Introduction

The Trade Kings group of enterprises' operations and strategic analysis will be examined in this

research study. Utilizing a balance scorecard to evaluate the company's critical success factors

(CSFs) and SWOT analysis as a crucial strategic tool, this analysis will be completed. Customer

value proposition, competitive advantage, and market analysis will all be included in this study.

Company overview and vision

These businesses produce a wide range of goods in Zambia, and more recently, Trade Kings has

been able to export a sizable portion of its goods outside of Zambia to nations like Malawi,

Zimbabwe, Tanzania, the Congo, Namibia, and so on. Cleaning supplies, detergents, bath soaps,

and other scented items make up the majority of its merchandise that draws in cross-border

traders. Sweetleaf ready-to-drink tea, Ndiyo Mix Spices, Big Tree full cream milk powder, baby

nutrition brands D'Lite and Happy Tots, and beverages D'Lite Grown Ups are just a few of its

other product offerings. Improving lives outside of Zambia and Africa is currently Trade Kings'

primary vision.

Porter’s Strategy of Trade Kings

Based on (Andrews, 2018). In summary, Trade Kings has the option to choose a differentiation

approach to enhance their competitive edge or a low-cost plan to increase their market share and

therefore boost demand. With a clear demonstration of how advertising is done on billboards

positioned along every major route in the nation as well as other media, the corporation makes a

great effort to set itself apart from competitors. Trade Kings has invested a significant amount of

money and labor in advertising since its founding in an effort to project a favorable image in the
trading community. This then shows the differentiation strategy it has chosen in relation to

Porter's strategy.

Critical Success Factors (CSF) of Trade Kings

In a nutshell, they are characteristics or components that help a business surpass rivals in the

same industry and grow into a major player in the market over time. The following are essential

elements for Trade Kings' success.

Mass production: One of the few businesses in the nation with the newest facilities is Trade

Kings. It is situated in Lusaka's heavily industrialized districts, where massive productions are

carried out to meet the nation's demand as well as that of its sub regions.

Brand: Due to their flawless and appealing packaging, as well as their superior quality, Trade

Kings' products are well trusted in all communities.

Corporate social responsibility (CSR): Trade Kings has the best CSR in the entire nation. In

addition to being the greatest contributor to the Ministry of Health regarding the Covid-19

outbreak, we also provide community leisure centers, scholarships, and non-monetary supplies

like soaps, disinfectants, hand sanitizers, and hand washes to the nation's community schools.

Broader markets: serving as one of, if not the primary suppliers to all of Zambia's major mega

markets, including Shoprite, Choppies, Pick n Pay, and Cheers.

Managerial Position: Trade Kings has provided its employees with numerous educational

trainings, orientations, and inductions. If one looks at quality control, cash control, and inventory

control, this has resulted in a vital success factor for some managers.
 Exports: Trade Kings's ability to compete with other global brands and its penetration of the

sub-region have demonstrated its global market viability.featuring markets in Botswana,

Namibia, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and South Africa.

SWOT analysis for Trade Kings Group of companies in Zambia

Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats, or SWOT analysis for short, is a commonly

used tool to analyze the tactical position of a business. It does this by carefully examining both

the internal and external characteristics of the company, giving a well-rounded picture of the

strategic position of the business in relation to its vision (Mintzberg, 2009).

The strengths of Trade Kings group of companies in Zambia

According to Porter and Reinhardt (2007), the strength analysis evaluates the company's internal

components that determine its long-term viability in the marketplace. Having state-of-the-art

manufacturing equipment that can be set up and used to produce a variety of products is the main

asset of the Trade Kings Group of Companies. Zambians are aware that the corporation produces

a broad variety of goods. One of the company's other strengths is its extensive distribution

network, which reaches out to major super markets in Zambia such as Shoprite Zambia, Pick N

Pay, Choppies, Cheers, and other franchise stores.With a substantial market share of roughly ten

countries, trade is one of its strongest suit.

The weaknesses of Trade Kings group of companies in Zambia

The corporation recently sold other important business divisions to bottlers in Zambia. They sold

the Maheu manufacturing company to Zambian Coca-Cola bottlers because they were unable to
manage several important business units, or divisions, and because diseconomies of scale, which

happen when a company expands and its expenses rise, were a contributing factor.

Opportunities of Trade Kings group of companies in Zambia

Opportunities are essentially the outside forces that a company might use to obtain or obtain a

competitive edge in the industry or in the market, according to Roberts (2004). What everyone

perceived as a global catastrophe was transformed into possibilities by the Trade Kings network

of firms. Trade Kings took use of the chances given by the COVID-19 pandemic to grow its

business by expanding into new markets and offering a wider range of hand sanitizer products in

various quantities to make them affordable to all. Sales of hand wash soaps also increased

significantly. The company was able to take advantage of this opportunity because of its capacity

and contemporary equipment, which can adapt to rising demand.Trade Kings has an excellent

opportunity to capitalize on the growing market, since the company's products are well-received

in the southern African region, indicating rapid growth potential. Grow and expand local markets

quickly through supermarkets serving affluent customers (Kaira et al., 2016). Foreign direct

investments (FDI) into shopping malls by corporations primarily from South Africa have

contributed to Zambia's observed increase in supermarkets (Louw, 2008). These supermarkets

offer a platform for enacting legislation pertaining to food safety as well as the chance to sell a

variety of items via value chains. The manufacturing sector's tax benefits present a significant

chance for the Trade Kings group of enterprises to expand and undergo change.

The threats of Trade Kings group of companies in Zambia

The primary risks to other businesses that depend on foreign supply are the organization's

external economic dangers. The Trade Kings Group of Companies is fully active in Zambia, a
nation known for its unstable economy and frequent fluctuations in foreign exchange rates,

which have resulted in lower-than-expected earnings for enterprises operating there. As a result,

Trade Kings' financial performance will be negatively impacted by fluctuations in foreign

exchange rates, since the company imports some of its raw materials.

Competitive analysis Porter’s five forces

This tool is used to analyze a company's competitive advantage critically. It does this by looking

at the company's operation from the perspectives of its suppliers, customers, alternate threats,

and new competitors. Because Trade Kings enjoys the benefits of economies of scale in its

expansion into foreign markets, the company has never faced any threats to its existing state of

existence. As a result of the goods' certification by the Zambian Bureau of Standards, Trade

Kings clients are not entitled to haggle over price because they are already of a high and

marketable caliber. As for the company's ability to negotiate better terms with suppliers, Trade

Kings has a strong supply chain developed since its founding thanks to its many foreign

chemical suppliers, which it can utilize for its products either during or after the operating

process.

With items that only match worldwide standards, Trade King has dominated its markets since its

founding. Two examples of such products are surf in the Republic of South Africa and sunshine

washing powder. With regard to pricing and competitors' quality, Trade Kings has and can

compete with its rivals in every facet of the industry.

Rivalry that is based on competition: a collection of businesses that operate in a market where

they have a competitive advantage but nevertheless manage to generate revenue through

innovative and novel products. With its detergent paste, Trade Kings of Companies has been a
notable market leader ever since it began operations. Boom was created by the same people that

brought their product to market later on, and Trade Kings took over the product line by changing

its external features and packaging. Boom has withstood the test of time.

Scorecard of Trade Kings Company

The term balance scorecard (BSC) refers to the strategic management process that was utilized to

determine the business performance on both an internal and external level. The European worlds

have been the primary users of these strategic instruments. This tool is useful for measuring both

financial and non-financial data, which is something that should be mentioned. Four perspectives

—innovation, customer growth, financial, and internal company processes—were the focal

points of the scorecard, as illustrated below.

Perspective Analysis

Customer perspective In this instance, the Trade Kings group of

companies' market is examined along with how

it has successfully captured consumer loyalty

for almost all of its products. The national

consumption rate of these products is a very

indicative measure.

Financial perspective Due to the lack of accessible financial data—

Trade Kings is not publicly listed on the stock

exchange—it has been difficult to analyze this

viewpoint. Nonetheless, it originates from the

volumetric sales distribution within its

accounts.

Internal Perspective Since the company uses the same machinery to

make numerous goods that may require

machine setup time, its internal processes are

flexible enough to accommodate complexity in

production.

Innovation and Growth With new items introduced to the market each

year, the company has demonstrated and

proven that it is the most innovative. the rapid

distribution of a range of energy drinks across

water dubbed Vatra. Trade Kings has gradually

expanded its business-to-business (B2B)

clientele by bringing on Hungry Lion and other

well-known enterprises by providing it with

Appy drinks, which are moving quickly.

Conclusions

The strategic study of Trade Kings Group of Companies shows that trustworthy systems are

strategically in place since senior management is constantly seeking to grow market share and

expand the company's product portfolio, despite its excellent performance. Trade Kings and its

assortment of goods, which includes confections, cleaning agents, toiletry manufacturing, and

non-alcoholic beverage manufacture. When one considers the company's initial product,

Boomerang, which was introduced in 1999 and quickly gained traction in Zambia, it is evident

how quickly the business has expanded. Huge earnings from this market storm allowed the

company to grow and extend into other items that are available today. Due to its leadership

position in its strategic business units (SBU), Trade Kings has maintained its competitiveness.
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