Summary:

Trade Street Jam Company (TSJC) was a company that produced jams using locally sourced ingredients to support regional farmers and vendors. Founded by trained chef and entrepreneur Ashley Rouse, TSJC began in a small apartment on Trade Street in North Carolina. With early success, TSJC relocated its headquarters to Brooklyn, New York. As the company continued to grow, Rouse remained committed to both innovation and community impact by developing new jam flavours and donating jam to those in need. To support the company’s continued expansion, TSJC’s marketing manager, Danita White, was tasked with evaluating the feasibility of introducing three new jam flavours cooked rapidly: Sour Cherry Ginger, Plum & Rose, and Blackberry Mulled Merlot. Students are asked to analyze TSJC’s current production process by evaluating customer priorities, assessing the current production system, and calculating production run times, capacity and utilization. They will determine whether the company can meet existing and anticipated demand under different systems and the introduction of the new flavours. Students will also calculate the annual net benefit and payback period for each alternative, as well as qualitatively assess the alternatives. This operational management case is designed for an undergraduate introductory business course at the university level.