Fasta & Ravioli Co.

1. Fasta & Ravioli Co. Katie Colvin, Alyssa Guttendorf, Emily Miller & Meg Rahner

2. Background • Bob Ricketts, 2007 PSU graduate, HRIM major • Wanted to fill the void in the State College market for “fast & fresh” pasta • Very specific market; no immediate competition in the area • Possible competitors: grocery stores such as Walmart, Giant and Wegmans who also sell pasta, and restaurants such as Sarina’s and Rotelli’s • His target market is residents, specifically 18-40 years old, educated, health conscious women. • Located on 129 South Fraser Street • Also sells pasta at Farmer’s Market

3. Problems to Be Addressed • Location- not visible • Promotion- not effective • Target Market- not targeting the right market (college students!) • Resources- brand new business with limited resources • Identity- confusing to consumers

4. Major Relationships to be Examined • Interest of college students who cook at home in purchasing fresh pasta • Relation of gender to desire for fresh pasta • Likelihood of students who live downtown in going to downtown shops rather than those on campus or far off campus • Student’s interest in specialty stores • Students who dine out for the majority of their meals and their likelihood of purchasing/cooking fresh pasta

5. Major Relationships cont’d • Regular customer’s of the downtown Farmer’s Market interest in fresh food • Students awareness of the Fasta and Ravioli Co. price range will make them more willing to pay for the fresh pasta product? • Students who perceive pasta as healthy will desire to eat fresh pasta more so than those who consider pasta unhealthy • Students who eat meals at home that are prepared by other people (e.g. take out, ordering in) and their likelihood of wanting to purchase fresh pasta. • Effect of media on food purchasing habits

6. Methodology • Data Collection • Focus Group • Used a “Google Docs” Survey • Over a 2 week period • Invited friends, classmates, acquaintances • Accumulated a total of 110 responses • Sample Description • Summary of responses • Majority of respondents were seniors (63/110), female (83 vs 27 male), and live in apartments (70/110) • Underrepresentation?

7. Results: Major Findings • Where students grocery shop • How much students believe a home cooked meal should cost • Students and their shopping at specialty stores • Students find fresh pasta appealing • Fresh pasta versus regular pasta • Students source of information • Students and the Farmer’s Market • Knowledge of Fasta and Ravioli Co.

8. Results: Tests Run • Correlation (7) • Independent T-test (7) • ANOVA (1) • Chi square (1) • Statistical Significance • 2 out of 10 tests run were significant • Relationship between perception of pasta as a healthy meal and the desire to consume fresh pasta • Relationship between a student’s source of knowledge for food and restaurants and their knowledge of Fasta & Ravioli Co.’s existence

9. Implications • What does this mean to the client? • Possibility of targeting college student demographic • Efficacy of Farmers’ Market • Price is key • More advertising needed

10. Implications • What we recommend! • College students could be targeted: • Lionmenus.com, StateCollege.com, Daily Collegian, Word of Mouth • Selling Fasta and Ravioli Co. pasta at Walmart? (already sold at McLanahans) • Provide all ingredients within student budget • Market as a “healthy” meal