Consumers frequently become acquainted with Numi's organic teas through sampling promotions in upscale venues or in partnership with other companies that are promoting organic and fair-trade products. Numi's product line is positioned in the marketplace as a premium-tasting, premium-quality tea that uses premium ingredients. Because Numi's raw ingredients are more expensive than those used by many of its competitors, the Numi product line is not positioned as loss leader or as a commodity tea. Rather, Numi is positioned as an upscale product that appeals to customers of natural and health food stores, fine dining restaurants and hotels, universities, and coffee shops. There has been surprising growth in the mass marketing of the Nu mi products in the United States at grocery stores, club stores, and on numerous websites. Customers in the mass market are attracted by the high quality, organic, sustainable product line that Numi provides. This mass market distribution can create conflicts in positioning the brand as an upscale product. According to Numi's managers, the key to dealing with this conflict lies in knowing who the company's customers are and where they are shopping.

Video Discussion Questions
1 . Describe Numi's product line in terms of the four Ps of marketing: product, price, place, and promotion.
2. Incorporating product, price, place, and promotion into the strategic marketing management framework, describe the strategic positioning of Numi's product line.
3. Does this strategic positioning make good marketing management sense or not? Explain your answer.