Gardenburger Incorporated is the leading developer, producer and marketer of meat-substitute burgers in the United States. This company was founded in 1985 in response to the public's growing interests in diet, health and fitness. Gardenburger is addressing this need. It is the industry leader in all distribution channels and has brand awareness unrivaled by its nearest competitors. The company plans on making the Gardenburger brand synonymous with veggie burgers, just as Levis Straus is with jeans and Coca-Cola with soft drinks.
             To achieve this level of brand awareness, it is in Gardenburger's best interests to form an alliance with the McDonalds corporation. This joint venture would allow Gardenburger to lessen it's current advertising costs, enabling the company to be profitable. This alliance would be an important step in strengthening their level of brand awareness. The joint venture would also enable Gardenburger to emerge from the introduction stage to the growth stage of the product life cycle.
             There are several types of consumers who are likely to purchase meat-substitute products like Gardenburger. Health conscious people are likely to purchase Gardenburger's products. Vegetarians only make up 1% of the nation's population, but 30% or more of the population is open to eating meat-free products (Daily Herald, 1997). People who are concerned about the potential risks of eating meat due to contamination outbreaks (i.e., E- Coli and mad cow disease) are also likely to purchase meat-substitute products. Environmentalists are also consumers of meat substitute products due to the negative impact the beef industry has on the environment. People with certain health problems will purchase Gardenburger products as well. For example, individuals with coronary heart disease or high cholesterol levels may choose meat-less products.
             There are several factors which influence the consumers decision to purchase one meat...