USA Today this morning reports that Burger King is licensing out its name to a company that will begin selling fried potato chips that will come in two flavors - Ketchup & Fries and Flame-Broiled burger.
The chips will have no trans fats, and also will be available in vending machines and Burger King outlets.
The chips will have no trans fats, and also will be available in vending machines and Burger King outlets.
- KC's View:
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My low opinion of fast food in general, and Burger King specifically, has sort of been played out in this space many times, so I won’t bore you.
But at the risk of seeming completely reactionary, I am going to suggest that supermarkets not carry this product – because they should not carry ANY PRODUCTS that carry the brand name of a competitor. Any item that carries the brand name of a fast food or restaurant chain that competes for the consumer’s share of stomach simply should not be stocked by a supermarket that really, really wants to be competitive.
I understand that this seems drastic, and that supermarkets see themselves as providing the broadest possible choices for consumers. But I submit that no consumer will stop shopping at a supermarket that doesn’t carry this sort of stuff, and that instead carries high-quality, high-value food items that reinforce or simply don’t damage a store’s brand image.
And that’s what items from places like Burger King do, in the long run. They erode equity.
Draw the line now, and stop carrying them. Celebrate your own brand, and stop giving shelf space to the competition.
