If youre reading this as a soon-to-be or recent college graduate, you have probably already seriously considered starting a business rather than working for others. Do you have what it takes to make a go of it? Lets examine some issues around this career option that, for many young people, seems increasingly appealing. Consider the following critical questions before taking this particularly exciting and risky plunge.
Do you have something to offer?
A new business must meet (or create) a consumer need. This seems self-evident, but is often blithely overlooked. Do you have a skill or expertise that is paid for by someone, somewhere, at some reasonable level of remuneration? An affirmative to this query suggests at least a baseline need.
How can you find out?
List everything you do well. Include even activities not normally considered skills. If, for example, you can kiss with swoon-inducing effect, this constitutes a skill that could, conceivable, be monetized somehow. More seriously, any competency that goes on this list dishwashing, comforting babies, LEGO sculptures, sailing, tennis, scoring high on video games, writing funny emails or tweets, musical tarot readings is a possible service for another person. All it takes are desire and discretionary funds on customers parts to generate a market for your item/service.
Sometimes, professional associations reveal hitherto unknown lines of work. A young graduate really wanted to work therapeutically with the elderly and handicapped, but also wanted to pursue the horticulture interests that were his passion. Imagine his surprise upon finding that there was a professional association for horticultural therapy professionals!
Consider this authentic pre-internet example: An Ivy League sophomore (and his friends) wanted cleaner dormitory rooms, but also wanted more time to maintain good grades. Unable to find maid service, he started one on campus. This netted him a tidy profit until the universitys legal eagles insisted that his student house-cleaners be bonded (check your local jurisdiction regarding this) for security purposes. The expense of blanket liability proved prohibitive. However, despite this setback, his initiative gave him on-campus prominence in a later student government campaign and a very legitimate entry in his resume.
List everything you make:
Think hard! You must make something everyone does even if it is just reservations for dinner. Photo-ready cakes, recycled content sweaters, thumb warmers, decorative headbands, photographs that compel attention, macro code for spreadsheets, custom-designed avatars for gaming, or whatever it may be, you probably create something in your life. Does anyone want such an item? Look in online sales sites such as EBay to find out if such products already are for sale, and their price ranges.
As a real example, a college football player sidelined by injury parlayed his flair for movie filming, as well as his knowledge/contacts in the sport, into a nice little business. He created professional quality films for pee-wee football teams. Sophisticated angles and effects, background music, voice-overs and high production values made this a substantial offset for his lost athletic scholarship.
Do you have access to your target consumers?
It is all well and good to know that something you can do, whether it is to hand-crochet I-pod warmers, write advertising jingles, create computer code, organize peoples CD collections, or exercise their bearded lizards, is needed by customers, but you need to be somehow close enough to them to sell it! With the internet, this is often irrelevant. However, for many of us, place the element of location and geography is crucial.
How can you determine access?
Market research locally is challenging. Start, however, in the shops of your own community. You can short-cut some of the foot work with online directories such as Yelp. They will at least provide phone numbers call and make inquiries of the proprietor discreetly.
You need to find out whether there are potential customers for your service, who can access the outlets you will have the privilege of using. For example, luxurious custom evening handbags demand customers with the disposable funds to pay the price for your many hours of labor. However, if your only distribution channels are flea markets and street sales, you may be stuck unless you can assure yourself that the right sort of customer is routinely present. Find out by visiting before committing.
For services, especially intellectual services, the internet is irreplaceable. For example, writing is borderless and global! Personal services also are often advertised on the web, and if no one is listed in your region, doing what you propose to do, that is a potentially empty niche for you to fill!
Can you successfully work solo?
Only you can tell this, but you can certainly get some objective input by using such test instruments as Meyers-Briggs , or others, to tell whether your personality demands team effort and companionship. There is support out there, however.
Can you tolerate the intense effort and risk?
The uncertainty and workload of entrepreneurs should be well-known, but every year, most efforts fail, and some of these failures are due to the strain that starting a business places on the entrepreneur. For recent grads, the experience can be overwhelming.
Can you handle the paperwork?
Although all jurisdictions try to ease the process, being incorporated takes ongoing effort! Know what is needed, in your jurisdiction, before you leap.
Do you have a fallback position?
Having a real job even briefly can offer a launching pad (and financial security) as well as providing insights into management of businesses.
Consider carefully whether you should first learn what all employers have in common, and what characteristics all jobs share, before ruling out that work environment in favor of your own independent business venture. You may benefit from having done so.
Factors, other than those internal, affect an organizations strategic options. It is therefore important for every industry to build a picture of how these organizations affect the process of planning. The STEEP analysis provides a tool through which decision-makers can build the industry image and as such develop safeguards within its strategic objectives. The soft drinks industry although diverse is driven by a few strong players including coca-cola, Pepsi, and Cadbury Schweppes (Pepsi CO 1; Michael,86). To fully comprehend the soft drink industry, STEEP analysis is used in this paper to evaluate the key elements including Social factors, Technological factors, Economic factors, Ecological factors, and lastly, political factors.
Social factors
More and more people are getting conscious of healthy lifestyles (Berry and Ed 67; Courtney, 231). This is dictating the kind of shift that the industry needs to adopt in its product line. This is the factor behind various companies switching to bottled water and colas.
In most families, both spouses are increasingly involved in work and hence there is a need for time management. This amounts to increased demand for bottled water as well as soft drinks convenient and healthy to day to day lifestyles (Rankin 1).
The mature population (37-55 years) also experience increased concern for their nutritional intake. People want to increase their life span and this directly impacts the soft drink industry as demand for non-alcoholic and healthier beverages rises (Zee-Sun, Yuna. et al 208; Toops 56).
Various demographic patterns for instance age and gender also define the purchasing trends of soft drinks.
Technological factors
Technology is no doubt taking the world by storm. More and more people are relying on the internet for getting new information as well as purchasing of products (Howard, 19).
Advertisements, marketing as well as promotional activities are increasingly reliant on technology, including internet and television. Advertisement not only creates brand awareness but also makes the consumers get more knowledge and make decisions on what to buy (Hannaford 12; Howard, 21). Technology is therefore an important selling point for products.
Production is also dependent on technology. Additionally, as other factors of production rise and hence the overall cost of production rises along, the industry will be seeking new technologies that can lower production overhead (Courtney, 1997). This will help in keeping the product price within client reach.
Additionally, technology has allowed the introduction of easy-to-carry cans which make it easier for people on the move to buy soft drinks without having to pay for the bottle separately.
Economic factors
The recent past has seen the worst economic downturns in many years. The global recess as well as the financial crisis have hugely impacted consumer spending (Goldsberry et al., 86).
Fuel is a crucial factor of production. Sadly, its price has been on a constant rise of the recent past and hence impacting on production overhead.
Inflation concerning raw materials and other factors of production has the potential of directing impacting on the cost of production (Majumder 23).
Economic improvement in other countries, for instance, the BRIC countries have stimulated increased sales in these countries.
Ecological factors
Corporate social responsibility is a necessity in the current world. There is a need to adopt a manufacturing process that does not pose a threat to the environment (Corporate Bureau 56; George 102).
The packaging is also a key ecological issue. There is a need to entrench the use of recyclable packages within the production line.
Political factors
Soft drinks are regulated by the FDA, within food categories. The manufacturing process is closely regulated by the government and hence there is potential for fines for failure to fully abide by the standard regulations (Howard, 102).
Multiple jurisdiction operations subject the industry players to different legislation increasing the risk of legal actions, varying legal guidelines, tax rate changes, divergent legal interpretations, as well as different environmental legislation (Heaney & Rafferty 45). While developed countries have already established environmental laws, developing countries are yet to develop comprehensive laws and such susceptible to regular changes (Sicher 17).
Increased competition by existing as well as emerging players. New players are increasingly scrambling for the soft drink market (Duffey, et al., 423; Harvard Business School 34).
Political situations in international markets remain a possible challenge especially in the parts of the world considered volatile and prone to civil strife, changes in governmental regulations and restrictions as well as the ability to transfer capitals across the various national borders.
In general, the factors which influence the strategic decision within the soft drink industry are cross-cutting and diverse. Ranging from minor consumer behavior to the sophisticated aspects of meeting jurisdictional requirements, soft drink manufacturers find themselves having to carefully review the landscape of factors that impact their performance (Rainie 23). Innovation, technology, as well as politics also play an active role in dictating the direction to be adopted by players in the soft drink industry. With the major players already enjoying global presence, they find themselves having to deal with respective local players within the countries of operation and hence the need for strong marketing campaigns. The STEEP analysis breaks down the elements into chunks easily understandable and addresses within strategic plans of respective organizations.
Works Cited
Berry, John and Ed Keller. The Influential: One American in Ten Tells the Other Nine How to Vote, Where to Eat, and What to Buy. New York: The Free Press, 2003.
Corporate Bureau. Coke Sales fall 11% on Pesticide Controversy. 2003. Web.
Courtney, Harold. Games Managers Should Play .World Economic Affairs (1997): 91-102.
Duffey, et al. Food Price and Diet and Health Outcomes . Archives of Internal Medicine, 170 (5), 2010: 4206.
George, Newton.Colas Called safe, but not at EU Standards. The San Diego Union, 2002.
Goldsberry, Klein. et al. Visualizing Nutritional terrain: A Geospatial Analysis of Pedestrian Produce Accessibility in Lansing. Michigan, USA, 2010.
Hannaford, Steven. G. Market Domination: The Impact of Industry Consolidation on Competition, Innovation and Consumer Choice. Westport, CT: Praeger, 2007.
Harvard Business School. Cola Wars Continue: Coke and Pepsi in the Twenty-First Century. Harvard: Harvard Business School, 2008.
Heaney RP. Carbonated beverages and urinary calcium excretion . American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 74 (3), 2001: 343347.
Howard, Peter. Consolidation in the North American organic food processing sector, 1997 to 2007 . International Journal of Sociology of Agriculture and Food, 16(1), 2009: 13-30.
Howard, Peter. Visualizing consolidation in the global seed industry: 19962008 . Sustainability, 1(4), 2009: 266-1287.
Howard, Peter. Visualizing food system concentration and consolidation . Southern Rural Sociology, 24(2), 2009: 87-110.
Majumder, Singh. Indian State Bans Pepsi and Coke . BBC News, 2006.
Michael, Frajow. Liquid Candy: How Soft Drinks are Harming Americans Health. Washington DC, 2005.
Pepsi Co. PepsiCos R&D Team Focuses on Health and Wellness Products. Beverage Industry, 2011.
Rainie, Lee. How the Internet is Changing Consumer Behavior and Expectations. Washington, DC: Society of Consumer Affairs Professionals in Business, 2009.
Rankin, Jocelyne. Think bottled water is harmless? 2011. Web.
Sicher, John. D. Beverage Digest/Maxwell ranks U.S. soft drink industry for 2004, 2005. 2005. Web.
Toops, Diane. The Trends: Another Cola War Brewing?Food Processing, 2008.
Zee-Sun, Yuna. et al. Cultural influences on new product adoption of affluent consumers in India . The International Review of Retail, Distribution and Consumer Research, Vol. 18, No. 2, 2008, 203220.
The operational plan for Full of Life beverages will describe the structure of the organization and how each process will be carried out with regards to the strategies presented in the business plan for transforming a small family business into a large-scale beverage manufacturer. First, it is important to discuss the location of the production plant. Since the company has started operating as a family business, its location will include an office in the local area and the production plant located on the outskirts of the town to account for the effects of the manufacturing on the environment.
The advantages of the office location include the relative proximity to business offices of other companies; however, a significant disadvantage is a fact that the production plant will be located quite far from the central office of Full of Life. It is expected that the central office will be of approximately 100 square meters; the production plant will begin as a three-level building, which will be divided into production sectors for increased convenience.
The competitive advantage of the company will be associated with the increased attention to customer relationships and smart product development targeted at seasonality and variation regarding business-level strategies as well as the implementation of JIT inventory, efficient manufacturing and distribution regarding the functional level.
Supply and Inventory Management
The key aspect of the supply and inventory management will be associated with the control of fruit and vegetables provided by local farmers. It is noteworthy that the supply of products will vary depending on seasonality, so the Full of Life management should focus on the process of preliminary planning for future seasons to make sure that the production plant is stocked on the needed ingredients to produce beverages without any disruptions.
Just-in-time inventory is the most appropriate strategy for Full of Life since fruit and vegetables tend to spoil fast; the companys inventory managers should keep in mind the productions demand for certain ingredients and make sure to provide plants with the appropriate quantities. In such a scenario, immaculate relationships with suppliers are high on the agenda for Full of Life beverages.
As a green brand, the company will invest in collaborating with local farmers to buy seasonal vegetables and fruit for beverages production. When the order is received, it is expected that the Full of Life manufacturing plant will produce 100 items of beverages within twenty-four hours in the case when the needed supply of ingredients is available. If the supply is not enough, it is estimated that local farmers will supply fruit and vegetables within two business days, thus extending the turnaround time.
Production and Distribution
The production process of Full of Life beverages will consist of six key stages: the preparation of the simple juice mix, preparation of the final juice and vitamin additives (e.g., chia seeds, goji berries, spirulina, etc.) solution, preparation of the final beverage (final solution combined with water), bottle sanitation process, bottling of beverages, counting and sorting drinks into crates. The process of distribution will consist of dividing the stock of the freshly produced drinks into the most appropriate sales channels such as online sales, local grocery stores, specialized shops, and local markets.
Research and Development
As to new product development, Full of Life is currently working on releasing a selection of new beverage flavors for the upcoming season; moreover, the company is planning to start exploring the market of healthy energy bars to sell them in conjunction with beverages. Research and development activities in Full of Life are aimed at improving the existing product lines with the help of customer feedback and exploring new ideas for production through studying market demands and supply targeted at their fulfillment ( Research and development, n.d.).
Reaching out to customers is the most valuable tool for the company; through getting feedback on what should be done and how to do it better, Full of Life will develop a deeper understanding of customers needs and will develop new products in alignment with these requirements.
Technology Plan
The critical technology needs of Full of Life can be divided into several distinct categories: software and hardware (including IT), telecommunication, production and distribution, and personnel. It is important to mention that meeting the companys technology needs will be accompanied by the efforts to use green technologies that can significantly increase the efficiency of the manufacturing and distribution processes.
As a green brand, Full of Life is expected to focus its attention on those industry developments that will significantly reduce the adverse impact of the production process on the environment. Such developments and innovations include the installment of solar panels, recycling technologies, innovations for the reduction of CO2 emissions, electric vehicles for the distribution of products. Other technology needs of Full of Life are the following:
Software needs (on-premise and in the cloud ): accounting software, e-mail, documentation software, Customer Relationship Management software, spreadsheets (Smith, 2010).
Hardware needs: desktop computers of laptops, external hard drives, network server solutions, a wireless router, and a laser-jet printer (Serbu, 2013).
Telecommunication needs: mobile access, the Internet, live chat capabilities, business email (Renee, n.d.).
Personnel needs: technologies for the management team and technologies for the manufacturing team. Documentation, accounting, CRM, and similar types of software will be used for inventory management, taking and tracking orders, customer service, and marketing. Manufacturing technologies will be used by the production team and quality control operators who will communicate with the management via telecommunication technologies. The stage of quality control in the manufacturing plant will ensure that each bottle aligns with the high standards of quality set by the company.
When it comes to the use of technologies in a beverage manufacturing company, extra attention should be paid to the equipment used in the process of production. The equipment used in the production of Full of Life beverages includes juice pressers, pasteurizers, cookers, conveyors, boilers, filters, freezers, mixers, packaging equipment, pollution control equipment, etc. It is expected that as the company grows, it will expand its product line and thus will need to get additional equipment for the manufacturing plants to cater to the growing demands of the market as well as the possibility of developing a completely new product (e.g., an organic energy bar).
Due to the lower budget, the manufacturing plant can include used equipment to cut costs; however, with the increased profit, Full of Life is expected to buy new and sustainable equipment to reduce the impact of the production on the environment. Also, the company is planning to invest in recycling technologies to minimize production waste. In terms of packaging, it will be outsourced to a local manufacturer that produces beverage bottles and other types of packaging made from recycled materials.
Business Organization: Employees and the Management Team
In the beginning, it is expected that Full of Life will not have an extensive management team due to low budget capabilities. The team will consist of the general manager (the companys owner), inventory manager, sales manager, and marketing manager. The largest part of the companys employees will be involved in the production of beverages; employees will weigh, measure, and mix ingredients, add vitamin additives to the beverage, operate heating, chilling, pasteurizing, and freezing of ingredients, monitor product quality, operate machines to peel, core, slice, and pit fruit and vegetables, clean equipment, regulate conveyor speed, move products from production lines into areas of storage and shipping, as well as packaging and bottling products.
The manufacturing plant will employ local workers either with or without the experience of working in a similar area of expertise. The company will invest in offering jobs to locals to align with the established Corporate Responsibility Objectives.
Since Full of Life has not developed as a fully formed team, the hierarchy in the company will not be as strictly defined as it could have been. The top management (the general manager, the role of which will be fulfilled by the companys owner) will be responsible for guiding the middle management (inventory, sales, and marketing managers).
The rationale for the development of such a management hierarchy refers to the fact that Full of Life does not have enough resources to hire a complete set of managers with particular specializations. In the beginning, the general manager will be responsible for fulfilling multiple tasks such as negotiations with suppliers or collaborations with other organizations. Inventory, sales, and marketing managers will be directly tied to the process of production to make sure that customers receive a high-quality product to fit their demands.
The food and beverage industry is a critical part of the economics of some countries that show the importance and significance of following the trends of this field. Nevertheless, besides economic benefits, there is the cultural meaning of this industry. Undoubtedly, the beverage is an integral part of this industry with the multi-dimensional and multi-goal structure (Singer, 2018). Currently, it witnessed rapid growth due to an increase in population, improvement of manufacturing methods, and cold chain facilities. Globally, trends have a feature for constant changing that is critical for food and drink companies and manufacturing units. Changing the customer preferences is one of the reasons in advance of the food and beverage industry.
The Significance of the Color
Nowadays, beverages and catering establishments started to use color as a tool for social impact. Such a situation occurred because the influence of such social media as Instagram increased and today we live in such a visual culture. Color can be trivial and meaningful, but the most important is to catch the attention of the customer (Everitt, 2017). That is why color is power for manipulation of society in order to reach the aims. Specific shades of beverages are not so important, and the most essential is that color is an easy way to satisfy the demands of consumers desires, and in time it will become even more critical for success.
Waste Issue
The beverage industry has been trying in recent years to be increasingly environmentally responsible. Usually, there is a due to growing public pressure towards reducing waste (Everitt, 2017). It is unlikely that today another market power, apart from waste, can significantly change what we consume and how people drink it. Increasingly, such problems as plastic in the ocean and a possible shortage of food are raised, so the pressure from consumers will continuously grow (Everitt, 2017). The search for new solutions is a critical issue for the beverage industry.
Composition
If the previously high protein content in food was characteristic only of a segment such as sports and fitness food, in recent years, the demand for protein-enriched products leads to their appearance in plenty of sectors of the food market. Such a situation happened due to the growing popularity of fitness and the perception of protein foods as healthier and more useful (Singer, 2018). The most active development in recent years is the production of food that does not contain gluten, as well as products with a low content of salt and sugar. Nowadays, vegetables are beginning to be used in those segments of the market where vegetables were previously not used, or their share was minimal.
Conclusion
In conclusion, undoubtedly, the world trend was affected by plenty of factors in the restaurant industry. In particular, bartenders began to pay great attention to hospitality, and there was a trend of work on preforms and premixes, which significantly optimized the work of the bar and accelerated the preparation of cocktails, leaving more time for communication with guests. There are also trends that are connected with the changing of the costumers preferences, such as the color of beverages, their flavor, and taste. In particular, such changes are tightly connected with increasing choices of healthy food, as well as, the enormous impact of social media, such as Instagram, that provoke to use of beverages as a tool for self-affirmation.
References
Everitt, G. (2017). Food & Beverage Trends for 2018. Web.
Singer, C. (2018). Top 2018 trends for food and beverage industry businesses. Web.
Alpine Beverages is a multinational company with headquarters in Switzerland. It produces almost all possible soft drinks from carbonated to fresh milk ones. I will imagine that I am the Logistics Manager in the Dubai office. The purpose of this work is to decide which logistics service to choose to undertake warehousing and delivery. In the paper, several logistics companies will be discussed according to the conditions given in the task. Storage and delivery requirements will be taken into consideration. Then, it will be decided what online data should be available from the logistics service for Alpine Beverage to manage the process correctly. Finally, the appropriate third-party logistics service company will be selected.
Conditions
Firstly, the Dubai operation of Alpine Beverages needs 3400 pallet storage places. 3000 of them are required for hermetic cans, bottles, and cartons with long-life beverages that do not need cooling. 400 pallet places need cooling as fresh fruit juice, and flavored milk drinks are going to be kept in them. That is why the company needs an appropriate third-party cooperator that will be able to provide all the necessary pallet spaces.
Secondly, a company is needed that can deliver beverages to three regions of Saudi Arabia, namely Dammam, Riyadh, and Jeddah. Moreover, Alpine Beverages have contracts with sellers in Muscat, Oman, and, naturally, the Emirates, where the office is situated. Thus, the transporting company should be the one operating in the whole region of the Middle East. Deliveries are supposed to be on a daily basis.
Moreover, it is necessary to take into consideration that Alpine Beverages may acquire conditions that will enable it to expand the distribution network. It would not be very convenient to change the delivering and storing business partner because of that. That is why the third-party logistics service should be ready to satisfy the growing demands of Alpine Beverages. The company expects to increase its sales in the region by 50 percent in the next five years; that is why the logistics company needs to correspond to the expectations and, perhaps, also have clear plans for growing and development.
Thirdly, for the sake of safety, drinks are to be transported on wooden pallets. It means that the third-party company should have enough pallets that correspond to the actual safety norms. It should be expected that the losses while transportation will be close to zero. Of course, the conditions that the third-party company provides for storing and transportation should be thoroughly inspected by the logistics manager himself or by the logistics experts assigned by Alpine Beverages.
Finally, it is natural that Alpine Beverages would like to require information online at any time of day and night. It is necessary to establish better control of where and how the products move, how many of them have been delivered according to the plan, how many of them are in store, and the percentage of losses. This information may help analyze the effectiveness of the cooperation with the logistics company and recommend measures for improvement.
In the next sections of the paper, several logistics companies will be discussed according to the above-mentioned criteria: the sufficient number of pallets for storage (3000 with ambient temperature and 400 with cooling); the geographical scope (with perspectives for growth); wooden pallets; the data that may be provided by the service online; other useful information provided by the logistics companies websites. The services will be compared, and the most suitable one will be chosen for negotiations as a potential business partner in the field of logistics.
Storage Requirements
Al-Futtaim Logistics claims to be the leader of the logistics market in Dubai (Al-Futtaim Logistics 2015). As for warehousing, the company provides 100 000 square meters with ambient and controllable temperature conditions. If Alpine Beverages decides to choose this company, it will be necessary to find out how many square meters may be lent for storing long-life and fresh drinks. At least, according to the information on the website, the company is ready to satisfy the needs of both small and big businesses (Al-Futtaim Logistics 2015). Thus, in this respect, Al-Futtaim Logistics suits Alpine Beverages perfectly.
RAK Logistics is a company that presents itself as a global one (RAK Logistics 2017). As for warehousing, although it is not mentioned if they provide cooling or not, the authors of the website try to persuade the readers that the company is ready to satisfy absolutely any needs (RAK Logistics 2017). The requirements of Alpine Beverages are not that complex, that is why one may suppose that RAK Logistics will be able to cater to them.
International Logistics Services claims that it provides the whole complex of services in the field of logistics (International Logistics Services 2016). On the website, it is mentioned that they organize transportation by road, sea, and air. However, nothing is said about warehousing. That is the reason why the company does not suit Alpine Beverages storage demands at all. Thus, the possibility of business cooperation becomes unlikely before the logistics manager knows for sure if the company provides warehousing services.
The next company under consideration is AZ Logistic. Its headquarters are in Dubai, while the whole company operates in 48 countries (AZ Logistic 2017). It is necessary to find out about Saudi Arabia and Oman. On the website, they have a special section that presents their warehousing services. The company states that it is ready to meet any needs (AZ Logistic 2017). They have climate-control zones in their warehouses, that is why Alpine Beverages fresh drinks will be safe. In this case, AZ Logistic may be viewed as a future business partner.
For now, Global Shipping & Logistics seems to be the most suitable company for warehousing the drinks. Their stores contain cool and cold blocks (Global Shipping & Logistics 2018). Moreover, the system is managed and controlled every day around the clock. The warehouses are equipped with CCTV cameras that may prevent theft. The company claims that it is able to cater to any specific needs (Global Shipping & Logistics 2018). To add, the option of repacking is included in the list of services. Although it is still necessary to require details, on the whole, such a business partner makes a good impression.
The last company to discuss is Jenae Logistics. It is stated on their web resource that one of their fundamental operation principles is the combination of warehousing and distribution (Jenae Logistics 2014). For Alpine Beverages, it is quite important as viewing the two aspects of cooperation in a complex will certainly help reach a mutual understanding. However, at the same time, the site does not give any information about the storage conditions. One cannot learn from the given data if there are or are not coolers for fresh drinks. That is why for now, this company is under question and only partly suits the needs of the drink producer before more information about warehousing can be obtained.
Delivery Requirements
Further on, as for transportation services, Al-Futtaim Logistics states that it has the highest quality lorries to deliver any cargo (Al-Futtaim Logistics 2015). Moreover, one of the advantages of the company is that it delivers goods on the whole territory of the Emirates. This suits Alpine Beverages, but on the website, no other countries are mentioned (Al-Futtaim Logistics 2015). That is why there is a need to find out if they operate on the territories of Oman and Saudi Arabia.
Before it is known, the company only partly suits this criterion. Further on, there is no information about wooden pallets. However, by analyzing the information about the modern equipment the company uses to transport goods all around the Emirates, one may guess that Al-Futtaim Logistics does have this simple device or may purchase pallets if the agreement with Alpine Beverages is reached.
RAK Logistics provides not only lorries but also planes (RAK Logisiics 2017). That is rather convenient because this makes the logistics manager of Alpine Beverages more sure that the drinks will be delivered to Saudi Arabia and Oman in time and daily. It is also possible that drink distribution may involve transportation by sea, which is also available (RAK Logisiics 2017). In some cases, it may be needed because it will be cheaper, and in other ones, one means of transport may be used instead of another to avoid delays when they are predictable. That is why in this aspect, RAK Logistics is preferable to Alpine Beverages.
International Logistics Services works all around the world (International Logistics Services 2016). They claim that the Middle East is the main direction in which they operate. Even if they do not have an office and a warehouse in Oman or Saudi Arabia, it is possible that their broad network of business partners will help. However, this may bring about a number of difficulties. For example, using the services of a partner may cause an increase in the cost of shipping and warehousing.
Further on, they emphasize that their business policies are flexible (International Logistics Services 2016). Because of this, there is a reason to hope that they are ready to use wooden pallets if the cooperation with Alpine Beverages is profitable for them. Thus, the company may partly suit the needs of the drink-producing enterprise. It is possible to note that International Logistics Services promise that they are able to deliver cargoes within the period of 24 hours (International Logistics Services 2016). It is important especially for fresh drinks delivery, which may serve as a valuable bonus for cooperation and gaining profit.
As it has already been mentioned, AZ Logistic does not give any information about distribution services in Oman or Saudi Arabia. They state that the main sphere of their interests is the Emirates (AZ Logistic 2017). This aspect is to be cleared up. To continue, the company proposes flexible conditions for transportation. On the website, it is stated that they are ready to make necessary changes in their operation to meet the needs and interests of the customer (AZ Logistic 2017). It means that wooden pallets are quite possible as it is not a difficult or costly thing to do to buy them.
Global Shipping & Logistics head office and main warehouses are located in Dubai (Global Shipping & Logistics 2018). That is why it would be easier to reach an agreement with the company for them to distribute drinks not only around the Emirates but also in Oman and Saudi Arabia. It is quite possible that they will not have to use special storage on the territories of the latter two. If they have ones at their disposal, it is even more suitable, but the goods may be sent to the points of the distribution network by air or by sea from Dubai. This is also a good option as planes and ships (and in most cases, even trucks) are capable enough to deliver the cargo within one day. That is why in this respect, cooperation conditions are worth negotiating.
Finally, Jenae Logistics assures that they will do everything in their power to satisfy the interests of the customer (Jenae Logistics 2014). They state that their operation is directed at providing services to distribution networks. This is suitable for Alpine Beverages as a network for selling long-life, and fresh drinks is what the company wants to establish in the Middle East. As Alpine Beverages expects to increase its profit throughout the region by 50 percent within the period of five years, it is possible that Jenae Logistics will be the most valuable partner as usually, distribution networks (if they are successful) tend to develop and expand. Alpine Beverages is an enterprise that sees clear and well-grounded prospects of development. Thus, Jenae Logistics, with its flexible policy of supporting commercial networks, may be of great value and sufficient help.
Information Systems Requirements
Al-Futtaim Logistics offers a variety of services connected with tracking the products. On the one hand, there is the option of checking the movement route of the cargo (Al-Futtaim Logistics 2015). The system is called Web Track & Trace. On the other hand, there is a link to Stock Status Tracker that allows seeing whether the goods are in the warehouse or are being delivered. Both options are presented on the website, which is rather convenient. The logistics manager of Alpine Beverages may enter it all around the clock, simply insert a track-number and find out about the status of the goods. That is why in this aspect, Al-Futtaim Logistics is acceptable as a commercial partner.
RAK Logistics assures its websites readers that the company uses a warehouse management digital system that allows tracking every item that is kept in the store (RAK Logistics 2017). Thus, the Alpine Beverages logistics manager or any other staff member (if he or she has access) may see and analyze all the goods movements. The service allows you to do it anytime. This option is valuable for Alpine Beverages as it enables the company to establish full control of every item.
On the website of International Logistics Services, there is no information concerning online information systems. However, on the source, it is stated that the company is ready to establish a system of cooperation that will be suitable and profitable to the customer (International Logistics Services 2016). That is why even if they do not usually practice online tracking, such an option may be requested, discussed, and adopted. If Alpine Beverages negotiate such an opportunity, both companies may reach an agreement.
AZ Logistic also uses an electronic system of monitoring and management (AZ Logistic 2017). However, unfortunately, the website gives no information on how it works and if it is possible for the customer to track the goods. This is a moot point, and the information should be required by the manager as the company meets the interests of Alpine Beverages and is likely to be among the preferable ones.
Global Shipping & Logistics offers no such services as tracing or tracking. However, on the website, there is information that they may provide date coding, barcoding, and labeling (Global Shipping & Logistics 2018). It means that the company uses special software to control the goods in the warehouses and on the road. That is why it may be reasonable to negotiate using a system through which Alpine Beverages will be able to trace their drinks. There may be hope that the installation of and operating of the software will be cheap enough not to prevent the cooperation of the two companies.
As for Janae Logistics, their website gives an opportunity to track the shipping online right on the source (Jenae Logistics 2014). On the one hand, it is convenient as the logistics manager of Alpine Beverages may insert a track-number anytime he needs and get the actual information about the cargoes. However, contrary to the system supported by RAK Logistics, there is no opportunity to track every item. Perhaps, the company provides such an option, but one cannot get any information about it on the site. That is why in this aspect, Jenae Logistics is certainly not a preferred business partner.
Other Information
As for Al-Futtaim Logistics, it has been operating for about ninety years so far (Al-Futtaim Logistics 2015). If the company has got such a long-term experience, it may be viewed as trustworthy. Moreover, in 2012, the company was certified by DNV on ISO 9001-2008. It means that Al-Futtaim Logistics has high rates in consulting and risk management. It adds to the advantages of the enterprise sufficiently.
The history of RAK Logistics is not that rich. The company was founded only four years ago (RAK Logistics 2017). However, its establishment was the result of ten smaller companies merging into one. It is certainly a benefit as the enterprise combines in its daily operation and strategies the experience of the merged businesses. Moreover, their experience was gained in different countries, which is of special value to Alpine Beverages as it operates on an international scale.
International Logistics Services have been working for ten years, which is a considerable period of time but cannot stand in the same line with, for example, Al-Futtaim Logistics (International Logistics Services 2016). Unfortunately, there is no data on the resource of International Logistics Services about their experience and the length of operation. As for AZ Logistic, it was founded twenty years that may be estimated as an impressive experience (AZ Logistic 2017). Global Shipping & Logistics have been on the market since 1975, which is not as considerable as the period of the existence of Al-Futtaim Logistics but rather close to it. Finally, Jenae Logistics gives no information on this subject.
The Most Suitable Service Provider
According to the discussed and analyzed information, Alpine Beverages will most likely choose Al-Futtaim Logistics as it corresponds to all the conditions required by the drink-producing company. Firstly, it has sufficient warehouses and equipment for storing and is able to keep both long-life drinks at the ambient temperature and the ones that need cooling. Secondly, it has a sufficient number of lorries that may deliver the products around the region within 24 hours, although it is still unclear if the enterprise works only in the Emirates or in the neighboring countries also. Thirdly, it has a well-developed and convenient system of tracing.
In addition, Al-Futtaim Logistics has the longest experience among the companies under consideration. That is why it may be called the most suitable company, which may be helpful when Alpine Beverages volumes of a production increase by 50 percent in five years as planned.
Alpine Beverages might also choose RAK Logistics as it satisfies the same demands as the former one. The only aspect that causes doubts is its probable lack of experience and organization as the enterprise has existed only for four years now. As for the other companies, they are not as suitable as the two that have just been mentioned because they do not completely satisfy or do not give enough information about the conditions which are significant for Alpine Beverages. That is why the latter needs to reconsider both options, contact the two chosen logistics companies, and hold official negotiations with them to learn more about the prices and other factors that may influence cooperation and prospects.
Reference List
Al-Futtaim Logistics 2015. Web.
AZ Logistic 2017, Experts IT, Dubai. Web.
Global Shipping & Logistics 2018. Web.
International Logistics Services 2016, Pandora, Al Ain, UAE. Web.
The market for soft drinks in the country is competitive and is mainly made up of two manufacturing systems, one being the flavoring and concentrate companies while the other is the soft drink manufacturing companies. The industry is majorly dependent on the syrup produce, with analysts observing that it is the driver of several downstream operations.
The companies operating in the industry tend to follow a similar product life cycle that starts with a syrup producer then moving on to bottling before developing to distributors of products. The company finally grows to manufacture the product in large-scale, something that characterizes a merchant.
Finally, the organization turns out to be a consumer of manufactured goods. Regarding geographical location, many soft drink companies are found near the source of raw materials and the market meaning that they are situated in densely populated locations. Several distribution channels are followed when supplying the products to the consumer.
Recently, the industry is facing several challenges due to the slumping economy, as well as changes in the consumer consumption patterns, as many people are concerned with their health. Regarding the international market, all major companies operating in the industry are focused on the African and Hispanic markets, as they are viewed as the potential markets for growth given the fact that they have a stable consumer base. Another challenge facing the industry is the growing policy debate as regards to taxation of sugar beverages.
NAICs Classification
The industry name for soft drinks is manufacturing and the code is 31211. The category of industries under this classification should purely engage in the production of soft drinks, ice, and bottled water, including the carbonated drinks.
Market Segmentation
First, the industry players should understand the demands of the brand conscious consumers, which include those customers who are in their early twenties comprising of mainly the university students, the working class, and those who have the ability to join their friends in parties.
This category of consumers is carefree and exhibits a special character suggesting that they are freestyle. Therefore, they always want to be associated with the high-end products and their purchasing is based on the quality of the product. In other words, they always buy the image that signifies a stylish product, which exudes buoyancy.
The market is dominated by the average consumers as well and includes individuals who are prone to buying products out of tedious habit. These consumers acquire products because of the media influence, as they are brainwashed to believe that certain goods bring satisfaction. The teenagers dominate this category of the market, even though some university students fall under the class.
The third group of consumers is composed of peer-pressured individuals since they simply follow their friends in buying the products. The last type of customers is the soft drink addicts and this comprises of those individuals who follow the product without considering its substitutes or supplements (Gupta and Lehmann 89).
Periodicals Covering the Soft Drinks Industry
Several articles producing companies and magazines publish news and events related to the soft drinks and the entire industry. One such company is the national association of soft drinks manufactures, which is based in London, publishing Twickenham magazine since 1982.
The same organization publishes a journal article referred to as the soft drinks trade journal, which is an international journal on soft drinks industry. The periodical was published from 1947 to 1982. The British soft drinks association publishes the soft drinks management international, which is a global journal on beverages. In the US, food magazines, the global outlook, and the Poughkeepsie journal deal are some of the publications that talk about soft drinks.
Competitive Structure
The industry has a market structure that is two-tiered meaning that small group syrup producers give territorial franchises to bottling companies whereby they are made the only distributors of products. The Coca Cola was the first company to do this in early 20th century, but others followed the same channel when they entered the market in the subsequent years. Based on this, the type of market exhibited in the soft drinks industry is an oligopoly because small groups of companies control the industry.
A close study of the market suggests that it is more of a monopoly since small firms that are not in direct competition with the distributing companies dictate policies and determine what should enter the market. Market power is defined as the ability of the company to raise the market price with an aim of increasing its profit margin (Lau 127). Companies operating in perfectly competitive markets do not have the power to increase prices without losing a substantial segment of the market.
However, the soft drinks industry is different since corporations can easily raise prices without losing any of their clienteles to opponents. Companies in the industry, including Pepsi and Coca Cola, have the capability of affecting the total quantity, as well as the prices of products in the market. The major companies operating in this industry are Coca Cola, Pepsi, Cadbury Schweppes, and the Dr. Pepper Snapple Group.
Future Prospects
An analysis of the microenvironment reveals that the soft drinks industry is expected to perform better in the future mainly because of the steady product innovation. Companies are known to identify consumer demands and needs while at the same time aspiring to adjust by adopting the new technologies in order to survive in the competitive market.
The recent trend whereby the soft drink companies are winning exclusive rights to supply products in schools and stadiums is an advantage to the industry, as this will help them in developing faster. In the industry, clients are dedicated to a variety of brands since studies show that consumers of carbonated beverages are always enthusiastic to certain foodstuffs meaning that they seldom acquire any other from the market.
The sales of many companies in the industry are expected to go up and this will facilitate profitability. Even though competition is expected to be stiff in the future, companies are already seeking markets oversees and this will ensure that they survive in the highly competitive market (Warf, Frederick and Stutz 16).
Works Cited
Gupta, Sunil, and Lehmann, Donald. Managing Customers as Investments: The Strategic Value of Customers in the end. Upper Saddle River: Pearson Education/Wharton School Publishing, 2005. Print.
Lau, Ronald. Competitive factors and their relative importance in the US electronics and computer industries . International Journal of Operations & Production Management, 22.1 (2002): 125135. Print.
Warf, Frederick, and Stutz, Barney. The world economy: resources, location, trade, and development. Upper Saddle River: Pearson, 2007. Print.
Supply chain management refers to the whole process of producing alongside delivering a service or a product, from the initial stage of sourcing the raw materials to the last stage of delivering the product or service to the final consumers.
It starts with sourcing and extraction of the raw material. Followed by a Logistics provider taking the raw materials to a supplier, who then takes them to a manufacturer, who processes materials into a finished good. After that, the product goes to a distributor, then to a retailer, who sells it to the consumers. The moment the consumer purchases the good, the cycle is complete.
History of Mango Juice (Maaza Drink)
Around 4000 years ago, Mangoes originated in Southern Asia, particularly in Eastern India and Burma. Indians believe that mangoes signify life, and it is a national fruit of India. In 1976, the union beverages factory started selling Maaza in Africa and the Middle East as a franchise. In India, it was launched in 1976 and acquired by Coca-Cola. Maaza is obtained from mangos natural pulp, and its constituent is the mango pulp of the alphonso variety, known as the King of Mangoes in India.
Ingredients of Mango Juice
The mango fruit contains a higher nutritional value and is beneficial health-wise due to its vital ingredients. It is composed of macronutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, and amino acids; micronutrients, vitamins, and minerals; and finally, phytochemicals such as polyphenols and volatile phenolic compounds. According to Muslim et al. (2021). mango juice is a human diet due to its energy value. It remains a crucial fruit for the manly diet due to its energy value for 100 grams of pulp which ranges between 60-190 kilocalories. The water constituent, nutritional plus non-nutritional elements of mangoes vary depending on the type of mango cultivated and several pre-harvest and postharvest factors.
Competition
Competition comes in if there is a contest between companies selling the same product or service. There are three known mango drinks brands, frooti, maaza, and slice, in the mango drink industry. Maaza competes against these two brands, Pepsi and Frooti (Kothari, 2017). In the campaign, Frooti did a brand makeover after thirty years, having a new logo and visual avatar. Furthermore, a campaign was launched and promoted broadly across print and digital media to address this change to its consumers. Maaza and slice also developed other different strategies for the campaign. While facing competition, firms should strategize on pricing, adventuring into new markets, good packaging, and conducting digital marketing.
Supply Chain Strategy
Maaza mango drink is a beverage from the Coca-Cola company.
Coca-Cola adopted a new supply chain strategy known as DOIP, which stands for Demand, Operations, and Inventory Planning.
This new strategy is much more flexible than the old SOP model (sales and operations planning).
This model has four main benefits, which include the following:
Elevating production through quality service
Predicting the current and future sales volume
Identifying complementary promotions and potential sales volumes
Reducing operating costs by balancing the scale of supply and demand
This generally boosts business agility.
Infographic of Product Supply Chain
This is a simplified chart for a processed mango moving from the farm to the consumers (Kruijssen, 2022). From the farm, mangoes are handpicked, loaded into lorries by the logistics providers or pre-harvest contractors, and taken to the wholesalers or direct to the factories for processing. In the factories, they are brought into the ripening chambers. The damaged ones are removed. After ripening, the process begins with washing with chlorinated water and follows a series of procedures until the final product is obtained. This end product is then sold to retailers and exporters by manufacturers. The end-users finally buy the juices from the retailers for consumption.
Infographic of Information Systems
Sharing of information increases the efficiency of the supply chain by limiting inventories and smoothing production. A hundred percent efficiency of a supply chain is critical as competition is no longer between companies but between supply chains.
Adopting good information systems increases the efficiency of the supply chain by limiting inventories and smoothing production.
The table displays the classification of production information. Sharing such information helps the suppliers, logistics producers, and even the consumers.
For instance, when maaza shares its production schedules with a group of its suppliers, this will positively impact the company by lowering part inventories with zero risking stock-outs. Besides, customer service levels also improve when logistics producers give shipping information.
Pricing of Maaza
Pricing is an element that scales up profits in the supply chain through a relevant supply and demand match. Maaza is the number 3 brand in the overall beverage category for Coca-Cola India and made significant gains in market share in 2021 (Coca-Cola, 2022). According to the company, Maaza reported sales of Rs 2,826 score in the year 2021 despite the overwhelming circumstances due to the Coronavirus (Coca-Cola, 2022).
Promotion
Maaza, known as the number one noncarbonated drink in the market of India, has several activities related to the promotion of its mango juice to maintain its status quo. In endorsing their mango juice, maaza has used well-known celebrities within the film industry, the actors like Varun Dhawa, among others (Singaram et al., 2019). This has led to mass fans liking this product due to its attractive and witty commercials displayed on news media and billboards. Furthermore, it incorporates direct dealings via conducting roadshows and experimental sampling.
Future Issues
Maaza is there to refresh the world and make a difference. Maaza is emerging with a lot of vigor to do business the right and pose development in the future. Looking at the loopholes in Maaza production, the company should strategize and close such gaps to better the mango drink. Maaza needs to revise the following issues:
Method/ kind/ cost of packaging
Distribution of their finished products within a limited geographic location
Manufacturing capacity is too low.
Conclusion: Future Developments and Recommendations
Maazas marketing aims at propelling the product to be the worlds first one billion dollar juice drink brand by sales coming out of India. In 2016, the market size of Maaza was around 50 percent of the total mango fruit drink market (Dollar Business Bureau, 2017).
Coca-cola and its bottlers need to bring enhancement by coming up with new, pocket-friendly, and quality juice packs. Additionally, this Coca-Cola needs to expand its distribution in new markets, stop concentrating in India alone, and increase the manufacturing capacity to double the sales of Maaza by 2020.
References
BluePrint. (2020). Overview: What is wholesale? Web.
Coca-Cola Company. (2022). Financials. Web.
Dollar Business Bureau. (2017). Coca-Cola targets Maaza to become $1 billion brand by 2020. Web.
Kothari, C. (2017). Retailers perception about Non-Carbonated Drinks in selected cities of Gujarat. In 6th International Conference on Trade, Business, Economics and Law (p. 64).
Kruijssen, F. (2022). Simplified market chain of fresh and processed mango. Web.
The usage of energy drinks has become common across all ages, but is most prevalent among the adolescents and children. In the recent past, it was believed that these drinks are less harmful to human health (Seifert, Schaechter, Hershorin, & Lipshultz, 2011). However, the findings of very recent studies show that these drinks contain a number of harmful substances. The most common element that is contained in these drinks is caffeine, which is said to be in excessive amounts. For that reason, these drinks are considered to have no therapeutic value (Nordt et al., 2012). This paper addresses the inconsistencies between the articles Energy drink use and adverse effects among emergency department patients by Nordt et al., and the DNP Students Post, which is based on the media thread and Health effects of energy drinks on children, adolescents, and young adults by Seifert, Schaechter, Hershorin, and Lipshultz. The two articles feature issues that are related to the use of the energy drinks.
The first inconsistency between the DNP students post and the article by Nordt et al. is the exact amount of the caffeine contained in the energy drinks. The post addresses the amount of caffeine in a general perspective and it does not give the type of the caffeine contained in the drinks (Seifert et al., 2011). On the other hand, Nordt et al.s article specifies the type of caffeine that is found in these drinks. This article mentions methylxanthine as the type of caffeine contained in the drinks. The article also approximates that the quantities of the caffeine found in drinks range from 70 to 500 mg in every bottle (Nordt et al., 2012).
The second inconsistency between Nordt et al.s article and the DNA students post occurs in the age group of users that are at a high risk of developing complications and the type of complications that come with excess use of the drinks. The post places a lot of emphasis on the adolescents and children as the main groups that are at the highest risk of being affected adversely by the excessive intake of the drinks (Seifert et al., 2011). The article also demonstrates that everybody has an equal risk of developing complications as a result of excessive usage of the drinks (Nordt et al., 2012).
The post does not include palpitations as one of the complications that are associated with the usage of the energy drinks. However, the article lists palpitations as one of the major adverse effects associated with taking energy drinks. In addition, the article also lists chest pain as a complication that emanates from the use of these drinks. The article supports this by the findings of the study described in it. According to the study in Nordt et al.s article, about 39% of the participants admitted they suffered chest pains and about 12% reported suffering from palpitations as a result of taking the energy drinks (Nordt et al., 2012).
Lastly, the post and the article provide different suggestions on the factors that complicate the adverse effects caused by the usage of energy drinks. The post indicates that the effects of energy drinks become worse when they are used by people who are under medications such as those administered to diabetes patients (DNP Students Post, n.d). On the other hand, Nordt et al.s article tends to suggest that the effects of these drinks are severe when taken together with hard drugs such as cocaine and methamphetamine (Nordt et al., 2012).
References
DNP Students Post (n.d). Energetic debate about energy drinks.
Nordt, S. P., Vilke, G. M., Clark, R. F., Cantrell, F. L., Chan, T. C., Galinato, M.,& Castillo, E. M. (2012). Energy drinks use and adverse effects among emergency department patients. Journal of Community Health, 37(1), 976-981.
Seifert, S. M., Schaechter, J. L., Hershorin, E. R., & Lipshultz, S. E. (2011). Health effects of energy drinks on children, adolescents, and young adults. Pediatrics, 127(3), 511-528.
An accurate assessment of the concentration of dyes in food and beverages forms an integral aspect of consumer safety. Mutagenic effects stemming from high levels of concentration lead to cancer development. The determination of the concentration of dyes through spectrophotometric analysis provides an accurate method.
Objective
The lab reports objective is to evaluate the concentration of pink dye (Powerade) in beverages based on the absorbance of red 40 as the standard curve. As the research question, what are the levels of absorbance and concentration do the pink dye in a beverage?
Variables and constants
The independent variable is the concentration of dyes, while the dependent variable is the absorbance of dyes. Measurable constants are wavelength, distilled water, and the concentrations of red 40. The standard curve is the positive control for the experiment that aid in evaluating the concentration of pink dye in a beverage.
Hypothesis
The hypothesis is that the concentration of dyes in beverages increases the level of absorbance. According to Beer-Lamberts law, the concentration of a solution has a positive relationship with the degree of absorbance (Vitha, 2019).
Experimental Procedure
Stock solutions of red dye, distilled water, cuvettes, test tubes, pipette, spectrophotometer, and beverage were materials for the experiment. To evaluate the concentration of pink dye in the beverage, a stock solution of the red 40 with a concentration of 4.0 × 10-5 uM was used. The optimum absorbance of the red dye was determined by measuring the absorbance at different wavelengths, ranging from 400 nm to 705 nm. Five solutions of the standard curve were made by adding 0 ml, 2 ml, 4 ml, 6 ml, and 8 ml of distilled water into 10 ml, 8 ml, 6 ml, 4 ml, and 2 ml of stock solutions, respectively. At the wavelength of 505 nm as the optimum level, the absorbance of each food dye solution was measured and the results tabulated with respective concentration values. The calibration curve was created by plotting a scatter plot of absorbance versus the concentration of the red 40 with a regression trend line showing the linear equation and the coefficient of determination (R2). To determine the concentration of the pink dye in the beverage, 5 ml of the sample was obtained, and absorbance was measured at the wavelength of 505 nm and recorded. The standard curve created was used to determine the concentration of the pink dye in the beverage.
Data
Observations
Observations of the dilutions of the stock solution of red 40 show that the intensity of the color decreased as the dilution factor increased. Moreover, the trend of the absorbance values decreased as the concentration of the red 40 diminished. Therefore, these observations are in line with the Beer-Lambert law of the relationship between concentration and absorbance.
Table 1: The optimum wavelength of the red 40 is 505 nm
Table 2: Volumes of red 40 solutions and distilled water used in each test tube
Name of assigned food dye
Red 40
The concentration of food dye stock solutions
4.0 × 10-4 µM
Wavelength spectrophotometer
505 nm
Test tube number
Red 40 solution (mL)
Distilled water (mL)
1
10.0
0.0
2
8.0
2.0
3
6.0
4.0
4
4.0
6.0
5
2.0
8.0
Analysis of Results
Table 3: Absorbance of respective concentrations of red 40
Test Tube Number
Absorbance
The concentration of Red 40 (µM)
1
1.10
4.0 × 10-4 µM
2
0.99
3.2 × 10-4 µM
3
0.83
2.4 × 10-4 µM
4
0.77
1.6 × 10-4 µM
5
0.52
0.8 × 10-4 µM
Sample Calculations
C1V1 = C2V2 C1 = 4.0 × 10-4 µM V1 = 10 ml, 8 ml, 6 ml, 4 ml, and 2 ml V2 = 10 ml
For example, 8 ml of red 40 and 2 ml of water has the following concentration
C2 = 4.0 × 10-4 µM × 8 ml/10 ml = 3.2 × 10-4 µM
Graph
Figure 1: Calibration curve showing a positive relationship between the absorbance and the concentration of red 40
Regression equation:
Absorbance = 1725(Concentration of dye) + 0.428
Coefficient of determination (R2) = 0.9644
Table 4: The concentration of food dye in the beverage
Color of beverage
Pink
Food dye listed on the beverages nutritional label
Powerade
The absorbance of beverage solution
0.67
Are this labs reading in the range of your standard solutions
Yes
Based on the regression equation, the concentration of the pink dye with the absorbance of 0.67 was determined
The experiment demonstrated that spectrophotometry offers an accurate method of evaluating the concentration of pink dye in beverages using absorbance values in the standard curve of the red 40. Qualitative evidence shows that the intensity of the color of the dye increases with a rise in the degree of concentration. Moreover, the values of the concentration had a direct relationship with the absorbance level of the dye at a wavelength of 505 nm (Table 3). As quantitative evidence, the standard curve demonstrates that the concentration of the red dye has a positive relationship with the degree of absorbance (Figure 1). This evidence supports the Beer-Lamberts law because they indicate that concentration and absorbance have a positive relationship (Vitha, 2019). In essence, concentration is a significant factor that determines the degree of absorbance in various solutions.
The analysis of the experiment shows that it generated valid findings, which demonstrate that the concentration of dyes is a predictor of absorbance. A cause-and-effect relationship exists because the concentration of dye is an independent variable, while absorbance is a dependent variable. The experiment was valid because it ensured that the two constants of wavelength and blanking with distilled. Since the wavelength of 505 nm is the optimum value, its change would reduce the sensitivity of spectrophotometry and causes under-estimation or over-estimation of absorbance values. By using distilled water as a blanking solution, the experiment ensured that the spectrophotometer generated accurate findings (Rifai et al., 2019). The use of a different solution in blanking would have distorted the spectrophotometric readings. For instance, a blanking spectrophotometer with a solution would decrease its sensitivity to dyes with low concentrations. Hence, the measurement of the absorbance at 505 nm and blanking with distilled water guaranteed the validity of the experimental findings.
The collected data indicated that the experiment had a high level of reliability because the results were consistent. The absorbance values had a narrow range of 0.58 with a maximum value of 1.1 and a minimum one of 0.52. This narrow range and the small values measured imply that the scale of measurement is insensitive to minor changes in the level of absorbance. The trend line indicates that the values of absorbance obtained are reliable because they did not deviate significantly from the average values. Furthermore, the trend line obtained is in tandem with the Beer-Lamberts law of the positive relationship between absorbance and concentration of solutions.
A possible source of an error in the experiment is the preparation of dilute solutions from the stock solutions. Over-dilution of the stock solution would result in the preparation of solutions with lower concentrations than expected. In contrast, under-dilution of the stock solution would lead to the preparation of solutions with a higher concentration than expected. Overall, inaccuracies in the preparation of solutions cause over or underestimation of absorbance and, subsequently, prediction of concentrations of solutions (Rifai et al., 2019). Another possible source of error is the calibration of the spectrophotometer. An accurate calibration requires the use of distilled water in blanking the spectrophotometer to provide a valid reference point. However, blanking with other solutions would cause an error since the presence of solutes distorts the calibration process and affects the accurate measurements.
As an improvement to future experiments, increasing the number of dilutions in each test tube would improve the validity and accuracy of the trend line and regression model in predicting the influence of concentration on absorbance. Furthermore, the addition of another dye is essential to act as a positive control for comparative purposes and validation of outcomes.
Summary
The experiment demonstrated that concentration accounts for 96.44% of the variation in the level of absorbance in solution. The pink dye in the beverage was estimated to have a concentration of 1.403 × 10-4 µM, which is within the normal range of the standard curve. Results of the experiment connect to the real-world problem of estimating the amount of starch or sugar in various foodstuffs.
References
Rifai, N., Horvath, A. R., Wittwer, C., & Tietz, N. W. (2019). Tietz fundamentals of clinical chemistry and molecular diagnostics. Elsevier Health Sciences.
Vitha, M. F. (2019). Spectroscopy: Principles and instrumentation. John & Wiley.
Children and adolescents are at grave risk for health problems due to the excessive intake of added sugars, particularly sugary drinks. Minority and low-income children are disproportionately affected. The use of added sugars by children and adolescents must be reduced in order to enhance health, which calls for public measures like those outlined in this statement. The high incidence of childhood and teenage obesity is mostly caused by excessive added sugar consumption, notably from sugary drinks, especially among young people who are socioeconomically susceptible. Reducing the intake of sugary beverages is crucial since they are the main source of artificial sweeteners in the US diet, have little to no nutritious value, have a high-calorie density, and have no effect on satiety. It is critically necessary to undertake policy solutions to minimize childrens and adolescents use of sugary drinks in order to preserve their health, and one effective tactic to reduce the demand is the price increase.
Discussion
A decline in consumption is correlated with price rises. For instance, cigarette usage fell sharply as tobacco prices rose, especially among young people and those with lower socioeconomic positions (Muth et al., 2019). There is compelling evidence that alcohol excise duties reduce excessive alcohol intake and the adverse effects that go along with it, such as car accidents. A thorough review found that each 10% price increase, such as a tax, decreased the consumption of sugary beverages by 7% (Muth et al., 2019). According to the World Health Organization, a higher tax of 20% would probably have the most impact on lowering consumption (Muth et al., 2019). The application of a sugary drink tax was found to be the most cost-effective method of tackling childhood obesity. It prevents 575,000 cases and saves $30.78 per dollar spent on health care over a ten-year period, a study that sought to identify the most cost-effective strategies for reducing childhood obesity (Muth et al., 2019). Such tariffs are most successful when coupled with a comprehensive education effort to inform stakeholders of the dangers of consuming sugary beverages and their justification and advantages.
The tax is progressive because the proceeds are used to reduce health inequalities or offer other services that advance health in these particular populations. Policymakers take into account establishing regulations that increase the cost of sugary beverages, given the efficacy of cigarette and alcohol levies in lowering teenage consumption and use of these items (Muth et al., 2019). Healthy food supplies like water, fruits, and vegetables, as well as initiatives to combat obesity and diabetes, might all be supported partly by tax income.
Manufacturers of sugary drinks seek to attract children by connecting their products with fame, glamour, and coolness, just like cigarette firms do. Teenagers are constantly exposed to advertisements for sugary drinks. Despite the presence of the Childrens Food and Drink Advertising Initiative, which manufactures a self-regulatory body intended to restrict the marketing of unhealthy beverages and food, children are still the target audience (Muth et al., 2019). Stronger action is required to stop the promotion of sugar-sweetened drinks to adolescents and children on television, online, and in kid-friendly environments like cinemas, festivals, and sporting events.
There are additional ways to limit the promotion of unhealthy foods and drinks to children and teenagers, even though businesses are protected by their commercial rights to free speech and may not be required to stop doing so. For instance, companies are allowed to write off advertising expenses as a business cost. Removing the marketing subsidy for nutritionally inferior foods and drinks sold to children will stop about 129,000 cases of obesity over ten years at the expense of $0.66 for each unit of BMI (Muth et al., 2019). Stronger action is required to stop the promotion of sugar-sweetened beverages to adolescents and children on television, online, and in kid-friendly environments like cinemas, festivals, and sporting events.
Overall, children and adolescents face serious health risks from consuming additional sugars, especially those found in sugary beverages. It is recommended that pediatricians regularly advise kids and families to consume more water and less sugary drinks. Pediatricians can also work with medical and hospital group boards and committees, reach out to political officials, and have opportunities for public comment to lobby for policy change. The intake of sugary drinks among children and adolescents must be decreased in order to enhance childrens health, which calls for setting policy goals like those mentioned in this study and listed below.
Conclusion
Policies that increase the cost of sugary beverages, such as an excise tax, are included in local, regional, and national efforts to curb the use of added sugars. Such tariffs must be supported by all relevant parties and should be followed by an awareness program on the dangers of sugary drinks as well as the justification and advantages of the tax. The reduction of socioeconomic and health inequities gets at least some of the tax income. In order to assess the effects of such a tax, metrics are developed. The state and federal governments ought to promote initiatives aimed at reducing the promotion of sugary drinks to children and teenagers.
Reference
Muth, N. D., Dietz, W. H., Magge, S. N., Johnson, American Academy of Pediatrics, Section on Obesity, Committee on Nutrition, American Heart Association, R. K., Bolling, C. F., Armstrong, S. C., Haemer, M., A., Rausch, J., C., Rogers, V., W., Abrams, A., A., Kim, J., H., Schwarzenberg, S., J., Fuchs, G., J. III, Lindsey, C., W., & Rome, E., S. (2019). Public policies to reduce sugary drink consumption in children and adolescents.Pediatrics, 143(4). Web.
