Sunbright Citrus Products produces orange juice, grapefruit juice, and other citrus-related items. Sunbright obtains fruit concentrate from a cooperative in Orlando consisting of approximately 50 citrus growers. The cooperative will sell a minimum of 100 cans of fruit concentrate to citrus processors such as Sunbright. The cost per can is $9.90. Last year, the cooperative developed the Incentive Bonus Program to give an incentive to their large customers to buy in quantity. It works like this: If 200 cans of concentrate are purchased, 10 cans of free concentrate are included in the deal.
In addition, the names of the companies purchasing the concentrate are added to a drawing for a new personal computer. The personal computer has a value of about $3,000, and currently about 1,000 companies are eligible for this drawing. At 300 cans of concentrate, the cooperative will give away 30 free cans and will also place the company name in the drawing for the personal computer. When the quantity goes up to 400 cans of concentrate, 40 cans of concentrate will be given away free with the order. In addition, the company is also placed in a drawing for the personal computer and a free trip for two.
The value of the trip for two is approximately $5,000. About 800 companies are expected to qualify and to be in the running for this trip. Sunbright estimates that its annual demand for fruit concentrate is 1,000 cans. In addition, the ordering cost is estimated to be $10, while the carrying cost is estimated to be 10%, or about $1 per unit. The firm is intrigued with the incentive bonus plan. If the company decides that it will keep the car, the trip, or the computer if they are won, what should it do?