The main competitors of unearthed in the e-commerce sector - Research Paper Example

Main Competitors of Unearthed Food Brand Unearthed® is a brand owned by The ComplEAT Food Group (TCFG), which is one of the major supplier of continental foods to UK retail having share of nearly 26% in the UK retail food sector. Nevertheless, the TCFG group is indulged in distribution of high-end continental chilled and speciality foods such as salamis, cured hams, olive mixes, pates and tapas etc. to the UK supermarkets, private shopkeepers, wholesalers and retailers. Indeed, Tesco, Waitrose, Sainsbury and Morrison are the top buyers of TCFG’s unearthed food brand, which was launched in 2008 and today has become a household preference across UK.

The brand has over 40- product lines, thereby offering a diversified range of products to UK food lovers. TCFG usually imports foods from Spain, France, Italy, Hungary and others etc., which are then sold only across UK in the name of Unearthed® food brand. Nonetheless, the group is determined to launch their food brand in foreign markets through export to Dubai and European nations. It is worthwhile to mention that every business organisation has competitors, either small or large, if it is operational in a monopolistic / oligopolistic industry where competition exists.

Since Unearthed is not a natural monopoly across UK; therefore, it also faces competition from UK continental food distributors, private label firms, importers and specialty food manufacturers that have both physical (having retail stores) and online (e-commerce) presence. TCFG, however, argues that does not face cutthroat competition from other domestic food manufacturers, importers and suppliers because of its highly diversified product range (a result of product development, food discovery of owners, innovation and branding).

But, it should also be noted that Unearthed also does not enjoy 90% share, which is the evidence that competition exists in the UK retail food industry. Among the major competitors of Unearthed® food brand, the first is the Hain Celestial Group, which enjoys the ownership of worldwide famous Linda McCartney food brand. The group also offers frozen, meat Free, desserts, chilled food and grocery items across UK. Indeed, the group enjoys a strong financial position because its cumulative sales have already touched over $1 billion per annum.

The company not only imports its products from Canada and North American nations but also produces food items in different UK cities. The website - http://www.hain-celestial.co.uk/ - provides complete information about Linda McCartney product range, online order tracking and delivery options (HC UK website, 2011). The other competitors of Unearthed Foods include Hill’s Fine Foods Limited (cheese, chutneys, bread, diary, meat, olives etc.) (Hills Fine, 2011), Manchester Rusk Manufacturers (frozen and health food, cheese, snacks etc.), Exton Foods Limited (cheese specialists and sliced foods) (Manchester UK, 2010), Jovan Foods Limited (specialises in meat production), Kolak Snack Foods (potato snacks and fried items) and Pathos Continental Foods UK (continental foods and ingredients from Italy, Greece) that also have strong online as well as physical presence (Pathos UK, 2011).

References HC UK Website (2011) “Introduction” The Hain-Celestial Group [Online] Available at http://www.hain-celestial.co.uk/our-brands/ Pathos UK (2011) “About US” Pathos Olives [Online] Available at http://www.pathosolives.co.uk/our-business.html Manchester UK (2010) “Manchester Manufacturing & Industry” Manchester Food Manufacturing Industries [Online] Available athttp://www.manchester2002-uk.com/industry/food-manufacturing.html Hills Fine (2011) “Continental Breads” Hills Fine Foods UK [Online] Available at http://www.

hillsfinefoods.co.uk/breads/continental-breads.htm