Marketing a corn dough product in Ghana

What is it about?

This case features Sahel Grains Ltd, an agro-processing company based in Ghana, West Africa, striving to grow its maiden product, Faast Mmori. This ready-to-cook corn dough provides a more hygienic and convenient way of preparing local meals, compared to the traditional method, which involves taking maize grain to the local mill facilities and paying to have it milled before cooking. Alternatively, consumers purchase corn dough from the markets to make traditional meals. Since the company launched the product in Kumasi in 2018, sales have grown with the augmented street sales promotion and expanded distribution in premium supermarkets such as Shoprite and Citydia. However, starting in November 2020, the sales seemed to plateau with dwindling new customers, and the monthly dough sales in Kumasi dropped for the first time in December 2020. Although the sales regained positive growth, they then started to lose momentum. In this scenario, Kofi, the CEO and co-founder, is considering marketing strategies to catalyze growth. Students assume the role of Kofi and are asked to recommend growth strategies to move the company forward. In doing so, they must scan the market environment and analyze the product's market positioning. More importantly, they are challenged to develop strategies for managing growth. This case is intended for undergraduate students in an introductory course in marketing, management, entrepreneurship, and business in general. It introduces students to key marketing concepts, such as market environment scanning, positioning, product life cycle, and market growth strategy.

Featured Image

Photo by Doğan Alpaslan DEMİR on Unsplash

Photo by Doğan Alpaslan DEMİR on Unsplash

Why is it important?

This is a good teaching case for students in an introductory course in marketing, management, entrepreneurship, and business in general. It introduces students to key marketing concepts, such as market environment scanning, positioning, product life cycle, and market growth strategy.