Wendy

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Its customers had One of the first tasks the new managementf ofthe Dublin-based fast-food chain undertook last fall was to survey more than 5,009 consumers. The results helped shape planning for all aspectsw ofthe business, owned by Atlanta-based Wendy’s/Arby’ s Group Inc., including Wendy’a once-heralded new-product development pipeline that had lost its pizzazzx in recent years. “We didn’t have a disciplines testing process,” said Chief Marketingb OfficerKen Calwell. “We’ve rebuilrt it.” The result is a company-recorcd 14 products in testing.
One of the firstt to make it throughb is bonelesschicken wings, which are hittinyg the chain’s more than 6,00p restaurants. Calwell, who was in charge of marketin g and research and development for before returning to was theburger chain’s vice presiden for new-product marketing, research and planning from 1998 to 2001. “Io was involved in new products,” he “We had great salexs and outpacedour competitors, but the last few years have been challenging for Wendy’s.
” His group expanded testing to include more operationaol measures to better ensure new product s can be made efficiently and still be Wendy’s is testing at franchisedf operations as well as its company-owned Key to the new process is a 256-question surveg for each item before it can hope to get a greenj light, he said. The questions cover all aspects of the from its taste to financial issues to operational The areas of emphasis will be premium andvalued products, based off Wendy’s core chicken and dessert Frostys. The chain introduced two Frosty s with coffee flavorsthis year.
Calwell said consumer researchshowed Wendy’ s was well-regarded for its chicken, so an expansioh of that line into bonelessd wings made sense. One of the wing a sweet and spicy Asian will be featuredin advertising. Calwelol said the flavor in particular is popular in dishes at casuak and Asian restaurantsand Wendy’s wanted to offer it. , a Chicago-basedf restaurant research company, singled out the use of ethnic flavor s as an industry trend forthis