GMK 7030 Module 5 Written Assignment: Branding and Pricing Dried Blueberries in Japan Example

Reviewed by Edgar Pennington, MBA Thomas Edison State University Updated October 2026

This GMK 7030 Module 5 example answers the written assignment on branding and pricing strategies in Global Marketing, part of TESU's MBA in Marketing. GMK-7030 asks in this module how global brands are adapted and how prices change as products cross borders, and the module includes the course's second synchronous event. The sample answers both for Pine Barrens Farms, now selling into Japan through its importer. It sets the brand's name, packaging and origin cue for Japanese shoppers, then traces a 150-gram pouch from its $3.20 farm price through freight, duty, three channel margins and consumption tax to a Japanese shelf price, and tests ways to bring that price into the range customers will pay.

CourseGMK-7030 Global Marketing
ModuleModule 5
Paper typeModule 5 written assignment: branding and pricing strategies
LengthAbout 520 words, 4 pages
FormatAPA 7 student paper
SchoolThomas Edison State University
ProgramMBA in Marketing
UpdatedOctober 2026

Free sample paper for GMK 7030 Module 5

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From $3.20 in Hammonton to 1,075 Yen in Tokyo: Branding and Price Escalation for an Export Snack

Student Name

MBA in Marketing, Thomas Edison State University

GMK-7030: Global Marketing

Mentor Name

Month Day, Year

What this page is doingThe title shows the price escalation the module teaches, from the export price to the Japanese shelf.
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From $3.20 in Hammonton to 1,075 Yen in Tokyo: Branding and Price Escalation for an Export Snack

Introduction

Branding and pricing decide whether Japanese shoppers notice Pine Barrens' pouch and whether they will pay for it. Keegan and Green (2019) note that global brands balance consistency with local relevance, and that export prices rise as costs and margins accumulate between the factory and the shelf, a pattern called price escalation. This assignment addresses both for the Japanese launch.

Brand Name and Packaging

The brand name Pine Barrens Farms should be kept in English, since English on food packaging signals an imported product in Japan, and it should be accompanied by a katakana rendering so shoppers can say it. The front of the pouch should show the farm, the words "New Jersey, USA" and a simple statement that the only ingredient is blueberries. Steenkamp et al. (2003) found that perceived brand globalness adds to perceived quality and prestige, while local relevance also matters; the farm story gives the brand both an international origin and a personal, local character. Packaging should be resealable and sized for single servings, matching convenience store shelves and small households. Country of origin also matters, since research shows it shapes how shoppers judge quality (Verlegh & Steenkamp, 1999).

Price Escalation

At about 150 yen to the dollar, the pouch would sell for roughly 1,075 yen, 44 percent above its $4.99 shelf price in New Jersey. The duty rate is an assumption for planning; the importer must confirm the current rate for dried blueberries in Japan's customs tariff, which has fallen for many American farm products under the 2020 trade agreement. Most of the escalation comes from margins stacked on margins, not from shipping or duty.

Step for one 150-gram pouchPrice (US$)
Ex-works price at the farm3.20
Inland freight and export documents to port3.38
Ocean freight and insurance to Yokohama3.60
Import duty, assumed 6 percent of value3.82
Importer margin, 15 percent4.39
Wholesaler margin, 12 percent4.92
Retailer markup, 35 percent6.64
Consumption tax on food, 8 percent7.17
What this page is doingThe table shows that channel margins, not freight or duty, cause most of the increase, which points the remedies toward distribution rather than production.
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Bringing the Price Into Range

A 150-gram pouch of premium dried fruit in Japanese convenience stores typically sells for well under 1,000 yen, so 1,075 yen is too high. Three changes would help. First, selling through the importer directly to a convenience store chain's distribution center, without a separate wholesaler, removes one margin and lowers the shelf price to about 960 yen. Second, a smaller 80-gram pouch for convenience stores would sell for about 500 yen, a price point shoppers accept for a single-serving snack, while the 150-gram pouch goes to supermarkets and online. Third, shipping full containers rather than mixed loads would lower freight per pouch.

Pricing Strategy

Pine Barrens should use a premium but market-based strategy, setting its yen price slightly above Japanese dried fruit snacks and below imported specialty brands. It should quote the importer in dollars, keeping currency risk with the importer, but agree to review the price if the yen moves more than 10 percent, so that a sharp change does not push the shelf price out of range.

References

Keegan, W. J., & Green, M. C. (2019). Global marketing (10th ed.). Pearson.

Steenkamp, J.-B. E. M., Batra, R., & Alden, D. L. (2003). How perceived brand globalness creates brand value. Journal of International Business Studies, 34(1), 53-65. https://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.jibs.8400002

Verlegh, P. W. J., & Steenkamp, J.-B. E. M. (1999). A review and meta-analysis of country-of-origin research. Journal of Economic Psychology, 20(5), 521-546. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0167-4870(99)00023-9

Reading the GMK 7030 Module 5 assignment instructions

The fifth GMK-7030 written assignment covers global branding and pricing. Expect questions on whether to use a global or local brand name, how packaging and labeling should change, how country of origin affects the brand, and how to set export prices, including price escalation, currency effects and pricing strategies such as skimming or penetration. Some versions give price data to work with; others ask you to build an escalation for your final project product. Each answer is meant to fill one to two pages, and the escalation needs every step of arithmetic shown. Expect at least one question to test whether you can explain why a price that works at home may fail abroad.

How this GMK 7030 Module 5 example is built

The introduction defines the two issues. A branding section keeps the English name with a katakana version, specifies the package front and draws on research about brand globalness and origin. A table traces one pouch from the farm price through freight, duty, three margins and tax, and the text converts the result to yen and compares it with the U.S. price. A section offers three ways to lower the shelf price, quantifying the effect of removing a channel tier. A closing section sets the pricing strategy and a rule for handling currency movements. Assumptions, such as the duty rate, are labeled as such. Converting the final price to yen and comparing it with the home price makes the escalation concrete for a reader.

Reading the GMK 7030 Module 5 grading rubric

Marks here follow four things: branding and pricing terms used correctly, an escalation with no arithmetic slips, recommendations a small exporter could act on and readable prose. A price escalation that shows each step and explains where the increase comes from earns more than a final number. Branding answers should connect to the target and positioning chosen earlier. Recognizing currency risk and proposing a way to manage it shows a complete understanding of global pricing. Label assumptions and cite sources for any data in APA style. Mentors also credit branding answers that consider how the name sounds and reads in the local script, and pricing answers that compare the result with what local competitors charge. A recommendation that changes pack size or channel to fix price escalation shows practical judgment.

Common GMK 7030 Module 5 mistakes, and how to avoid them

Students lose points by adding percentage margins to the original price rather than to each step's price, which understates escalation, or by forgetting taxes and duties. Others recommend a global brand name without considering pronunciation or meaning in the local language. Some choose a premium price without checking what competitors charge. Build the escalation step by step. Say which steps cause most of the increase. Test at least one way to lower the price. Address currency risk. A free first sample with your own GMK-7030 Module 5 escalation is available on request. Label every assumed rate, such as duty or margin, as an assumption.

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GMK 7030 Module 5 questions, answered

Where can I find a free GMK 7030 Module 5 sample paper?

The complete branding and pricing answer for Pine Barrens Farms is above, with a price escalation from the farm to a Tokyo shelf.

What is price escalation?

The rise in an exported product's price as freight, duties, taxes and each channel member's margin are added on the way to the foreign shelf.

How can exporters reduce price escalation?

By shortening the channel, changing package size, shipping more efficiently or producing or packing closer to the market.

Should a global brand keep its name in every country?

Often, if the name is easy to say and carries no unwanted meaning; many brands add a local script version alongside it.

Who should bear currency risk in export pricing?

It depends on bargaining power; quoting in the exporter's currency shifts risk to the buyer, often with agreed reviews if rates move sharply.