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Revitalising Coffee Operations
Revitalising Coffee Operations
- Business Strategy Development
- Process Management
Lian Aik Trading is a Singapore-based company specialising in the import and export of premium coffee beans. With a focus on quality and customer satisfaction, they aim to source beans from some of the best coffee-growing regions.
Despite its commitment to sourcing quality beans, many customers were bypassing Lian Aik Trading and directly approaching green bean suppliers.
In addition, traditional warehouse management, which is very much a labour intensive process, made it difficult to hire new workers. Furthermore, invoices, delivery orders, stock records, and more, were still being processed in a very traditional style by using foolscap paper.
Business Strategy Development
An Ansoff Growth Matrix exercise was conducted to support the company’s growth and expansion while analysing associated risks. This model also helps LAT leaders decide future growth plans and strategies operations of the organisation.
The list of options identified included
1. Market Penetration
a. Adjusting current Marketing Mix. Some of the new initiatives provided are:
- Under Place: Cupping session, Corporate website and Additional delivery trucks.
- Under Promotion: Personal selling, Public Relations, Direct/Interactive Marketing and Sales Promotion.
2. Market Development
a. Export to overseas markets through Trustana platform under a Global Expansion Program
b. Venture into Business-to-consumer segment via:
- retail/wholesale store
- high-quality showroom, and
- vending machine
3. Product Development
a. Developing new product including:
- speciality-grade coffee beans (score ≥ 80 points)
- sustainable coffee
- roasted coffee
- house blend (create a signature flavour profile)
4. Diversification
a. Trading of home-brewing equipment
b. Plant-based RTD coffee beverages
Process Management
Introduced Chief Technology Officer-as-a-Service (CTO-as-a-Service) to Lian Aik Trading (S) Pte Ltd. Also, proposed a digital roadmap to address the challenges facing. The digital roadmap consists of 3 phases as below:
Stage 1: Getting Digital Economy Ready
Stage 2: Growing in the Digital Economy
Stage 3: Leaping Ahead
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Growth of revenue through the adoption of growth strategies identified via Ansoff growth matrix.
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Reduction in operations cost.
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Increase in production boost.