Plain Tour: Florida Bebidas - Essay Example

Florida Bebidas acknowledges the consumer's freedom of choice, emphasizes its powerful position in its operations and indicates that production efficiency is subservient to consumer reaction. To remain competitive, Florida Bebidas increased its product lines and manufactured bottled water, natural fruit drinks, juices, nectars, flavored alcoholic beverages, and carbonated drinks. Currently, it employs 2.638 people. In contrast to many other companies, Florida Bebidas penetrated different markets such as the real estate industry and tourism industry (since the 1950s).

Today, its three main subsidiaries are in Florida Bebidas, Florida Inmobiliaria, and Florida Capitales. To remain competitive and profitable, Florida Bebidas invests in beverage and bottling industries outside Costa Rica. Florida Bebidas is involved in a vast, complex manufacturing and distribution operation producing a wide variety and assortment of consumers' and producers' goods. This productive mechanism is designed to satisfy a myriad of consumer wants and desires. Complex manufacturing operations are balanced by a complex group of marketing operations.

The result is a maze of marketing networks designed to tie the actual and potential demands of the marketplace to company operations. As a manufacturer, Florida Bebidas carries out extensive research, invests vast resources in designing and making a product, offers products for sale in the marketplace, develops supporting marketing programs, and yet finds consumers unresponsive. There are few buyers, the product then has relatively little value, and resources have been wasted. Although this approach may appear to decrease economic efficiency, such a system maintains the consumer's freedom of choice and has led to the achievement of the highest standard of living known to mankind.

But in a market-focused economy, there is a trade-off between more efficient manufacturing processes and the free exercise of consumer choice. Financial data shows that the company has a stable growth rate and a high rate of return. The President, Rodolfo Jimenez Borbn, admits that: "Financially, our main subsidiary - Florida Bebidas - closed the year with record operating profits, which were up 38% over the previous period. If we include the growth corresponding to the recently acquired Kern's company, operating profit grew by 47%" (Florida Bebidas Home Page 2008).

In September 2007, its net sales were 122.266.922 (thousands of colones), operating profit - of $31.497.077 (thousands of colones). In recent years, the main strategic goals involve acquisition strategy and mergers. In 2007, the company acquired Kern's in Guatemala and created a Central American sales and distribution structure. the company positions itself as a premium brand but proposes low prices and high quality for all products. Customer satisfaction and loyalty are the main priorities of Florida Bebidas.

The company pays special attention to cultural diversity management and social responsibility issues. The company follows the ISO 14001 international environmental standard implementing the Environmental Management System and recycling programs.