Environmental Sustainability is a Priority for Tassal
Question:
Discuss about the Sustainable management and marketing Tassal Company.
Tassal company is one of the largest prodders of salmon products in Australia. It is one of the publicly listed companies in the Australia Stock Exchange market. It has grown over the years and has attracted both local and international markets. It is one of the world’s leading seafood production companies. It has won numerous awards for its effort to protect the environment and is leading in top visited companies for its efforts.
Tassal has made environmental sustainability as its priority due to their activities that exhibit various impacts on the environment. Environmental sustainability forms part of the company’s corporate social responsibility.The company seeks to ensure that it becomes responsible for fostering a good environmental friendly business practice. The future generations should not be left out of the beauty and benefits that the natural environment gives human beings (Liuke, 2011). The Tassal management team has endeavored to ensure that all the company’s Activities meet the global environmental protectionist agenda. Risks are part of the business, and the company has found ways to mitigate these risks.
Some of the steps that Tassal has taken to mitigate environmental risks include; interacting with the ecology in which activities of the company is being carried out. By equipping itself with the knowledge of possible impacts which its activities have on the ecology, Tassal management has taken strict measures aimed at avoiding damages impacting the environment negatively. The company has invested in projects that assess the damages it may cause and how they could avoid them. It heavily involved in research on the potential impact its activities has on the water due to its farming activities. A report by Lane, Robinson & Taylor, (2009) points out that the potential impact on bio-diversity could also influence the production levels of the company.
Climate change has become a major factor that influences the several companies that rely on the environment for their raw materials. Tassal has developed a comprehensive management system that would ensure that it could harness the potential impact the climate change would bring. Increased global warming influences the ocean temperatures which cause a drastic decrease fish production. This change on climate has led to the mushrooming of innovations that allow the company to thrive and operate normally. Technologies have been developed to help the company adapt different seasons influenced by the climate change. Some of the technologies include the selective breeding diversification and modification of farming activities. Tassal effort to understanding the effect of climate change on the market has led to extensive consultation with experts in the field. These scientists can study trends in climate and identify possible reactions that could counteract their impact as written in the report by Schaltegger (2014).
Tassal company has developed and adopted wildlife conservation program. Its activities require constant interaction with wildlife, therefore; the need to protect them when the need arises. The salmon breeding sites are attractions to birds and seals that feed on them. The company has employed people to manage the possible breakthrough of wildlife to the farms. These animals have a right to free movements within their habitat, but they should be regulated to avoid damage to the agricultural farms. These interactions can be reduced by having nets that protect the pens from being destroyed by the seals. These nets are highly tensioned and sealed off to avoid seals from eating the salmons. More researches are being conducted to provide other possible ways to avoid these interactions.
Mitigating Environmental Risks
Management of quality water that surrounds farms does not only influence mass fish production but also affects other sea inhabitants (Friedrich, 2009). The company regulates additives which it puts in the water to enhance salmon growth to avoid changing the composition of surrounding water. These organic matters may influence the life of marine life which could impact the ecology sustainability. These activities are closely monitored to avoid damaging the environment.
Waste management is also crucial to the daily activities of the company. The sustainability report by Tassal shows the effort it has put to ensure that there is minimal waste during fish production. Fish waste has been recycled as a conservative measure to the environment. More fish waste has been used in making compost manure for the agricultural farms. Packaging waste is the most difficult conservative measure to manage the environment. This has prompted the company to adopt devise ways to manage the resultant risks. Packaging materials are being recycled by third parties, and also soft plastics are used to transport other products. Marine farming wastes are used in materials that package farming products such as feeds, pipes, and metals (Tassal group, 2015). Many of these materials are reused while some are given to third parties to be recycled to produce other materials
Many of the facilities are located in remote areas where residents living within prefer a quiet environment. The company has invested in low noise facilities that cannot cause a lot of disturbances during calm weather. Tassal as a company works with the local communities to develop strategies that would mitigate the noise levels. This interaction with neighbors has led to harmonious coexistent with neighbors, and thus lawsuits are avoided at all costs. The company’s maintenance team ensures that the facilities used are in good condition to ensure that noise produced is minimized.
The cleanup activities on the shores of the ocean are important to locals since they are the ones who are affected by the activities undertaken by the company. The cleanup exercise does not necessarily involve picking waste from the farms only but also from other sources. Waste mitigation plans have been implemented, and so far positive responses from the community have been received. The responsibility that Tassal has taken to ensure that the environment is kept safe has been acknowledged by different stakeholders
The company has also become a major source of employment to the locals. The company is located in Tasmania where the local community has reaped a lot of benefit from its presence (Johnson, 2008). Many of the locals have been employed by the company helping them to earn a living. Local businesses have flourished due to the presence of the company. Job opportunities for the locals are available especially in the remote areas where they are accustomed to the terrible terrain.
Products
Tassal company is one of the world’s leading seafood producer with the largest percentage of its products sold to the Australian market. Tassal is known for its salmon production, and it has been benchmarked for its efforts to ensure that it produces the best despite the prevailing conditions. These salmon products come in various forms including fresh, smoked, canned and frozen for preservation purposes and then distributed to the market (Pearce & Wahr, 2010).
Combatting Climate Change
Salmon products are produced and packaged depending on the customer preferences. Some of its brands include the Tassal which is high in protein content, Tasmanian smokehouse has a smoky element that some customers prefer, superior gold which is produced through highly sophisticated creativity characterized by smoking and the De Costi Seafoods which have multiple ranges of options that customers can choose from. Tassal is keen in maintaining its core values such as quality maintenance, environmental sustainability, and community involvement.
Its 2016 report, there has been several recommendations to salmon producers due to in-depth analysis of its operations. Its reputation has played a role in the increased consumption and endorsement of their products. Its products are leading in aquaculture in times when wild capture fisheries are continually dropping due to the damages it has caused to the environment.
Marketing audit analyzes the dynamics of product pricing and then guides the company in formulating a favorable pricing for the products. This ensures that the company reaps the benefits of its presence in the market and makes a profit. Pricing plays an integral part in the daily running of affairs within the company. The limited availability of the salmon products in the market gives the company freedom to regulate the pricing of the products. Salmon prices have been increasing over the years due to climate change that has affected productions. The company has invested in aquaculture farming which is sustainable under different climatic conditions.
The company has been successful all along because of the mode of communication it has adopted with the public. The use of promotion is an excellent strategy for attracting more customers. Some the promotional strategies that could be used include advertising. This could be done online on social media or websites and even through the mass media such as TV where anyone can access. Public relations is another promotional strategy that establishes a good and working relationship with both the media and the customers. The efforts put by Tassal have seen it win numerous awards that have given it publicity. The use of personal selling has become part of marketing for the company. This involves the use of sales representatives talking to potential clients. This could also be done using personal referrals where offering quality products and services play a significant role it.
Sales promotion strategy played a role also in marketing of the products. This includes the use of coupons, flash sales, tours and getaway dinners. Tassal launched a challenge where customers who buy their mineral water or salmon water could win a prize by entering into a draw and could win one year supply of products from Banjo and Tassal. Other awards include the accommodation at Strahan Village, Cradle Mountain Chateau, and Freycinet Lodge for two days and one day respectively. This is part of promotion activities carried out by the company
Customer relations ensure that business works with objectives of not only making a profit but providing customer satisfaction (Dominici, 2009). The company has plans to ensure that it is accountable to the various stakeholders and that it upholds the highest standards of corporate behavior. Complaints from customers need to be considered because for the company to thrive; customers remains a priority (Schaltegger, 2014). The company has developed a connection with customers through recipe ideas. They have developed some of the recipes that the clients could use at home or in restaurants to create meals that are suitable for an occasion or a season.
Wildlife Conservation Program
This is a marketing strategy that ensures that the product reaches the market in time. This gives an insight on how the product will be availed to the market and where it will be placed. This plays a role in purchases because only positioning a product in a store will determine the accessibility of the product (Ahuja, 2013). There are various channels used by Tassal to distribute its products including joining forces with complimenting companies to ensure an ultimate experience for clients. Products from different companies are used together with Tassal’s giving it a boost in its market reach.
Tassal formed a coalition with Banjo a bakery and café chain to provide a wide range of products from the products they produce (Mohammad Arabzad an, 2012). The coalition resulted in the creation of different types of sandwiches such as the Panini, quiches and the fresh salmon sandwiches. This has increased its sales due to increased distribution in Queensland, Victoria, and Tasmania where Banjo has its stores. Both companies welcomed the move and recognized the promotional effect it had on the products from both companies.
The four marketing Ps discussed above have continually made Tassal become an achiever. Although it has made major strides in maintaining its market share, Tassal has faced stiff competition from other companies. Tassal faces competition from many companies in the international market. These companies include the Hyacinthe Parmentier, Boston Sword &Tuna, and the Cannon Fish Company. Its main competitor is the Huon Aquaculture Group Limited which is also based in Tasmania. The two have an integrated system as the community they work in is similar and also shares the same market. With all the competition Tassal has emerged on top because of its efforts to build a sustainable economic and environmental agenda.
Tassal limited has had a grip of its market share for more than 25years. Therefore, it has one of the most effective systems. The company should make the local market a priority to ensure that has a permanent grip on the local market. Its investment in expanding the company could be a clear indicator of increased profits in the future. Leading in sustainable aquaculture is a major factor it should consider as it balances on how it will maximize the benefits of the environment while protecting it at the same time. The increased shift to healthier foods is set to increase the consumption of its products. Tassal has to adopt a clear strategy of increasing its customer base. Such strategy as the acquisition of the DeCosti Company is best suited in the diversification of its products and introducing new products to its new markets. The company values are clear and provide a company with a sense of direction and how its future would look like. It has less uncertainty due to to the practical strategies that have been developed.
Its market presence increases the number of investors for the company. The seafood market is growing, and more company shares need to be sold. It may be a gamble for a while because the industry is growing and it has its fair share of misfortunes.
This identifies any factors that may influence how the company can be affected both internally and externally. The company has been in the market for the past 25 years and held more than 50% of the market share which is a strength of the organization. The company has exploited this factor in that it presents more opportunities. It is easy to expand the company activities because the market is expected to grow rapidly.
There are various threats that the organization faces that may be as a result of stiff completion, climate change or other factors. The company needs to find solutions to these threats and possible ways to avoid them. The various weaknesses displayed by the company such as vulnerability to climate change and shifts in market trends should prompt the company to devise solutions that will overcome them. Innovations are viable means to ensure aquafarming is sustained regardless of the conditions it is exposed to. Tassal has become a pioneering aquafarming company that other companies refer to because of its integrated system. The company has become a pioneer in sustaining the environment
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