Ice Cream Scooper: Product Concept and Rationale - Report Example

Ice Cream Scooper Student’s Name Institution Affiliation Ice Cream Scooper Product Concept and Rationale This project entails developing a heated edge ice cream scooper that is electric and battery powered. The heated edge will make it easier to scoop ice cream from a bowl and will eliminate any physical force or struggle exerted while scooping as seen with most ordinary scoopers. The invention related to a scoop provided with a heating mechanism at the edge in order to facilitate easier penetration of the heated edge into the ice cream and prevent ice cream adhering to the scoop once it is emptied. Ice cream and other frozen confectionaries are usually solidified to such as an extent that makes it hard to scoop them by ordinary ice cream scoopers. As a result, this invention of a scooper with a heated edge will make work easier as the edge will readily cut into the ice cream. In addition to the heated edge, the ice cream scooper will have the provision of improved means for controlling the degree of temperature to which the edge is heated. This will allow the scoop to form a perfectly formed scoop of ice created with no excessive melting that may result from an overheated edge. The source of heating of the heated edge will be electrical energy that will be safely connected to the heating elements within the scooping device; however, there will also be the provision of powering the edge with battery. This scooper is different from the designs of the previous art and conventional concepts. The common practice of service ice cream entails scooping out a measured amount with a basic spoon-like tool generally referred to as a scooper that is made of metallic material such as aluminum. In addition, at home, ice cream parlors and other similar businesses, it is quite common to heat the scoopers by holding them under a stream of hot water or placing them into a container of hot water. Such heating methods are used to enable the scooping device to cut more easily through the ice cream and they make the undertaking of serving, simple and less of a physical strain upon the individual serving the ice cream. This practice is effective; however, it has its limitation, as it requires the scooper to be placed into the heating environment constantly and at times leads to some unattractive discoloration and in many events, leaves a slight amount of water or ice on the ice cream. Due to these limitations, the invention of an ice cream scooper with a heated edge will thus be a provision of improved means of reading cutting into the ice cream even when it is hardened by congealing. There are various ice cream scooper models with a heated edge; in most of these devices, electrically activated heating elements are buried within and encompassed within whereas in others, an exterior source of electrical power is used. Others are battery powered; however, they are well known to lose battery power quickly. This invention proposes an ice cream scooper with a heated edge that can be powered by electric power and battery; this is the distinctive feature that sets this ice cream scooper from others. Most of the models in the market have an extension electric cord and only use electric power. This invention will thus offer a unique value proposition to the users. Market for the Product and Customers The target countries will be the United States and China. These countries have a large number of ice-cream factories and shops, and hence this will mean a ready market for the ice cream scoopers with a heated edge. In 2011, about 1.53billion ice cream gallons as well as related frozen desserts were produced in the U.S. (International Dairy Foods Association, 2014). In 2010, the ice cream industry generated revenues adding up to $10billion; the largest section of the market was take-home ice cream sales, which generated revenue of $6.8 billion (67.7% of the overall market value). There are numerous frozen dessert and ice cream manufacturers in the United States, and most of them are well established (International Dairy Foods Association, 2014). This shows that the ice cream market in the United States is large and well established and will present a ready market for the ice cream scooper with the heated edge. The ice cream market in China has also experienced rapid development in recent years. Within ten years, the output of ice cream increased sixteen times. In 2009, the country sales volume and output of ice cream was more than 2.8billion kilograms and realized sales revenue of more than 40 billion Yuan. There is still a huge space for development of the industry in China compared to America, however the ice cream retail sales is the country is expected to grow rapidly. China is expected to enter a blowout period of ice cream consumption. This means a ready market for the ice cream scooper. The target customers in the United States and China are ice cream factories and ice cream shops. The ice cream scooper will be a useful tool for the two target customers as they deal with a lot of ice cream every day and hence will certainly be useful to have around. The heated edge will be a handy feature as most of the shops, and factories use scoopers that are placed under a steam of hot water or into a container of hot water. As a result, the heated edge in the scooper will be an added advantage for these customers as it will increase efficiency in ice cream scooping and also save on time. It will also produce nice and well rounded scoops for the customers and also eliminate physical force or struggle used while scooping using the manually operated scooper. The customers will not buy the product from the competitors, as the new scooper model will have the advantage of a heated edge that is powered using electricity or battery. In addition, safety measures will ensure that the device is safe to use. The device will thus offer a unique selling proposition that the competitors will not deliver. Most of the competitors manufacture manual ice cream scooper that are hollowed and have rubberized handles for an easy grip. The rubber creates a buffer between the handler’s hand and the cold ice cream. The manufacturers make a range of ice cream scoopers that range from kiddie scoops to jumbo size for different customers. The design will differentiate the scooper from the competitors in a way that customers will immediately notice the difference. Differentiation will also be established in terms of service, channel, personnel, and product and company image. On service differentiation, the company will provide careful, convenient and speedy delivery, customer training service and consulting services that the buyers will require. On channel differentiation, the company will ensure the best channel performance, expertise, and coverage. On personnel differentiation, the company will train and hire better and experienced personnel than the competitors. Image differentiation will also ensure a unique selling proposition as the company will develop a strong and compelling image that will communicate the distinctive benefits of the products to the customers. Brand positioning will help to clarify the essence of the brand to the minds of the target consumers, describe ways in which the product will offer unique value proposition for their needs and eventually make them more comfortable while choosing the product (Kotler & Keller, 2009). Positioning the unique ice cream scooper with a heated edge will provide a rational reason the two target markets should purchase the product from the company, but not from the competitors. According to Kotler and Keller (2009), every company should build offers to a targeted market segment through differentiating customer values as well as competitive advantages of the products. The company will be successful having differentiated its product from other companies. The total market value for metallic ice cream scoopers ranges from $9 to $22. The company expects to capture a large percentage (about 70%) of the market share as the new invention offers unique value proposition to the customers. If successful, the ice cream scooper will make work easier for the target customers and increase efficiency in the scooping process. It will save on time and ensure that the ice cream scoops look as great as they taste hence increasing sales of ice cream scoops for the companies and shops. Current State of Competition Competition in the market is high for manual ice cream scoopers without a heated edge as there are numerous models. The dominant players in the market include Vintage, M&M’s, Zyliss, and Jenacula. These companies produce a wide range of appliances, other than the ice cream scooper. Vintage has a wide range of ice cream scooper models, for instance, the ‘vintage aluminum ice cream scoop’, ‘Vintage Eichen Lightweight Aluminum Ejecting Ice Cream Scoop Scooper w/Lever’, and ‘Vintage Hamilton Beach Advertising Ice Cream Scoop Size 24’ among others. The brand of these companies is not well established, and most of them are manual ice cream scoops. The company positioning of the new and unique ice cream scooper with a heated edge will develop brand uniqueness and will enable it to become a successful company. The competitors do not have scoopers with a heated edge and even so one that is operated using power and battery. This means that a successful launch of the new ice cream scooper will give the company a competitive advantage over all the other companies. Most of the scoopers in the market can count as a substitute for this product. Positioning will involve offering a product that the competitors will not deliver and will help differentiate the product in a way that the customers will immediately notice the difference. With superior marketing techniques, the company will position itself to be a leader in manufacturing premium ice cream scoopers. It will seek to target the target markets successfully, and hence achieve a strong customer base. The company will have control over the price they charge for the new product as it is differentiated from other manufacturing companies and they will provide a lot of non-price competition in terms of product durability, convenience, and fast service among others. The new brand will invite ice cream shops through advertising and promotion. Customer Interviews The team interviewed ten ice cream shop workers and three employees from Ben & Jerry’s and Bassetts Ice Cream companies. Interviews with the three employees from the ice cream companies were conducted via phone, as they could not easily be physically reached for interviews. The 13 interviewees were purposive chosen as their companies and shops constantly scoop ice cream for customers and packaging. As a result, they were well suited to answer questions on the use of ice cream scooper usage in their businesses; the suitability and marketability of the new invention. They understood the product concept as explained by the team. There were no difficulties experienced in conveying the product idea. The interviewees agreed that the ice cream scooper with a heated edge was a great invention, which would relatively make work easier for the shops, and the companies as most of the ice cream scooper they use have to be under a steam of hot water or placing them into a container of hot water. They noted that it would make the work of scooping ice cream easier and save on time. They noted that the new invention had a superior design that made it well-equipped to dig even the hardest frozen ice cream. They would be able to dish out scoop after scoop with ease. They further noted that the heated edge would create an appetizing presentation. The general feedback from the interviewees was positive, and this indicated that the new invention was appropriate and would have a competitive advantage over competitors. One of the interviewees noted that the heating edge powered by electricity would be more preferable for the company due to the large scale number of ice cream scoop that they serve every day, however the battery would come in handy in case electric power run out Product Concepts and Design Details Electrical energy will be the main source of heating; however, there will be a provision of battery power; the source of energy will be connected to the heating elements within the scooper. The heated metallic leading sharp edge will enable the device to cut through the ice cream in order to form a perfect ice cream scoop. A thermostat will be included in the circuit to prevent the scooper from overheating and to ensure heating uniformity even when the device is not used for certain duration. The scooper will be coated with Teflon to make it easier to use. It will have an ergonomic handle that will offer a superior and comfortable gripping surface. The sketches below are of alternative designs that were considered: An Ice Cream Scooper with a Lever Scooper with a lever and ergonomic handle Stainless steel scooper with a non-slip and soft handle Metal Ice-Cream Scooper with an Ergonomic Plastic Handle The other design concepts that were considered included a scooper with interchangeable scoops, a heated scoop (corded), heated scoop (non-corded) and heated scooper (battery-powered). Pugh Chart Scooper with Lever Scooper with Lever & Ergonomic handle Stainless Scooper Metal Ice-Cream Scooper Interchangeable Scooper Heated Scooper (corded) Heated Scooper (non-corded) Heated Scooper (Battery-Powered Scooper with heated edge (electricity and battery powered) Customer needs Comfortable Ergonomic 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 Handle does not become cold 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 Balanced weight 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 Durable Structurally Strong 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 Made to last for years 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 1 Good scoop coating 1 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 1 Attractive Features Available in Colors & varieties 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 Aesthetically pleasing 1 1 1 1 0 1 0 1 1 Usable Easily digs into frozen ice cream 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 Keeps hands clean 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 Completely safe to use 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Not complicated (few parts) 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 Doesn’t require significant or any pressure 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 Releases ice cream easily 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 Easily cleanable 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Total Score 11 9 11 10 5 9 10 12 14 Ratings 1 (design caters to need) 0 (not designed to meet need) The Ice Cream Scooper (electricity and battery powered) earned the most points of all the design concepts considered. The chosen best alternatives are the battery powered scooper, stainless scooper, and the scooper with lever. The functional merits that will be used to evaluate the success or failure of the design of the ice cream scooper are usability, durability, comfort, and attractive features. Usability will be defined by its ability to easily dig into frozen ice cream; not requiring any or significant pressure; releasing ice cream easily; easily cleanable; not complicated (few parts); completely safe to use; and ability to keep hands clean. Attractive features will include availability in various colors and varieties and aesthetic looks. Its comfort will be determined by a balanced weight, ergonomic, and the failure of the handle to become cold. Its durability will be determined by a good scoop coating, ability to last for many years, and structurally strong. The key design ideas that will allow for cost effective variation of the scooper will be the ability to bring in previous technology to build a unique product. The high-end versions are electric powered scoopers whereas the low-end versions are scoopers not operated by power or battery. Customers can choose from various scoopers in every market: scoopers that are electric or battery powered, scoopers with levers, and metallic scoopers. The skills or expertises required by the company to create and develop the scooper are mechanical, electrical, and technical engineering skills. The team does not have all these skills and expertise and hence will hire electrical engineers, mechanical engineers, and technical personnel. To find the needed knowledge and expertise, the company will look for engineers and personnel with more than ten years experience in the market. References International Dairy Foods Association (2014). Ice cream sales & trends. IDFA. Retrieved from http://www.idfa.org/news-views/media-kits/ice-cream/ice-cream-sales-trends Kotler, P., & Keller, K. (2009). Marketing Management. 13ed. Pearson Education International. Listed Patents Cited Patent Applicant Publication date Filing date Title “US2256770” “L A Armstrong” “Sep 23, 1941” “Aug 7, 1939” “Electrically heated ice cream dipper” “US2859325” “Lea Lawrence N” “Nov 4, 1958” “Apr 1, 1957” “Electrical ice cream dispensing gun device” “US3513290” “Hrand M Muncheryan” “May 19, 1970” “Apr 20, 1967” “Automatically heated ice-cream scoop with stand” “US4553921” “Lamphere Carla A” “Nov 19, 1985” “Sep 29, 1983” “Electrically heated ice cream scoop” “US7427194” “Lopez Renae A” “Sep 23, 2008” “Feb 17, 2006” “Heatable ice cream scooping implement” “US8591214” “William Moore” “Nov 26, 2013” “Mar 1, 2011” “Quick heat ice cream scoop” Read More

Market for the Product and Customers The target countries will be the United States and China. These countries have a large number of ice-cream factories and shops, and hence this will mean a ready market for the ice cream scoopers with a heated edge. In 2011, about 1.53billion ice cream gallons as well as related frozen desserts were produced in the U.S. (International Dairy Foods Association, 2014). In 2010, the ice cream industry generated revenues adding up to $10billion; the largest section of the market was take-home ice cream sales, which generated revenue of $6.

8 billion (67.7% of the overall market value). There are numerous frozen dessert and ice cream manufacturers in the United States, and most of them are well established (International Dairy Foods Association, 2014). This shows that the ice cream market in the United States is large and well established and will present a ready market for the ice cream scooper with the heated edge. The ice cream market in China has also experienced rapid development in recent years. Within ten years, the output of ice cream increased sixteen times.

In 2009, the country sales volume and output of ice cream was more than 2.8billion kilograms and realized sales revenue of more than 40 billion Yuan. There is still a huge space for development of the industry in China compared to America, however the ice cream retail sales is the country is expected to grow rapidly. China is expected to enter a blowout period of ice cream consumption. This means a ready market for the ice cream scooper. The target customers in the United States and China are ice cream factories and ice cream shops.

The ice cream scooper will be a useful tool for the two target customers as they deal with a lot of ice cream every day and hence will certainly be useful to have around. The heated edge will be a handy feature as most of the shops, and factories use scoopers that are placed under a steam of hot water or into a container of hot water. As a result, the heated edge in the scooper will be an added advantage for these customers as it will increase efficiency in ice cream scooping and also save on time.

It will also produce nice and well rounded scoops for the customers and also eliminate physical force or struggle used while scooping using the manually operated scooper. The customers will not buy the product from the competitors, as the new scooper model will have the advantage of a heated edge that is powered using electricity or battery. In addition, safety measures will ensure that the device is safe to use. The device will thus offer a unique selling proposition that the competitors will not deliver.

Most of the competitors manufacture manual ice cream scooper that are hollowed and have rubberized handles for an easy grip. The rubber creates a buffer between the handler’s hand and the cold ice cream. The manufacturers make a range of ice cream scoopers that range from kiddie scoops to jumbo size for different customers. The design will differentiate the scooper from the competitors in a way that customers will immediately notice the difference. Differentiation will also be established in terms of service, channel, personnel, and product and company image.

On service differentiation, the company will provide careful, convenient and speedy delivery, customer training service and consulting services that the buyers will require. On channel differentiation, the company will ensure the best channel performance, expertise, and coverage. On personnel differentiation, the company will train and hire better and experienced personnel than the competitors. Image differentiation will also ensure a unique selling proposition as the company will develop a strong and compelling image that will communicate the distinctive benefits of the products to the customers.

Brand positioning will help to clarify the essence of the brand to the minds of the target consumers, describe ways in which the product will offer unique value proposition for their needs and eventually make them more comfortable while choosing the product (Kotler & Keller, 2009).

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