicy Beef, and Flaming Hot. This means
preparation entailed pouring hot water on the noodles in the cup then draining the noodles
after a few minutes. Flavoring is then added and mixed together with the noodles before
the product can be consumed directly from the cup. It never garnered a significant market
share in the instant noodle industry, accounting for less than 1% of Lucky Me!s annual
sales.76 This was mainly because of the limited consumption of cup noodles by the market
itself, as well as its relatively higher price with respect to most of its competitors. Perhaps
to its target market of relatively higher-income consumers, Wok Noodles were not able to
provide the value they were looking for despite the products high price. 77 According to
Ms. Marie Sy, a constituent of Monde Nissin Corporation, its sales then were comparable
to the statistics of Lucky Me! Chow Mien today. Currently, Chow Mien does not play a
major role in delivering sales for the company. Ms. Sy claims that a competitors product,
Payless Pancit Shanghai (by Universal Robina Corp), is considered Chow Miens rival
and is being preferred by more consumers.
A similar victorious position is occupied Monde Nissin Corporation in the biscuit
industry. Analogous to its standing in the instant noodles segment, it is also the leading
company in the biscuit market. Its market share in this industry is not as extensive as its
portion in the noodles division, having a 32.63% market share during 2009 with the next
top ranking company, Universal Robina Corp, having a market share of 21.58%.
Nevertheless, it can be observed that Monde Nissins market share growth from 2008 to
2009 is greater than URCs and even all the other competitors, with almost a 3%
increase. With the companys improvement of performance, its dominance in the market
is expected. In fact, its biscuit brands, which include Skyflakes and Fita, are either in first
or in second place.

% retail value rsp 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

Monde Nissin Corp. 29.55 29.40 29.21 29.87 32.63

75 Sy, Marie. Personal interview. 21 May 2011.

76 Sy, Marie. Personal Interview. 7 June 2011.

77 Tan, Kristine Valerie. Personal Interview. 8 June 2011

38
% retail value rsp 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

Universal Robina Corp. 20.12 20.27 20.60 21.20 21.58

Republic Biscuit Corp. 10.62 10.45 10.29 10.34 10.53

Kraft Foods (Philippines) Inc. 5.65 5.90 5.98 5.10 5.56

Grand Alphatech International Corp. 2.68 2.66 2.90 3.33 3.27

Martinez & Co. Inc., Felicisimo 5.01 4.82 4.30 3.56 3.17

First Choice Food Corp. 6.17 6.22 6.27 6.41 2.63

Delfi Foods Philippines Inc. - 2.15 2.29 2.37 2.53

Campbell Soup Co. 1.70 1.81 1.82 1.82 1.58

Commonwealth Foods Inc. 0.88 0.94 1.04 1.12 1.09

Meiji Seika Kaisha Ltd. 0.69 0.64 0.62 0.56 0.89

Kraft Foods Inc. - - - - 0.38

Loacker SpA, A 0.51 0.46 0.40 0.33 0.33

Croley Foods Mfg Corp. 0.40 0.39 0.34 0.19 0.19

Nestl Philippines Inc. 2.03 - - - -

Metro Biscuit Corp. 0.07 - - - -

Others 13.90 13.89 13.94 13.80 13.64

Total 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00 100.00


Source: Euromonitor. Noodles in the Philippines 23 September 2010. Web. 17 May 2011. <portal.euromonitor.com>

39
Object 36

C. Company/Brand Strengths and Weaknesses Analysis

Strengths

Since 1980, Monde Nissin Corporation has been providing biscuit and noodle
products to the Filipino community and other international customers. Until today, when
it comes to instant noodles and biscuit industries, Monde Nissin continues to be a
valuable constituent in these segments. This stability in the business is the result of one of
the companys strengths, which is adaptability. Throughout the years, they are able to
manufacture different new products that aim to satisfy its consumers. With its wide range
of quality noodle and biscuit products that are specially made to cater to the various and
evolving needs and wants of different consumers, the corporation is able to maintain its
dominance in these industries, most especially with instant noodles.
Another strong point of the company is its competence in research and
development. Through such exceptional endeavors, it continues to improve its recipes
that will maintain, or better yet, enhance customer taste satisfaction. Additionally, the
companys passion for discovery and innovation will enable it to have advantage over its
competitors. This will give it the opportunity to keep up with the trends of the market and
of the consumers. The Monde Nissins team composed of well-educated and experienced

40
food technologists, chemists, and chemical engineers are trained and equipped to
discover new market tastes and develop new flavors and products that will provide
improved offerings to the consumers, both in the present and in the future. 78 An example
of such efforts is the companys awareness and response to consumers increasing health
and wellness concerns. As a result, Lucky Me! became NAPA (No Artificial
Preservatives Added) in 2008 and launched its N-Rich line the following year.
Monde Nissins consumers are loyal to its brands and products. This is a great
advantage of the corporation over its competitors. Because the company continues to
offer ever-improving and high quality product lines to its consumers, their trust is put in
the corporation and its offerings. Additionally, the company is able to strengthen its
consumers loyalty not only through satisfying their wants and needs through its products
but also by accentuating their values and traditions. An example of such advocacy was
when Lucky Me! emphasized the importance of family to the Filipino community by
launching National FaMEALy Day - Araw ng Pagkilala na ang Kainang Pamilya ay
Mahalaga (A Day to Commemorate that Family Meals Matter).79
Another one of the advantages of Monde Nissin is the presence of the
corporations own manufacturing plants here in the Philippines. The main factory for
production is located in Sta. Rosa, Laguna. Furthermore, two minor factories are located
in Pampanga and Cebu.80 Since the company has their own plants, they are able to easily
adjust production when sudden changes in demands occur. Additionally, they are able to
manipulate the manufacturing processes more easily when revolutionary technologies are
discovered or distinct changes to the products are needed to be made since the company
itself is the one primarily regulating its own plants. Monde Nissin Corporations team
members are able to make decisions and then apply them in a more immediate manner, as
opposed to when the plants are under the control of other corporations or are located in
international settings. Additionally, distribution costs can be minimized since these
products will only need to travel locally.

78 Centeno, , Dela Cruz, Emata, Milano, Sarmiento, and Margaux Tan. LS10 Monde Nissin. Scribd
2011. Web. 23 May 2011. <http://www.scribd.com/doc/49091613/LS10-Monde-Nissin>

79 Lucky Me! Product List. MondeNissin.com. Monde Nissin Corporation. 2008. 24 May 2011.
<http://www.mondenissin.com/main.php/products/lucky_me>
80 Ibid.

41
Having manufacturing plants located at different places in the Philippines also
comes with another one of the strengths of the corporation. This results to having far-
reaching distribution operations. While the plants in Pampanga and Cebu are able to
provide products for the Visayas and Mindanao regions, the main factory in Laguna is
able to provide products for Metro Manila, other places in Luzon, and even for other
nations. Having 13 distributors in Northern Central Luzon, 4 in the Greater Manila Area,
11 in South Luzon, and seven in Visayas and Mindanao81, it is no wonder how Monde
Nissin products are can be purchased from big modern supermarkets to rural sari-sari
stores.
Monde Nissins visibility is another one of its strong points. Through the
corporations successful marketing endeavors, good publicity is being experienced by the
company. Additionally, continuous customer satisfaction from high quality products and
efficient customer service only encourages these consumers to express such favorable
experience to others and thus, effectively advocate the brands and products to other
potential buyers.
Since the company operates on a corporate culture that is anchored on traditional
core values such as teamwork, learning continuously, and caring service, its human
resources respect and enjoyment are deeply valued. 82 Consequently, the entire Monde
Nissin Corporation team is efficiently able to work together and strive for a common goal
to competently provide high quality products and excellent service to its beloved
consumers.

Wok Noodles

As a product of Monde Nissin Corp., Wok Noodles main advantage was the
quality of its products. Consumers were immediately assured of the high quality and
premium taste of Wok Noodles simply from the recognition that it was a product under
Lucky Me!. There was no longer a need for a great effort to introduce Wok Noodles as
good noodles because people were already aware that as a product under Lucky Me!,
Wok is the fruit of product innovation and high quality standards that the brand is already

81 Centeno, , Dela Cruz, Emata, Milano, Sarmiento, and Margaux Tan. LS10 Monde Nissin. Scribd
2011. Web. 23 May 2011. <http://www.scribd.com/doc/49091613/LS10-Monde-Nissin>
82 About Us. MondeNissin.com. Monde Nissin Corp., 2008. Web. 25 May 2011.
<http://www.mondenissin.com/main.php/about_us>.

42
known for. Thus, this would not only create an opportunity for Wok Noodles to be priced
at a higher cost, but also provide people with fewer reasons not to try Wok Noodles even
if they are unfamiliar with the product itself.
Wok Noodles might also have the advantage of more effective distribution
channels than its competitors. This made it easy for consumers to access the product.
Also, as Lucky Me! is the market leader in the instant noodle industry, Wok Noodles was
able to enjoy a prime spot in supermarkets and groceries, the main retailers for its target
market. Thus, Wok Noodles would be easily visible to supermarket shoppers as they
would be displayed in eye-level shelves or in special sections in the aisles. Along with
Lucky Me!s ad campaigns and promotions for its products, Wok Noodles were indeed
strong in terms of product visibility.

Weaknesses

Indeed the distribution operations of Monde Nissin are able to reach even the
distant provinces in the various regions of the Philippines. Despite this, there have been
reports that some of these deliveries contain inefficient quantity of the companys
products.83 Some stores have reported to have low supplies of Monde Nissin product with
the demands of their customers not being fully satisfied. This weakness impedes the
growth of sales.
Although Monde Nissin is able to provide a wide range of products that can
satisfy its consumers, some of these products are quite comparable to each other. In fact,
these overlapping products may tackle very similar needs of the consumers. Thus, there is
a possibility of cannibalization within the company.
The corporation is up-to-date with the different consumer trends, one of which is
the rising concern for health and wellness. Although Lucky Me! has been dedicated to
research, development, and innovation in order to provide its health-conscious consumers
with the healthiest product it could possibly offer, instant noodles are still usually
criticized as junk food. Although this particular concern is not the defining factor for
Lucky Me!s primary consumers, which are consumers from lower-income households, it
will be the brands ultimate advantage over their competitors if they are able to come up
with a solution to further attract more of these health-conscious consumers. More often
than not, these customers belong to the middle or higher-income households.
83 Sy, Marie. Personal interview. 21 May 2011.

43
Wok Noodles

Aside from those mentioned above, a major disadvantage of Wok Noodles would
be its similarity to a lot of other dry cup noodles in the market. Beyond the similar dry
noodles (Pancit Canton) offered by Lucky Me!, other brands, particularly imported ones,
also offer dry noodles in cups, and these are usually marketed to high-income consumers,
which are also the target consumers of Wok Noodles. These imported brands, often from
China, Japan and Korea, could be identified as international counterparts of Wok Noodles
as they would normally be available in Oriental / Asian flavors, and this would be
unfavorable for Wok, as the name Wok connotes an Asian or Oriental taste and feel, but
the product is available only Savory Shrimp, Spicy Beef, and Flaming Hot, which did not
imply much about being Oriental-Asian. Thus, a certain contradiction exists between the
brand name and the flavors offered. Also, people would also be inclined to buy the
imported noodles as they could be seen as more authentic in terms of being Asian
food.

It is also important to note that while Woks target market were clearly identified
as those belonging to the higher economic classes, the product itself was not directly
marketed towards them. As could be seen from its flavors, it seemed that Wok Noodles,
as a product for the higher social classes, is actually presented simply as differently-
flavored pancit canton in a cup. Its packaging also did not imply a high-class nor Asian
feel. Thus, Wok did not translate as a brand for its target market; moreover, the people
who would like to buy Wok Noodles would not be able to afford it because of its high

44
price. This incongruence of sorts could be seen as a significant weak point of Wok
Noodles84.

D. Brand Consumer Profile

1. Identified Market Segments

Being the market leader in the instant noodle industry, Monde Nissins Lucky Me!
brand offers Filipinos the most diverse range of instant noodle varieties both in pouch and
in cup. Its dry (Pancit Canton) and wet (noodles in soup) noodle variants, marked at
competitive prices, are generally sold to the common people (masa; class D, E, broad C),
some of whom may have instant noodles as a staple food or viand since they are
inexpenive and easy to prepare. However, Lucky Me! noodles are not limited to these
groups because as a widely recognized Filipino company, Monde Nissin has been able to
establish Lucky Me! instant noodles as high-quality family-oriented products.85
Additionally, Lucky Me! has a new line of Specialty Noodles, priced more
expensively, which features new kinds of Filipino and international flavors as well as
different types of instant pasta. With variants that range from Sotanghon Lite to Curly
Spaghetti and Mac & Cheez, it is observable that from their original target market
pertaining to lower socio-economic classes, Lucky Me! is now also selling to younger
and more upscale people, including active and health-conscious professionals, busy
students, and young schoolchildren.86 From this it is possible to conclude that Lucky Me!
is moving from generic consumer needs (such as a need to fill a craving for instant
noodles) to more specific demands (such as the demand for healthier or more child-
friendly noodles).
The targeted market segment of Lucky Me! Wok Noodles was no different from
the target market of these Specialty Noodles. Wok Noodles in the past might have been
also sold to relatively higher economic classes, having the same lifestyles and demands as
the consumers of the Specialty Noodles today.87 Specifically, Woks target market might

84 Tan, Kristine Valerie. Personal interview. 8 June 2011.

85 Sy, Marie. Personal interview. 21 May 2011.


86 Ibid.
87 Ibid.

45
have been young and adventurous instant noodle lovers who are interested in Asian
noodle tastes and need a convenient way of eating them. For these kinds of people, it can
be seen that beyond the instant noodles, what they seek is the experience of eating and
tasting unique Asian flavors in a cup. As mentioned above, Wok might not have been
successful at tapping its market because of its unmemorable flavors and inconsistent
positioning.

2. Market Needs Being Addressed

Its main product being instant noodles, Lucky Me! primarily answers the need for
good-quality and reliable food that would fill the stomach in an instant or in a fuss-free
way. Instant noodles can be seen as staple items in Filipino kitchen cupboards, consumed
during occasions when individuals do not have ample time to prepare meals or are simply
craving for a quick fix of noodles.
Wok Noodles, having the feature of being able to be cooked in just a few minutes,
are valuable to consumers who have limited time for eating yet are in need to have a
filling meal during those periods. The trend of fast-paced lifestyles also increases the
need for a quick and hassle-free manner of preparing food.88 Lucky Me! Wok addressed
this need by providing the convenience of having instant mealsconvenience in the ease
of access to its products, as well as the convenience in the method of preparation and
consumption of noodles without compromising their taste and quality. Moreover, Wok
Noodles catered to the need for new and exciting variants in dry instant noodles. Pancit
Canton is normally sold in Original, Calamansi, and Spicy flavors. Wok offered
shrimp and beef flavors which were a lot different than the typical pancit canton. Despite
this, these flavors were perhaps not able to live up to the expectations of target market of
the brands in terms of being Asian enough.
Another need that Lucky Me! caters to is the demand for healthier instant food.
Lucky Me!s noodles are presented as a healthy variety of instant noodles by innovating
them as NAPA (or No Artificial Preservatives Added) and by fortifying their products

88 Euromonitor. Consumer Lifestyles in the Philippines. 19 April 2011. Web. 17 May 2011.
<portal.euromonitor.com>

46
with Iron and Vitamin A.89 Thus, these endeavors in creating healthier instant noodles
make Lucky Me! a good choice for those who seek a healthier range of instant food. This,
however, was not tapped by Lucky Me! Wok Noodle Variants as they were not yet
labeled as NAPA.
3. Buying Patterns

Lucky Me! noodles, along with most of Monde Nissins products, continue to be
sourced by consumers from supermarkets, convenience stores, and sari-sari stores. 90
Supermarket consumers who purchase Lucky Me! noodles usually buy in bulk (more
than one pouch at a time). Instant noodles seem to be regularly bought by families and
are usually included in their grocery lists; thus, instant noodles are already budgeted for
in an average familys weekly or monthly expenses.
Lucky Me! noodles are seen to be part of normal day-to-day eating habits of most
Filipinos. There does not seem to be seasonal patterns in the consumption rate of instant
noodles. However, the recent economic crises, oil price hike, and natural calamities (such
as typhoons and draughts) have affected consumer expectations such that most are
anticipating major food scarcities in the future, along with high increases in the prices of
goods.91 Thus, consumers are becoming more value-oriented, being more conscious of the
changes in the costs of different household goods and food items. The sense of
convenience, reliability, and value (sulit) that instant noodles convey to consumers
makes it a good grocery option even during times of crisis. This characteristic also
contributes to the steady consumption of instant noodles all year long, with peaks during
the rainy months as well as the holiday season.92
Wok Noodles, as a more expensive kind of instant noodles, might have been
commonly bought by its target market from supermarkets and convenience stores, as
these people are not likely to buy from sari-sari stores. Belonging to the higher economic
classes, Woks consumers may not be as sensitive to price as those from the lower
classes. However, as mentioned earlier, value for money is still an important point for
them as a result of various economic changes. The pattern in which Wok Noodles were
89 Chu, Solim, Sy, Tiu, and Wee. Gourmet Cuisine Manual. 2008. Microsoft Office Word Document.

90Chu, Solim, Sy, Tiu, and Wee. Gourmet Cuisine Manual. 2008. Microsoft Office Word Document.
91 Sy, Marie. Personal interview. 21 May 2011.
92 Ibid.

47
bought may not be as steady as other Lucky Me! variants because for these kinds of
people, instant noodles are not seen as a staple food but a kind of emergency food. Wok
Noodles may be stocked at home, but it is not necessary that a households stock is
regularly consumed and refilled.
4. Usage Habits

People commonly consume Lucky Me! instant noodles as a stomach-filler or


panawid-gutom because of the convenience (easy to buy, easy to cook, easy to eat, easy
to transport) it provides. Instant noodles are suitable for consumption at work or even at
home when working late on a project. Aside from being eaten as a snack, recent ad
campaigns have encouraged the eating of Lucky Me! instant noodles for breakfast, 93
especially as a warm and energizing meal for people who have a long day ahead, as well
as a dish on the dinner table, to be shared and eaten together by the whole family.94
Also, Lucky Me! is perceived to be well-loved by kids, especially those in the
grade school level, and this makes Lucky Me! an ideal food for childrens breakfast or
snack time. Mothers who have picky children could simply prepare Lucky Me! for their
childrens meal or packed lunch. Monde Nissins TV advertisements are certainly taking
the effort to make Lucky Me! popular among children.95
As mentioned earlier, instant noodles are also popular as relief goods because
noodles are a good substitute for rice, without the hassle of cooking. 96 During times of
typhoons and other natural calamities, instant noodles, along with biscuits and canned
goods, are commonly donated and distributed to disaster-stricken victims.
Wok Noodles could also be seen as stomach fillers, but as can be seen earlier, it
is not likely that they were eaten on a regular basis. For its target market, perhaps Wok
Noodles are simply snacks or emergency food, to be eaten once in a while when they
crave for instant noodles or when they need food but would not be able to cook. Also, in
contrast to most of Lucky Me!s products, it seems that a cup of Wok Noodles was meant

93Chu, Solim, Sy, Tiu, and Wee. Gourmet Cuisine Manual. 2008. Microsoft Office Word Document.
94 Home - Kainang Pamilya Mahalaga." KainangPamilyaMahalaga.com. Monde Nissin Corp. Web. 25
May 2011. <http://www.kainangpamilyamahalaga.com/index.php/home>.
95 Media. Monde Nissin Corporation. 2008. 25 May 2011.
<http://www.mondenissin.com/main.php/multimedia>

96 Sy, Marie. Personal interview. 21 May 2011.

48
for individual consumption and not shared or eaten together with ones family or friends,
and it is impractical to be donated to typhoon victims. As an emphasis on catering to
consumers specific demands, Wok Noodles, at its price and different flavors, were
perhaps selling the experience of tasting individuality and indulging oneself to unique
cup noodles.
E. Marketing Strategy

1. Segmentation, Targeting and Positioning

As a major player in the consumer market, Lucky Me! segments Filipino


consumers according to their characteristics such as income levels, lifestyles, and age. 97
Such segmentation has enabled the brand to identify possible needs and set the right
product, price, and promotion to a selected target market.
Its extensive assortment of instant noodles, varying in flavor and noodle form, has
enabled the brand to cater to a wide range of consumersstudents, working people,
mothers, and children, all of whom having a need for high-quality and healthy instant
meals. The regular dry and instant noodles have always been a staple to most Filipino
families because of their familiar yet unique flavor and appeal to local tastes, as well as
their trusted reputation for quality and affordability. The noodles are marketed as suitable
for both kids and adults, and they are usually presented as a great dish for family meals,
to be eaten together by all members of the family. 98 On the other hand, the Specialty
Noodles are offered to people with more distinct needs. 99 For example, the Sotanghon
Lite is targeted to people who are concerned with the high carbohydrate intake associated
with eating processed noodles. Curly Spaghetti, Mac & Cheez, and Baked Mac all appeal
to mothers with picky children and children who are fond of eating cheese and spaghetti.
Wok Noodles, implying fresh and exciting Asian flavors in a cup, might have
been also targeted to thrill-seeking younger consumers who have fast-paced lifestyles.
However, its efforts to position itself as a high-end Asian-style instant noodle product
were a little confused as its ordinary look, high price and uninteresting flavors did not
work well together for the target consumers to be attracted to the brand. Clearly, Wok

97 Sy, Marie. Personal interview. 21 May 2011.


98 Media. Monde Nissin Corporation. 2008. 25 May 2011.
<http://www.mondenissin.com/main.php/multimedia>
99 Ibid.

49
Noodles was not successful in carving out a niche for itself in the market. One can say
that it was certainly an unmemorable brand as very few people would remember it today.

Monde Nissin sees itself as a youthful and dynamic company dedicated to


providing high quality products and excellent service to Filipino consumers. 100 As its logo
symbolizes, Lucky Me! presents itself in the market as a brand that truly cares for its
customers.101 The shape and color of the logo shows intimacy and warmth, much like
how Lucky Me! products have already been a part of the lives of Filipinos by continuing
to provide fresh and sweet-smelling meals that Filipino families have come to love and
look forward to. The brand elicits memorable moments of simply sitting around with
friends or family, happily eating and bonding over tasty fuss-free meals.102

2. Marketing Mix (Four Ps)

Product

Lucky Me!s instant noodles are offered in a wide array of flavors and sizes. The
regular wet noodles and Pancit Canton are available in 65g pouches. Specialty noodles
vary from 60g to 90g pouches. Cup noodles are also offered in two sizes, 65g and 35g,
while Chow Mien Cup Noodles are in 75g and 50g. While most of the variants are based
on Filipino dishes and flavors, newer flavors are leaning towards Asian flavors such as
Chinese and Japanese, as well as Western-style pasta such as macaroni. These varieties

100 About Us. MondeNissin.com. Monde Nissin Corp., 2008. Web. 25 May 2011.
<http://www.mondenissin.com/main.php/about_us>.
101 Lucky Me! Product List. Monde Nissin Corporation. 2008. 24 May 2011.
<http://www.mondenissin.com/main.php/products/lucky_me>
102 Ibid.

50
add to Monde Nissins reputation for innovation and advancement of instant noodle
flavors and processing technology.103

All of these noodles are packaged in colorful and vibrant pouches and cups, bearing
NAPA and Sangkap Pinoy seals along with images of freshly cooked and appetizing
noodles with meat and vegetables on top. The packaging as a whole gives off a premium
look for a high-quality product that consumers can expect from the brand.104
Their noodle variants can be classified as follows105:

Non-Specialty Noodles Specialty Noodles

Wet Dry (Pancit Canton) Wet Dry

Pancit Bihon with


Beef na Beef Original La Paz Batchoy *
Kalamansi

Chicken na Chicken Calamansi Seafood * Baked Mac

Itnok (Chicken and


Extra Hot Chili Bulalo * Mac & Cheez
Egg)

Chicken Sotanghon
Native Chicken Sweet & Spicy Curly Spaghetti
Lite *

Chow Mien Spicy


Beef Spareribs Chili-Mansi Chicken Sopas
Seafood *

Pork Ribs Lomi Chow Mien Beef *

Spicy Hot Beef Jjampong *

N-Rich with
Kari *
Malunggay

Po-ku *

*available in cup / bowl format


Wok Noodles were manufactured before the introduction of the Specialty noodles.
However, as a cup noodle product, it used to belong to the Lucky Me! Supreme Cup
Noodle line as a dry cup noodle variant. It is interesting to note that while Wok sounds
like there is a stir-fried quality to the noodles, the noodles themselves were not any
103 Ibid.
104 Chu, Solim, Sy, Tiu, and Wee. Gourmet Cuisine Manual. 2008. Microsoft Office Word Document.
105 Ibid.

51
different from the noodles of Pancit Canton that were sold in pouches. Moreover,
preparation and consumption of the product were just similar to the conventional Pancit
Canton, except that the noodles can be cooked and eaten directly from a cup as an
emphasis on convenience. From the perspective of a typical consumer of Wok Noodles (a
person who enjoys a comfortable lifestyle and who would likely be educated enough to
recognize what a wok is), the name would actually be a little misleading for a product
that is simply Pancit Canton in cup form.106

Price

Lucky Me! wet instant noodles are priced at P6.90, while Specialty wet noodles
such as Seafood, La Paz Batchoy, and Bulalo are priced at a range from P12.90 to P14,
twice the price of the regular wet instant noodles. Other Specialty noodles such as Mac
and Cheez and Baked Mac are priced at P16, while the Jjampong variant is the most
expensive at P18.50. Dry noodles (Pancit Canton) are priced at P8. Lucky Me!s prices
are slightly higher than the cost of other brands for both wet and dry noodles, yet
consumers seem to be consistent in buying its products, perhaps because of their strong
attachment and preference for the brand.107 Despite this point of advantage, Lucky Me!
cannot significantly raise its prices as its primary consumers continue to be the lower
income classes, and its products are essentially considered as major commodities. What
follows is a summary of Lucky Mes retail price range in comparison to the prices of
other brands in the market:

106 Tan, Kristine Valerie. Personal Interview. 8 June 2011.

107 Chu, Solim, Sy, Tiu, and Wee. Gourmet Cuisine Manual. 2008. Microsoft Office Word Document.

52
Nissin Quickchow /
Lucky Me! Payless (URC)
(Nissin-URC) Tekki (Zest-O)

Wet Noodles P 6.90 P 6.75 P 6.10 P 6.75

Pancit Canton P 8.00 P13 for 130g P 8.00

Specialty P 12.00 to
Noodles P 18.50

Instant Stir-
P 13.90 for 65g P 8.30 for 59g P 7.75 for 55g
fried Noodles

Wet Cup
P 23.50 P 21.25 P 18.25
Noodles (reg.)

Wet Cup
P 14.50 P 14.30 P 13.20
Noodles (mini)

Dry Cup
Noodles (reg.): P 24.75 P 21.25 P 17.40
Wok Noodles

Dry Cup
P 17.00 P 14.30 P 13.20
Noodles (mini)

Wok Noodles were used to be priced at the same range (around P 24 to P 30) as
Lucky Me! Special Chow Mien, a similar product offered by the brand today. As a
product of Lucky Me!, Wok could be said to be more expensive than most of the other
noodle products in the market, mainly because it is primarily presented as a premium
product, and its target market is deemed to be generally insensitive to high prices.
However, perhaps the margin for Wok was set too high as some people noted that Wok
Noodles were just too expensive to a point where they felt they were paying more than
the value they actually got from the product.108

108 Tan, Kristine Valerie. Personal Interview. 8 June 2011.

53
Place

Lucky Me! can easily be found not only in major retail centers such as supermarkets
and convenience stores but also in sari-sari stores or small community stores. The brand
is currently enjoying a market leader status in supermarkets where almost half of the shelf
space for instant noodles is allocated to Lucky Me! products. This not only expresses the
brand leadership of Lucky Me!, but also contributes to increased product contact with
consumers.109
Wok Noodles, unlike other Lucky Me! products, was sold mostly in supermarkets,
convenience stores because Wok primarily targets shoppers belonging to the middle and
upper socio-economic classes. Furthermore, because it is priced higher compared to other
instant noodle variants, Wok is not sellable in sari-sari stores, where most consumers
belong to lower socio-economic classes.
A strength of Monde Nissin is the strong presence of its brand even to the smaller and
lower-level retail channels, which is the result of an effective distribution system that
includes various distribution centers that supply its products to retail outlets both in urban
and rural areas. Through this system, Monde Nissin ensures the smooth flow of products
from the trade distribution centers to the retail store outlets, and ultimately to the end
consumer.110 The supply chain is summarized in the following chart:

Thus, Lucky Me! products are able to reach a wide group of Filipino consumers even
in remote locations, making the brand more accessible and recognizable to more people.

109 Chu, Solim, Sy, Tiu, and Wee. Gourmet Cuisine Manual. 2008. Microsoft Office Word Document.
110 Sy, Marie. Personal interview. 21 May 2011.

54
Promotions

Lucky Me! has always been known for memorable television ads that are not only
attuned to their products respective target segment but also reflect a slice of Filipino life,
making their ad campaigns effective and endearing.111 This ability to form close
connections with the Filipino people contributes to lasting intimate brand-customer
relationships. Throughout the past, Lucky Mes advertising strategies have been
successful at expanding its market by initiating and maintaining the consumption of
Pancit Canton and Instant Mami to teenagers and young professionals. The products
became popular among these groups of people with the help of TV commercials featuring
high school best friends and overworked office employees enjoying a plate of steaming
hot Lucky Me! Pancit Canton.112
It can also be said that the same kind of advertisement was also used for Wok
Noodles. In addition to that, some variants of Lucky Me! have paired up with Monde
Nissins other consumer brands such as M.Y. San Crackers for promos to build up their
brand names and to encourage consumers to buy more of the product. However, for Wok
Noodles, no such promotions were undertaken. This is probably why Wok was not that
popular with consumers before. Promotions for the product were probably not enough for
it to build a name within the market.

111 Media. Monde Nissin Corporation. 2008. 25 May 2011.


<http://www.mondenissin.com/main.php/multimedia>
112 Sy, Marie. Personal interview. 21 May 2011.

55
Sharon Cuneta is also tapped as a regular endorser of Lucky Me! products. As an
endorser with a strong consumer following, she has contributed much to Lucky Me!s
market success, especially in making Lucky Me! products attractive to mothers who are
essentially in charge of preparing meals for the family and are concerned with having
meals that are both delicious and nutritious for their kids. 113 It can be remembered that her
appearance in the new Lucky Me! NAPA Seal TV commercial caused consumer hype and
increase in popularity. She is also very effective at presenting new ways of consuming
instant noodles, such as having Instant Mami for breakfast.114

Currently, Lucky Me! is directing its promotional campaigns to even younger


children, especially those who are nearing pre-teen years. The brand is presently
marketing instant noodles as fun and child-friendly dishes. These can be seen in its Itnok
and Sweet & Spicy Pancit Canton commercials where the emphasis is given to kids

113 Arceo, Mitch M. "Sharon Cuneta: Family Bonding Over a Bowl of Noodles!" The Manila Bulletin
Newspaper Online. Manila Bulletin Publishing Corporation, 25 July 2008. Web. 25 May 2011.
<http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/1480/sharon-cuneta>.
114 Media. Monde Nissin Corporation. 2008. 25 May 2011.
<http://www.mondenissin.com/main.php/multimedia>

56
enjoying their Lucky Me! noodles.115 To parents, Lucky Me! products become healthy
and special food perfect for bonding moments with their children.

Todays increasing development of the Internet also provides Monde Nissin plenty of
opportunities to promote its brands. The Monde Nissin websites bright yellow
background is filled with plenty of eye-catching graphics and interactive features that
engage the user into exploring the site and learning more about the company and its
products.116 The Lucky Me! section of the website provides information about its
products and interesting facts about its noodles.117 A unique section of the site is a
collection of noodle recipes called Lucky Me! Happy Family Meals 118 and a Truths vs.
Myths section119 that basically debunks Filipino misconceptions about instant noodles. It
educates users about the facts concerning MSG and sodium content of processed food
while informing them of the nutritional value of Lucky Me! noodles and the health
benefits of having them as part of a balanced diet.

115 Lucky Me! Itnok "Eggtray" TVC. Monde Nissin Corp. YouTube.com. 22 Oct. 2009. Web. 25 May
2011. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UtZuq8pKg4>.
116 Home. Monde Nissin Corporation. 2008. 25 May 2011.
<http://www.mondenissin.com/main.php>
117 Lucky Me! Product List. Monde Nissin Corporation. 2008. 24 May 2011.
<http://www.mondenissin.com/main.php/products/lucky_me>

118 Lucky Me! Recipes. MondeNissin.com. Monde Nissin Corporation. 2008. 25 May 2011.
<http://www.mondenissin.com/main.php/products/lucky_me/recipes>
119 Lucky Me! Truths Vs. Myths. MondeNissin.com. Monde Nissin Corporation. 2008. 25 May 2011.
<http://www.mondenissin.com/main.php/products/lucky_me/truth_myth>

57
3. Competitive Strategies Employed

In an industry where all players are basically selling the same good (instant
noodles), Lucky Me! understands that variety and novelty of flavors are key to attracting
new consumers and keeping old ones interested in their products. 120 Thus, it leads the
market in the innovation of new flavors and textures for instant noodles. By being flavor-
oriented, Lucky Me! is able to cater to different market tastes and preferences, as well as
reduce the tendency of consumers to get tired of the taste of its usual/old variants. It
introduces its new variants and flavors as new experiences waiting to be discovered. Its
Chow Mien Seafood, for example, is marketed as a masterpiece must-try, allowing one
to experience the goodness of Chinese stir-fried noodles by capturing the authentic
goodness of seafood chow mien.
The same goes for Wok Noodles. It was introduced before as Asian-style stir-fried
noodles. Although the preparation was the same with Lucky Me! Pancit Canton, Wok was
differentiated in terms of its flavors. However, the image of the product was not built as
an Asian-style stir fried noodles but rather just like any other cup noodle variants of
Lucky Me! Furthermore, the packaging, which is an important part in building up a
products image, was not able to convey the image that Wok was meant to express.
Instead, it presented Wok as an ordinary Pancit Canton variant in cup.
As the leading instant noodle brand in the Philippine market, Lucky Me! has
earned the trust of Filipino consumers in the high quality of its products. Lucky Me!
upholds this trust by taking the necessary measures in ensuring the health and safety
standards of its noodles. Various qualities such as noodle texture, shelf life, and
nutritional value are maintained by using the appropriate levels of natural preservatives in
the processing of its products.121 Lucky Me! makes the nutritional information about its
products known to the public to build up brand confidence and promote continuous
consumption.

120 Sy, Marie. Personal interview. 21 May 2011.


121 FAQs. MondeNissin.com. Monde Nissin Corp. Web. 25 May 2011.
<http://www.mondenissin.com/main.php/products/lucky_me/faq>

58
Lucky Me! also engages itself in a number of family- and nutrition-oriented
campaigns, the most significant of which is Kainang Pamilya Mahalaga,122 featuring
commercials encouraging viewers to eat dinner with the whole family. Such efforts
highlighting family togetherness in meals not only engage Filipino consumers to
participate in an everyday tradition with people close to their hearts, but also allow them
to associate Lucky Me! with this cultural practice, establishing the brand as a vital part of
Filipino culture. Ultimately, Lucky Me! is recognized as a proudly Pinoy brand that
cares for the Filipino family.

IV. Identified Market Opportunities

Adventurous customers yearn for new and unique flavors


Basic instant noodle flavors such as Seafood, Chicken, and Beef seem to be
offered by almost all noodle brands in the market today. Lucky Me! Wok Noodles sees
this as an opportunity to break-away from the common flavors its competitors and even
its sister products have. By doing so, Wok noodles will be able to target consumers who
are younger and more affluent than the general target market of the instant noodle
industry. It is them who are truly adventurous with new products and flavors and are
willing to try.

122 "Home - Kainang Pamilya Mahalaga." KainangPamilyaMahalaga.com. Monde Nissin Corp. Web. 25
May 2011. <http://www.kainangpamilyamahalaga.com/index.php/home>.

59
Recognition of Brand

Lucky Me! is the leading instant noodle brand in the market and no other
competitor can even come close. It is apparent that consumers are able to distinguish the
superiority of the brands products over all the competitors. Because of this credibility,
consumers will be discouraged to doubt the quality of Wok noodles. For the most avid
customers of Lucky Me!, being a product of their most trusted brand may already attract
and encourage them to try Wok noodles.

Rapid Urbanization
Mainly visible through the rise of business process outsourcing agencies,
increasing number of people are now living in urbanized area wherein an individuals
activities may pose time-constraints on his/her everyday schedule. Given breaks that may
not be enough to visit the canteen or to order from restaurants, both students and young
professionals are open to good quality and uniquely flavorful food products that will
satisfy them given their limited time. These people become good customers for Lucky
Me! Wok Noodles because of the convenience and satisfaction it provides its consumers.

Increasing awareness for health


Health and wellness have become important factors when it comes to choosing
food, especially with packaged and processed ones. Having a reputation for being
harmful to the consumers bodies, an instant noodle product that contains nutritional
substances such as micronutrients would interest consumers. Since Monde Nissin has
been able to produce other Lucky Me! products that promote health, it is a wonderful
opportunity for Wok Noodles to be of the same nature. This will further attract new
consumers that do not belong to the major target market of the instant noodles industry.

Manufacturing and selling Lucky Me! Wok Noodles in the light of these market
opportunities presents a promising venture for the benefits of the company. Indeed the
product does not blend behind its competitors, but instead stands out from the crowd as it
targets customers different from the usual instant noodle customers.

60
V. Proposed Target Market

Sean Rafael Quimbo III

Sean is a 19-year old college student at the


University of Asia and the Pacific currently taking up
a Bachelors of Science degree in Business
Administration. He originally comes from Cebu but
due to his excellent academic standing during his high
school years, he was able to study in a prominent
school in Metro Manila. He currently lives alone in a
one-bedroom condominium unit near his university.
He thrives on a fixed allowance given by his parents,
which he mostly spends on food and other basic
necessities.

Aside from being a consistent Deans Lister, he


is also one of the members of the Student Executive
Board of the universitys student government. He also
participates in other extra-curricular activities and seminars in the hopes of making his
curriculum vitae attractive enough for him to land a good job to start his career once he
gets out of college.

Sean spends most of his time either doing schoolwork or working on org-related
tasks. With this, he makes it a point to use his time wisely even during small breaks in
between classes. When he gets home, he still studies and prepares for his classes for the
next day but also allots time to break away from his stressful routine by enjoying
delicious food. Since he does not know how to cook and he feels that it takes a lot of
effort and time to order food, he usually prefers to eat easy-to-prepare snacks that he
could enjoy while he studies and does his tasks through the night.

61
Rachel Ong

Rachel Ong, 28 years of age, is an account


manager for a multi-national manufacturing
company in the Philippines. She is responsible
for maintaining a good relationship between
the company and the key accounts assigned to
her. She always makes it a point that the needs
of these accounts are constantly met and that
the companys products are being promoted
within its partner stores. Rachel is very much
focused on her job as poor performance may
prevent her from getting her much-awaited
promotion.

Despite the pile of work that she has to


accomplish for the day, Rachel still utilizes
her breaks to be able to eat and energize
herself for the remaining tasks ahead of her. Thus, Rachel often chooses snacks that can
be consumed within her 15-minute breaks and the same time are able to sustain her
through the remaining hours before she can be able to eat a proper meal for lunch.

However, Rachel is picky when it comes to her food. She does not settle for
ordinary food even with her snacks. She seeks to have a little bit of adventure in every
meal or snack that she eats. That is why in picking viands or even flavors for her snacks,
she tries to find the most peculiar she could find with which she could indulge herself in
the littlest of adventures she could discover.

Dr. Stephanie Garcia, M.D.

62
Fresh off her residency from a renowned
medical school in the Philippines, 33-year old
Dr. Stephanie Garcia strives to be a better doctor
at every opportunity she gets. She works almost
every day as her specialization entails her to be
there any time she is needed. She even sleeps in
the hospital when she is not able to finish all of
her work.

Stephanie is an attending physician for


three different hospitals. She travels most of the
time from one hospital to another within the day
just to be able to get to her patients. She even
gets called in to other hospitals for consultations
regarding specific cases that require her
expertise. Her travel time between hospitals takes about 30 minutes to 2 hours, depending
on how far the hospitals are and the traffic situation at that time. When she gets to the
hospital, she immediately rushes to her clinic to attend to the long line of patients waiting
for her.

Between attending to her own patients and assisting other doctors in their cases,
Stephanie hardly finds time to take a break and eat full meals. Normally, Stephanie is
adventurous when it comes to food and despite having a high income, she no longer has
the luxury of preparing and eating delicious meals because she does not have full control
of her time. Even though she is aware of the implications, she settles for instant and easy-
to-prepare food that would give her enough energy to sustain rounds, surgeries and other
hospital and patient care-related activities. Thus, she not only looks for healthier snacks,
but also food that would relieve her of all the pressure from her stressful career.

VI. Marketing Objectives

63
A. Overall Marketing Objectives

Since Lucky Me! Wok Noodles was not very memorable to the consumers it used to
cater to, a difficulty in re-launching the old brand may be reduced as the market does not
hold any enduring perception about the product. Thus, Wok Noodles may be marketed as
a returning product taken to a new level of flavor and taste, offering consumers a
heightened experience of eating instant noodles. Focus then should be given to ensuring
that Wok Noodles would eventually have its intended position and image in the minds of
consumers, maintaining a continuously improving rate of demand for the brand.

Upon the re-introduction of Wok Noodles to the market, a main objective for this
period would be to raise awareness and interest among its target consumers. Wok
Noodles can make use of the consumer willingness to try newly introduced products by
widely disseminating product information and capturing consumers attention through
various promotional campaigns. A more specific goal is to let a large percent of the target
market have a taste of the product by the end of the first year.

After establishing product recognition among consumers, Wok Noodles could start
developing its brand image to its market. For this period, the main objective for the brand
is to begin setting up a position for itself in the minds of its consumers. Aside from
increased product familiarity, focus should be given to the unique experience that
consumers can obtain from Wok Noodles. Consumers should be able to identify what
specific benefits Wok Noodles offers them, and why it is the most suitable instant noodle
product for their lifestyles.

The next primary objective of Wok Noodles, after being able to build a clear image
for itself in the market, would be to secure long-term consumption of the product.
Consumer-oriented efforts and competitive strategies must be applied to further deepen
and instigate a long-lasting relationship with its consumers. This would not only ensure
consistent sales but also establish the brand as a niche player in the instant noodle
industry.

The short term goals of the plan are summarized in the following:

CreatBndIs 64

EstablihBrndImge EnsureLog-tmCpi
B. Specific Objectives and Targets

1. Market Shares and Sales

2012 2013 2014


Target Market Shares
(Year 1) (Year 2) (Year 3)
Instant Noodle Industry Volume
243.22 252.62 261.72
(in '000 tonnes)
Instant Noodle Industry Value
27237.57 28085.34 28925.91
(in Ps million)
Market Share (Volume) 0.45% 0.70% 1.40%

Market Share (Value) * 1.34% 2.20% 4.43%

Sales Volume (in '000 tonnes) * 1.09 1.77 3.66

Sales Value (in Ps million) * 364.83 618.92 1282.43


*Assuming Wok Noodles are sold at P 25 per 75g, with 5% inflation123 per year

Projections for 2012 are based on Chow Mien, Lucky Me!s current dry cup
noodle variant, which took up around 0.70% of the volume of Lucky Me!s sales the year
it was launched. Assuming that Lucky Me! constantly takes up 65% market share in
volume, Wok Noodles is projected to have 0.45% market share during its first year. This
target market share is relevant as a benchmark because Chow Miens share during 2010,
its first year, was actually similar to this percentage. Instant noodle consumers would be
likely to try Wok Noodles upon its launch because aside from their inclination to try new

123 Reuters. "BSP Expects 2011, 2012 Inflation within Target." ABSCBNnews.com. ABS-CBN
Interactive, 21 Feb. 2011. Web. 09 June 2011. <http://www.abs-
cbnnews.com/business/02/21/11/bsp-expects-2011-2012-inflation-within-target>.

65
products, they are already assured of the quality and taste of Wok Noodles, recognizing it
as a product of market leader Lucky Me!.

Wok Noodles market share is targeted increase to 0.70% during its second year as
the brand becomes more familiar to consumers and focuses its positioning to its target
market, encouraging more frequent consumption through increased promotions and ad
campaigns. The percentage increase would be 56% from the first year, and this would be
significantly greater than the industry growth rate of 4%.

For its third year, Wok Noodles is targeted to have a 1.40% market share as the
target market is expected to have a more stable consumption level after the brand has
successfully set up its image in the market. As the brand continues to maintain its
consumer base and continue its strategic marketing to reach out to more of its target
market, it is expected that after a one or two more years, Wok Noodles would have
similar market shares as Tekki Cup Noodles.

66
Object 38

Object 40

67
Object 42

Object 44

68
2. Profits

Income Statement (in Ps million) 2012 2013 2014


Sales 364.83 618.92 1282.43
COGS & Operating Expenses 255.38 433.24 897.70
Gross Profit 109.45 185.68 384.73
Selling Expenses 91.21 123.78 230.84
Income Before Tax 18.24 61.89 153.89
Tax Expense (32%)124 5.84 19.81 49.25
Net Income 12.40 42.09 104.65
Profit Margin 3.40% 6.80% 8.16%

The cost of manufacturing a higher-end product such as Wok Noodles may be


around 70% of its selling price,125 as the company would not need new machines or
equipment for the manufacturing of the noodles, yet perhaps it would need to spend on
the raw materials, labor costs, and packaging of the product. Since we are re-launching
the brand, expenditure for advertisements, merchandising, distribution, and promotions
(which we would consider as selling expenses) are crucial especially during the first few
years after the launch, as the introduction would require aggressive advertising and
selling schemes. Thus, our selling expense for the first year would be estimated at 25% of
sales, while it would be 20% and 18% for the second and third years, respectively.

The profit margin by the end of the three years is targeted to be 8% as this
estimate is deemed to be an ideal margin for the goods of Monde Nissin 126. Profit margins
for the first two years are expected to be lower than this ideal because as mentioned
earlier, a relatively high percentage of sales is going to be allocated for promotional and
distribution expenses in an effort to expose the brand to the public. Looking ahead, profit
margin for Wok Noodles after three years is expected to be greater than 8%.

124 Bureau of Internal Revenue. "Income Tax." BIR.gov.ph. Bureau of Internal Revenue, 1 Jan. 2009.
Web. 09 June 2011. <http://www.bir.gov.ph/taxinfo/tax_income.htm>.
125 Chu, Solim, Sy, Tiu, and Wee. Gourmet Cuisine Manual. 2008. Microsoft Office Word
Document.
126 Sy, Marie. Personal interview. 21 May 2011.

69
Object 46

3. Distribution

Wok Noodles can make use of Monde Nissins extensive distribution system to
maximize the reach of the product to its market. Since the target market for Wok Noodles
would be urban and higher-income consumers, the brand can concentrate on distribution
to large retail channels in urban areas such as supermarkets, groceries, and convenience
stores in Metro Manila. Thus, an objective would be to provide a steady supply of Wok
Noodles to these retail outlets to further increase consumer awareness. Focus should be
given to key outlets near hospitals, universities, and office buildings where there is a high
concentration of the target consumers such as working professionals and students in the
area. Also, in the span of one year, it can be considered that it is actually possible for Wok
Noodles to reach 100% of its target retail stores as it is indeed in an advantage when it
comes to distribution, even to areas outside Metro Manila.

Targeted Distribution
2012 2013 2014
Channels
Hypermarkets 100% 100% 100%
Supermarkets 100% 100% 100%
Grocery Stores 100% 100% 100%
Convenience Stores 100% 100% 100%

70
VII. Overall Marketing Strategy (A Brief Description of Overall Strategy for the
Brand)

To the young and busy urban people who have limited time for preparing and
eating meals and who need a convenient way to enjoy food that is superb in taste and
nutrition, Wok Noodles is the brand of premium instant cup noodles that allows one to
maximize meal time and enjoyment by providing a balance between convenience and
high quality through instant noodles that deliver gourmet flavors and enough vitality for
an active routine. The reasons are the variety of unique Asian flavors made with natural
spices, choice ingredients and whole-wheat noodles that are fortified with iron and
proteins to satisfy ones craving and boost ones energy for the rest of the day. The Brand
character is urban, classy, and adventurous.
From this, we can consider that Wok Noodles are indeed very different from the
other noodle variants of Lucky Me!. First, its target market is clearly not the usual lower-
income classes but the more affluent and active young adults with busy lifestyles. Among
Lucky Me!s lineup of noodle variants, Wok Noodles also seems to be the most radical
such that its whole feel is quite distinct from the familiar image the Lucky Me! has
inscribed for itself in the market. Rather than offering food that caters to the enjoyment of
the whole family, sitting together and sharing a meal, Wok Noodles seems to be a product
centered on the independent and original - one that has an adventurous character. Being a
cup instant noodle product with these qualities, it tends to break away from the homey
or communal eating habit that Lucky Me! is known to propagate.
Thus, a useful strategy might be to distance Wok Noodles from Lucky Me!, not so
much as to compromise consumers perception of it being a reliable and consumer-
oriented brand, but just enough to distinguish itself as a brand that exudes individuality in
an environment that is entirely different from home: the workplace. Here, the setting
where one consumes instant noodles is not an intimate place where one can linger and
reminisce with special people; rather, it is a fast-paced ambiance where pressure is
normally felt and a need arises to break away from this environment even for a short
period of time. Thus, Wok Noodles offers this little escape by positioning itself as a brand
that also breaks away from the conventional cup noodles by providing new and
exciting flavors, as well as the experience of having a little adventure for the palate.

71
In order to keep the momentum of excitement and adventure that the products
flavors express, depending on their performance in the market, new ones may be released
periodically while badly performing ones may be faced out. Of course, decisions on these
will not be rushed. Instead, business operations must be analyzed as product ideas must
be rooted on what the target consumers would want and need.
Wok Noodles strategy of presenting each meal as an exciting and exclusive
experience in itself also compliments the culture of higher-income classes where
exclusivity is a sign of being part of the elite society. Also, since Wok Noodles are
positioned as gourmet instant noodles using only natural and fortified ingredients that
give vigor to the consumer, the product is indeed attached with value-added features.
Thus, it is to be offered in the market with a premium. This would result in the creation of
a niche for Wok in the noodle industry as the first high-end brand of instant noodles.

As an emerging food product that concerns a new niche in the instant noodle
industry, Wok Noodles advertisements and promotions need to be concentrated and
distinct. The attributes of being a gourmet product without sacrificing the practicality of
its convenience shall be emphasized. This is because in a relatively mature industry such
as of instant noodles, competitors are finding it more difficult to find a positioning which
other brands has never done before. The product must then be constantly visible to its
targeted market. Thus, it must be advertised through mediums and in locations most often
utilized and visited by those of relative affluence such as newspapers and high-end
magazines. Spending on promotion during these early stages of the products launch
would be high since the goal is to inform the consumers about the product and then get
them to try it.

Ultimately, the product must be made available at those places that these prospect
customers frequent such as recognized supermarkets, or even convenience stores and
cafeterias in school or office buildings. In the end, it is through proper placement and
distribution that the success of the products sales can be tangibly manifested.

72
Works Cited

About Us. MondeNissin.com. Monde Nissin Corp., 2008. Web. 25 May 2011.
<http://www.mondenissin.com/main.php/about_us>.

Aguilar, Filomeno V. Rice in the Filipino Diet and Culture. Tech. no. 2005-15. Philippine
Institute for Development Studies. Web. 20 May 2011.
<http://dirp3.pids.gov.ph/ris/dps/pidsdps0515.pdf>

Amojelar, Darwin G. "DTI Warns of More Price Increases." The Manila Times Newspaper. The
Manila Times Newspaper. Web. 22 May 2011. <http://www.manilatimes.net/business/dti-
warns-of-more-price-increases/>.

Arceo, Mitch M. "Sharon Cuneta: Family Bonding Over a Bowl of Noodles!" The Manila
Bulletin Newspaper Online. Manila Bulletin Publishing Corporation, 25 July 2008. Web.
25 May 2011. <http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/1480/sharon-cuneta>.

"Branded Consumer Foods Group - Domestic." URC.com. Universal Robina Corporation, 2011.
Web. 26 May 2011. <http://www2.urc.com.ph/prods_bcfg.html>.

Bureau of Internal Revenue. "Income Tax." BIR.gov.ph. Bureau of Internal Revenue, 1 Jan. 2009.
Web. 09 June 2011. <http://www.bir.gov.ph/taxinfo/tax_income.htm>.

Centeno, , Dela Cruz, Emata, Milano, Sarmiento, and Margaux Tan. LS10 Monde Nissin.
Scribd 2011. Web. 23 May 2011. <http://www.scribd.com/doc/49091613/LS10-Monde-
Nissin>

Chu, Solim, Sy, Tiu, and Wee. Gourmet Cuisine Manual. 2008. Microsoft Office Word
Document.

Euromonitor. Consumer Lifestyles in the Philippines. 19 April 2011. Web. 17 May 2011.
<portal.euromonitor.com>

Euromonitor. Noodles in the Philippines 23 September 2010. Web. 17 May 2011.


<portal.euromonitor.com>

FAQs. MondeNissin.com. Monde Nissin Corp. Web. 25 May 2011.


<http://www.mondenissin.com/main.php/products/lucky_me/faq>

Home. Monde Nissin Corporation. 2008. 25 May 2011.


<http://www.mondenissin.com/main.php>

Home - Kainang Pamilya Mahalaga." KainangPamilyaMahalaga.com. Monde Nissin Corp.


Web. 25 May 2011. <http://www.kainangpamilyamahalaga.com/index.php/home>

Hwang, Jim. Three Minutes to Go. Taiwan Review. 01 June 2007. Web. 20 May 2011.
<http://taiwanreview.nat.gov.tw/ct.asp?xItem=24252&CtNode=128>

"Kim Chiu Is Payless Pancit Shanghais Brand Ambassador." UniversalRobina.com. Universal


Robina Corporation, 23 July 2009. Web. 26 May 2011.

73
<http://www.universalrobina.com/2009/07/23/kim-chiu-is-payless-pancit-shanghais-
brand-ambassador/>.

Lucky Me! Itnok "Eggtray" TVC. Monde Nissin Corp. YouTube.com. 22 Oct. 2009. Web. 25 May
2011. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UtZuq8pKg4>.

Lucky Me! Product List. Monde Nissin Corporation. 2008. 24 May 2011.
<http://www.mondenissin.com/main.php/products/lucky_me>

Lucky Me! Recipes. MondeNissin.com. Monde Nissin Corporation. 2008. 25 May 2011.
<http://www.mondenissin.com/main.php/products/lucky_me/recipes>

Lucky Me! Truths Vs. Myths. MondeNissin.com. Monde Nissin Corporation. 2008. 25 May
2011. <http://www.mondenissin.com/main.php/products/lucky_me/ truth_myth>

Milestones. MondeNissin.com. Monde Nissin Corporation. 2008. 22 May 2011.


<http://www.mondenissin.com/main.php/products/lucky_me/lm_milestones>

MCA Limited. Retailing in the Philippines. Philippines Special Report. March 2002. Web. 20
May 2011 <http://www.philippinesforum.com/resources/research/files/spe_retail.pdf>

Media. Monde Nissin Corporation. 2008. 25 May 2011.


<http://www.mondenissin.com/main.php/multimedia>

Monde Product List. MondeNissin.com. Monde Nissin Corporation. 2008. 22 May 2011.
<http://www.mondenissin.com/main.php/products/biscuits/monde>

Monde M.Y. San Product List. MondeNissin.com. Monde Nissin Corporation. 2008. 22 May
2011. <http://www.mondenissin.com/main.php/products/biscuits/mysan>

Montenegro, Candice. Instant Noodles Recalled after Testing Positive for Salmonella. GMA
News. 05 May 2011. Web. 20 May 2011. <http://www.gmanews.tv/story/219686/nation/
instant-noodles-recalled-after-testing-positive-for-salmonella>

"More Health, More Savings This School Year with Payless Instant Mami Chicken With Corn
and Malunggay." UniversalRobina.com. Universal Robina Corporation, 26 June 2010.
Web. 26 May 2011. <http://www.universalrobina.com/2010/06/26/more-health-more-
savings-this-school-year>.

Nissin-Universal Robina Corp - Nissin Cup Noodles - Kiji-in. Prod. Campaigns & Grey
Philippines. YouTube.com. 18 May 2011. Web. 26 May 2011.
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vW4VKmmKH2c>.

Osorio, Bong R. "Shopping Styles of the Filipino Consumer." The Philippine Star 08 June 2009.
Web. 20 May 2011. <http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=475365&publi
cation SubCategoryId=82>

Product Catalog 2010-2011. MondeNissin.com. Monde Nissin Corporation. 2008. 22 May 2011.
<http://www.mysan.com.ph/images/catalog.pdf>

74
"Products." Zesto.com.ph. Zest-O Corporation, 2009. Web. 26 May 2011.
<http://www.zesto.com.ph/zesto_products_2.php>.

"Products - Cup Noodles." Zesto.com.ph. Zest-O Corporation, 2009. Web. 26 May 2011.
<http://www.zesto.com.ph/zesto_products_3.php>.

PRWeb. "Global Instant Noodles Market to Reach 139.2 Billion Packs by 2015, According to a
New Report by Global Industry Analysts, Inc. 04 January 2011. Web. 20 May 2011.
<http://www.prweb.com/pdfdownload/8041134.pdf>

QUICKCHOW INSTANT MAMI ("Bakit Ngayon Ka Lang") - LYLE SACRIS. Dir. Lyle Sacris.
Youtube.com. 12 Aug. 2010. Web. 26 May 2011. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=i0WvJR2MMGU>.

Reuters. "BSP Expects 2011, 2012 Inflation within Target." ABSCBNnews.com. ABS-CBN
Interactive, 21 Feb. 2011. Web. 09 June 2011. <http://www.abs-
cbnnews.com/business/02/21/11/bsp-expects-2011-2012-inflation-within-target>.

S. 1913, 13th Cong. (2010) (enacted). Web. 22 May 2011.


<http://www.senate.gov.ph/lisdata/32082391!.pdf>

S. 7581, 9th Cong. (1992) (enacted). Web. 22 May 2011. <http://www.dti.gov.ph/uploads/


DownloadableForms/RA%207581%20-%20Price%20Act.pdf>

Sy, Marie. Personal Interview. 21 May 2011.

Sy, Marie. Personal Interview. 7 June 2011.

Tan, Kristine Valerie. Personal interview. 8 June 2011.

The Company. MondeNissin.com. Monde Nissin Corporation. 2008. 25 May 2011.


<http://www.mysan.com.ph/index.html>

United States Agency for International Development. Instant Noodles: A Potential Vehicle for
Micronutrient Fortification. 2002. Web. 20 May 2011.
<http://www.mostproject.org/Updates_Feb05/noodles.pdf>

Wikipilinas. Monde Nissin Corporation. Web. 22 May 2011.


<http://en.wikipilipinas.org/index.php?title=Monde_Nissin_Corporation>

World Instant Noodles Association. 10 May 2011. Web. 21 May 2011.


<http://www.instantnoodles.org/noodles/expanding-market.html>

Image Sources

Factory.gif. Photograph. ClipArtHeaven.com. Clip Art Heaven. Web. 26 May 2011.


<http://www.clipartheaven.com/terms_of_use.html>.

75
Home. Monde Nissin Corporation. 2008. 25 May 2011.
<http://www.mondenissin.com/main.php>

"Kim Chiu Is Payless Pancit Shanghais Brand Ambassador." UniversalRobina.com. Universal


Robina Corporation, 23 July 2009. Web. 26 May 2011.
<http://www.universalrobina.com/2009/07/23/kim-chiu-is-payless-pancit-shanghais-
brand-ambassador/>.

Lucky Me! Batchoy Bulalo TVC. Monde Nissin Corp. YouTube.com. 2 Oct. 2008. Web. 25 May
2011. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWdQQBuGPGE>.

Lucky Me! Itnok "Eggtray" TVC. Monde Nissin Corp. YouTube.com. 22 Oct. 2009. Web. 25 May
2011. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UtZuq8pKg4>.

Lucky Me Instant Noodles Commercial 2008. Monde Nissin Corp. YouTube.com. 24 Oct. 2008.
Web. 25 May 2011. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sB-669RkHzE>.

Lucky Me Pancit Canton Funny TV Ad. Monde Nissin Corp. YouTube.com. 5 July 2007. Web. 25
May 2011. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nk5uuPkF4oM&feat ure=related>.

Lucky Me Wok Noodles Shrimp 1.89oz. Photograph. Philamfood.com. Phil-Am Food. Web. 26
May 2011. <http://www.philamfood.com/similaritems.php?productid=8248>.

Media. Monde Nissin Corporation. 2008. 25 May 2011.


<http://www.mondenissin.com/main.php/multimedia>

"More Health, More Savings This School Year with Payless Instant Mami Chicken With Corn
and Malunggay." UniversalRobina.com. Universal Robina Corporation, 26 June 2010.
Web. 26 May 2011. <http://www.universalrobina.com/2010/06/26/more-health-more-
savings-this-school-year>.

AlbanyClintonCo.com. Albany Clinton County. Web. 26 May 2011.


<http://www.albanyclintonco.com/businessalphabet.htm>.

Photograph. GraphicsFactory.com. Graphics Factory. Web. 26 May 2011.


<http://www.graphicsfactory.com/g-about.html>.

Photograph. Free-Clipart.com. Free Clipart Network, 1999. Web. 26 May 2011.


<http://www1.free-clipart.net/cgi-bin/clipart/directory.cgi?action=view&link=clipart/
Business/General=Factory_1.jpg &img=6>.

Photograph. Free-Clipart.com. Free Clipart Network, 1999. Web. 26 May 2011.


<http://www.www2.free-clipart.net/cgi-bin/clipart/directory.cgi?direct=clipart/
Household/Miscellaneous&img=24>

Photograph. NVTech.com. Nw Vision Technology, 2006. Web. 26 May 2011.


<http://dir.nvtech.com/Travel/Luggage_and_Storage/luggage_and_storage2.html>.

76

You might also like