Student Name: [Insert Your Name]
Student Number: [Insert Your Student Number]
Module Code: MNG2602
Assignment: 01
Due Date: 7 April 2026
SECTION A: APPLICATION QUESTIONS
Question 1: Identify the level of the manager who wrote this report and substantiate
your answer in your own words. (2 marks)
The person who wrote this report is clearly a top-level manager. You can tell because she’s
talking about the whole group, not just one department or brand. Amina Odinga discusses
the big picture stu —like the company’s ten-year journey, the overall strategy for all four
brands, and how they're dealing with things like food inflation and exchange rates.
According to our MNG2602 study guide (2026), top managers are the ones responsible for
setting the overall direction and goals for the entire organisation, which is exactly what
she's doing here.
Question 2: Consider PanAfric Foods's four brands and do the following: (18 marks)
2.1 Identify which brand is implementing a low-cost strategy. Theoretically explain
what a low-cost strategy entails and provide a quotation to support your answer. (3
marks)
The brand using a low-cost strategy is QuickBite.
So, a low-cost strategy is pretty much what it sounds like. The business aims to be the
cheapest player in the market by keeping its costs as low as possible. This doesn't mean
the product is terrible; it just means they're really good at being e icient, which lets them
charge lower prices and still make a profit (Thompson et al., 2020). They compete on price.
The quote from the CEO that backs this up is: "QuickBite is PanAfric Foods’s value-
oriented, grab-and-go concept... Its standardised operating model delivers reliable unit
economics... The brand’s broad geographic footprint gives us purchasing scale and low
per-unit overhead" (Odinga, 2026). Basically, they keep things simple and buy in bulk to
keep costs down.
2.2 Identify which business-level strategy Sa ron & Stone is implementing.
Theoretically explain what this strategy entails and provide a quotation to support
your answer. (3 marks)
, Sa ron & Stone is following a di erentiation strategy.
A di erentiation strategy is when a company makes its product or service stand out from
the competition. The idea is to o er something unique and special so that customers are
happy to pay more for it. It could be better quality, a fancy experience, or just a really strong
brand image (MNG2602 Study Guide, 2026). It's the opposite of trying to be the cheapest.
You can see this in the CEO's description: "Sa ron & Stone is PanAfric Foods’s premium,
chef-led brand with 10 boutique restaurants and an online gourmet shop, focusing on
quality and exclusivity" (Odinga, 2026). It's all about being premium and exclusive, which is
classic di erentiation.
2.3 From the CEO's statement, Quote two (2) strengths and one (1) weakness for each
of PanAfric Foods's four (4) brands. (12 marks)
QuickBite:
Strength 1: "Its standardised operating model delivers reliable unit economics and
QuickBite experienced a 9% increase in daily transactions year-on-year."
Strength 2: "The brand’s broad geographic footprint gives us purchasing scale and
low per-unit overhead, which has been essential in managing inflationary pressure."
Weakness: "We are currently experimenting with localised menu options in selected
areas to broaden our reach." (This shows their usual menu might not be hitting the
mark everywhere).
Harvest Hearth:
Strength 1: "We have built deep local sourcing partnerships which lowered
ingredient costs by 6% in 2025 and improved freshness across the menu."
Strength 2: "The strong retention among our restaurant sta reflects the investment
we have made in training and career pathways."
Weakness: "...although slower digital adoption at some outlets has hampered online
order growth."
Sa ron & Stone:
Strength 1: "Sa ron & Stone is PanAfric Foods’s premium, chef-led brand... focusing
on quality and exclusivity."
Strength 2: "Sa ron and Stone is currently enjoying media recognition and private-
event bookings driven by culinary innovation."
Student Number: [Insert Your Student Number]
Module Code: MNG2602
Assignment: 01
Due Date: 7 April 2026
SECTION A: APPLICATION QUESTIONS
Question 1: Identify the level of the manager who wrote this report and substantiate
your answer in your own words. (2 marks)
The person who wrote this report is clearly a top-level manager. You can tell because she’s
talking about the whole group, not just one department or brand. Amina Odinga discusses
the big picture stu —like the company’s ten-year journey, the overall strategy for all four
brands, and how they're dealing with things like food inflation and exchange rates.
According to our MNG2602 study guide (2026), top managers are the ones responsible for
setting the overall direction and goals for the entire organisation, which is exactly what
she's doing here.
Question 2: Consider PanAfric Foods's four brands and do the following: (18 marks)
2.1 Identify which brand is implementing a low-cost strategy. Theoretically explain
what a low-cost strategy entails and provide a quotation to support your answer. (3
marks)
The brand using a low-cost strategy is QuickBite.
So, a low-cost strategy is pretty much what it sounds like. The business aims to be the
cheapest player in the market by keeping its costs as low as possible. This doesn't mean
the product is terrible; it just means they're really good at being e icient, which lets them
charge lower prices and still make a profit (Thompson et al., 2020). They compete on price.
The quote from the CEO that backs this up is: "QuickBite is PanAfric Foods’s value-
oriented, grab-and-go concept... Its standardised operating model delivers reliable unit
economics... The brand’s broad geographic footprint gives us purchasing scale and low
per-unit overhead" (Odinga, 2026). Basically, they keep things simple and buy in bulk to
keep costs down.
2.2 Identify which business-level strategy Sa ron & Stone is implementing.
Theoretically explain what this strategy entails and provide a quotation to support
your answer. (3 marks)
, Sa ron & Stone is following a di erentiation strategy.
A di erentiation strategy is when a company makes its product or service stand out from
the competition. The idea is to o er something unique and special so that customers are
happy to pay more for it. It could be better quality, a fancy experience, or just a really strong
brand image (MNG2602 Study Guide, 2026). It's the opposite of trying to be the cheapest.
You can see this in the CEO's description: "Sa ron & Stone is PanAfric Foods’s premium,
chef-led brand with 10 boutique restaurants and an online gourmet shop, focusing on
quality and exclusivity" (Odinga, 2026). It's all about being premium and exclusive, which is
classic di erentiation.
2.3 From the CEO's statement, Quote two (2) strengths and one (1) weakness for each
of PanAfric Foods's four (4) brands. (12 marks)
QuickBite:
Strength 1: "Its standardised operating model delivers reliable unit economics and
QuickBite experienced a 9% increase in daily transactions year-on-year."
Strength 2: "The brand’s broad geographic footprint gives us purchasing scale and
low per-unit overhead, which has been essential in managing inflationary pressure."
Weakness: "We are currently experimenting with localised menu options in selected
areas to broaden our reach." (This shows their usual menu might not be hitting the
mark everywhere).
Harvest Hearth:
Strength 1: "We have built deep local sourcing partnerships which lowered
ingredient costs by 6% in 2025 and improved freshness across the menu."
Strength 2: "The strong retention among our restaurant sta reflects the investment
we have made in training and career pathways."
Weakness: "...although slower digital adoption at some outlets has hampered online
order growth."
Sa ron & Stone:
Strength 1: "Sa ron & Stone is PanAfric Foods’s premium, chef-led brand... focusing
on quality and exclusivity."
Strength 2: "Sa ron and Stone is currently enjoying media recognition and private-
event bookings driven by culinary innovation."
