This case study focuses on the operations strategies of Home-Style Cookies baking company. First, carefully read the following information about this organization.
Company
The company is located in a small town in New York State. The bakery is run by two brothers, employs fewer than 200 people (mainly blue-collar workers), and the atmosphere is informal.
Product
The company's only product is soft cookies, of which it makes over 50 varieties. Larger companies, such as Nabisco, Sunshine, and Keebler, have traditionally produced biscuit cookies, where most of the water has been baked out, resulting in crisp cookies. The cookies have no additives or preservatives. The high quality of the cookies has enabled the company to develop a strong market niche for its product.
Customers
The cookies are sold in convenience stores and supermarkets throughout New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey. The company markets its cookies as "good food"- no additives or preservatives - which appeals to a health-conscious segment of the market. Many customers are over 45 years-of-age, and prefer a cookie that is soft and not too sweet. Parents with young children also buy the cookies.