Prepare a company and market situation analysis report for a company of your choice operating in the Chocolate (confectionery) industry. You can focus on either a UK or non-UK company.
Some of the sub-markets in the chocolate industry are as follows: Chocolate confectionary, Chocolate assortments, Seasonal chocolate, Chocolate biscuits, Chocolate cakes and cake bars, Cocoa powder, Chocolate drinks, Chocolate chilled desserts, Chocolate ice-cream, Chocolate spread, and Cereal bars. Some chocolate manufacturers also provide services in the form of factory tours / attractions, or have their stores/
e-commerce sites. Your report should focus on one sub-market within the chocolate industry.
The report should be 4,000 words (maximum) and must be completed individually. The assignment must contain the following components:

1. Internal environment analysis – 30% of the total mark
● The company’s current situation and the key challenges it needs to overcome (if any)
● Any existing purpose statements the company has e.g. vision and mission statements, core values and strategic objectives and how the purpose statements inform the company’s challenge(s).
● Using appropriate marketing models such as McKinsey’s 7S Framework and/or Barney’s VRIN Framework to conduct company’s internal environment capability analysis, including resources, core competencies, sustainable
competitive advantage, etc. These analyses should point to the company’s strengths and weaknesses.

2. External environment analysis – 30% of the total mark
Using appropriate marketing models, such as PESTLE, Porters Five Forces- Benchmarking, competitor analysis, to include the analysis of:
● MACRO environment analysis:
– (PESTLE) analysis to identify key drivers of change (based on possible level of impact)
● MICRO environment analysis:
– Industry (Five Forces) analysis to understand intensity of competition and relative attractiveness of market.
– Customer (Segmentation) analysis to share a summary of current customers/users utilising segmentation variables.
Summarise the macro and micro analyses by clearly articulating what they represent in terms of opportunities and threats for the company.

3. Recommendation – 30% of the total mark
Taking into account the analysis of the internal and external environment conducted, recommend a new product or service (or modification/improvement or expansion of an existing product/service) for the chosen company. You need to discuss the following:
● SWOT analysis which summarises the main findings from your internal and external analyses. The SWOT analysis will facilitate identification of key marketing opportunities.
● new marketing idea, which includes the details of the new proposed product/service, the opportunity this is responding to, the target market, the marketing activities best suited to reaching the intended target audience/s.

Presentation – 10% of the total mark
Range and quality of sources, use of Harvard style referencing, correct spelling and grammar, clarity of writing and presentation, quality of discussion.