Market Segmentation-Target Markets With the assistance of research focused on Canadian consumer behavior regarding food products, White Castle’s target segments can be defined as Aspiring Families and DegreeSeeking Students. These segments were chosen specifically because of the three current consumer trends regarding the decrease in “down time� resulting in the growing necessity of convenience food (fast food). The first trend is Canadian consumers are becoming more educated resulting in an increase in their professional responsibilities. The second is that more Canadian consumers are starting to participate in hobbies, extracurricular and extra-professional activities like sports or cultural activities. The third trend is a result of the first two trends in that these consumers with more professional responsibilities and more interest-based activities have a greater stress on family time. These trends imply that, regarding food, Canadian consumers in these targeted markets are searching for eating habits that will allow for family time, minimal preparation, easy access, and easy disposal, which is why we are targeting them. First, we provide great convenient options for any meal that would satisfy the time crunch experienced by consumers in both markets. Also, because Canadians value quality over price, we are not overly pressured to compete with other fast food restaurants on price, especially when our major competitor has already achieved cost leadership within the industry. Finally, we offer product options, like our Crave Case bulk orders, that fast food restaurants do not have, allowing us to differentiate our brand in the minds of the consumer. As a whole, Canadians have a rather free-spirited attitude towards life, especially within the younger adult age range (from 18-34). Bypassing more traditional milestones, younger Canadians are more likely to enter into domestic partnerships, less likely to own homes, and more likely to travel abroad. However, despite their free-spirited lifestyles, Canadians value education in high regard, 76% of the younger adults having undergraduate and post-secondary education. Also, they are more aware of environmental issues and believe in recycling and taking public transportation when applicable. Nationally, Canadians are peace-keepers. Their national opinions include freedom, equality regardless of cultural or social differences, democracy, and law and order. The Aspiring Families market can be described as married couples with pre-teen to teenaged children with both parents having professional careers. Both parents and children enjoy extracurricular and extra-professional activities and time management with possibly conflicting schedules is a major concern. Because of the overall Canadian value of quality over price, they are not overly concerned with the price of their food but mostly concerned with ease of access, ease of preparation, and ease of disposal. The age groups in this market are children 9-13 and 1418, and adults 31-50. The Degree-Seeking Students market can be described as single students in college and single or married couples without children or extremely young children seeking graduate or higher degrees. These adults from age 19-30 are just getting started in their undergraduate
student careers or have jobs and are returning to school for higher level degrees. This is giving consumers in this market more responsibilities, whether academic or professional, and is requiring them to not only manage their time better, but become price conscious, as well. Regarding food, this market needs convenient food with easy preparation, easy access, and easy disposal.