This case outlines the various regulatory obstacles faced by the CEO and co-founder of Yorktown Technologies, Alan Blake, when marketing the new GloFish genetically modified tropical zebra fish. GloFish are originally zebra fish that come from India and other surrounding countries and more than 200 million of these ornamental fish are sold in the United States. This case focuses on the struggles face by the founders of Yorktown Technologies, Blake and Crockette, to find a successful marketing strategy that would help the company reach its revenue goal. Blake and Crockett had a successful fundraising strategy and investors such as Dr. John Rosemary and Dr. Will Hughes, which allowed them to raise additional In 2000 researchers from Taiwan were able to create a fluorescent green medaka fish, this fish is similar to the danio fish used by Yorktown Technologies. These green fluorescent fish created in Taiwan are now being sold in the United States for a considerably lower price than GloFish. Blake thought about international marketing of the GloFish, but due to foreign regulations Yorktown could only market in countries that did not prohibit its product.
SWOT Strengths * Raised additional capital funds and had more than 3 dozen investors. * Grabbed the attention of the media and the news and the GloFish launch was in the front pages of many magazines. * Yorktown technologies’ suppliers and distributors are suppliers of three major retail chains. | Weakness * Generated more than 120,000 loss in 2004 * Not enough money to support a National Campaign. * Not being able to sell the Fish in California. * Public concern for the safety of the GloFish. | Opportunities * California a very important market that has a population of 33 million. * International markets where the fish can be sold mainly in Asia. * Two dozen regional wholesalers located throughout the country. | Threats * Anti-biotechnology activist attempting to misinform the consumer in regards to
