Product and Packaging Decisions

The cases on product and packaging decisions cover three broad areas of market offerings: product features and quality, services mix, and quality and packaging. The first case is about product features and design planning. It focuses on how Aarong, the largest specialty store chain of Bengali ethnic wear and handicrafts builds the brand locally as well as internationally. This case sheds light on how culturally influenced product design strategies help the brand to add new customer value and differentiation, increase market competitiveness, and capture a significant share of customer minds. Additionally, an in-depth discussion is provided on Aarong’s diverse product mix, product lines, product width, and product depth to portray the organizational capabilities of offering numerous distinct benefits for a wide range of customer groups without forgoing its core focus on culture-driven product design. The second case is about Ispahani Mirzapore Tea, the market leader in the hot beverage industry in Bangladesh. This case emphasizes how this company is leading the crowded hot beverage market and successfully tapping the untapped opportunities of the market by offering new product variants. A detailed explanation is provided about the company’s offerings of a wider product variant aimed at different segments that result from its analysis of existing products and their comparison with competitive offerings. This case also illustrates how the company makes an informed decision, based on market research, to reduce the risk of overextension and the risk of losing brand loyalty. The third case is on Kazi & Kazi Tea Estate (KKTE). This company is the first mover in innovative packaging of tea and the first internationally certified 100% organic tea estate in Bangladesh. The highlight of this case is twofold: first, how KKTE is working as a change agent to improve the quality of the packaging of locally produced tea products in Bangladesh, and second, how its premium value addition to packaging is reflected in its bottom-line performance and brand image. The case specifies KKTE’s significant investment in new products and package design which includes changing packages four times and ending up introducing bag-in-bag packaging in Bangladesh; attending to the environmental impacts of packaging and introducing tea bag-infused cups in the packaging.