Business Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Business Report - Essay Example The emerging consumer concerns are likely to corner the operations and business prospect of the company if the necessary actions are not taken. In order to survive the economic downturn and counter the emerging challenges in its business line, Nature Foods Ltd has to effectively and efficiently manage changes within its business. 1. Terms of Reference Nature Foods Ltd UK markets Manufacturing and packaging Consumer concerns Raw food Retailers Imports and importation Competition Breakfast cereals Snack bars Dried fruits and nuts Food industry trends Environment Global business Low food mileage Natural and artificial ingredients Economic downturn Business operations and performance Business change management Economic future Contemporary times Purpose of research 2. Procedure Research aiding the compilation of this report was conducted on observation basis, focusing on the food industry in the UK and its players. Secondary research was specifically employed, using both primary and secon dary sources of information. References are cited accordingly throughout this report. 3. Findings 3.1. UK Food Markets Environment The UK food markets environment is highly competitive, characterized by manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers (Fox, 2005, p.19). Nature Foods Ltd is a retailing firm that engages in processing imported raw food. The company’s product line deals with breakfast cereals, snack bars, and dried fruits and nuts. Food markets in the UK food industry depict as aspect of the need to design, redesign, and integrate change in business operations to ensure that consumer needs are met and that consumer concerns are timely addressed (Jack, 2009, p.201). Economic downturn combined with a number of consumer concerns, tastes and preferences have posed substantial operational challenges to Nature Foods limited. The economic downturn has significantly influenced the business portfolio of the firm. Consumers’ preference to go local in terms of product cons umption threatens the company’s business continuity due to the fact the company only manufactures and packages its products after importing raw food from foreign countries. Note that this aspect is also influenced by global business trends both locally and internationally. Advocacy for low food mileage has increasingly become prominent as consumer shift to relatively less transported food. This has necessitated the need for change management in manufacturing and packaging procedures, thereby influencing business operations and performance (Coles & Kirwan, 2011, p.167). In this respect, the performance and success of an enterprise is influenced by the strategic plans adapted to suit the operations of the firm. Natural and artificial food ingredients have also been put to test. The tastes and preferences of the consumers are increasingly becoming oriented towards natural ingredients as opposed to artificial ingredients. In the light of these findings, Nature Foods Ltd has to re -evaluate and restructure its business processes. 3.2. Impacts on the Business Consumers have increasingly become cautious about environmental issues, resulting in preference of locally produced products to those imported from foreign countries. This concern directly cuts into the operations and product line of Nature Foods Ltd. Most importantly,