Trappings versus substance ‐ Market orientation in food and drink SMEs

Many companies claim to be market oriented, yet on closer inspection lack a real customer focus. Other firms eschew marketing as ignoble trickery yet prove to have exceptional market orientation. This paper analyses three case studies of small and medium firms in the food and drink sector, examining the reasons underpinning their success in spite of a lack of formal marketing organisation or activities, and their antipathy to popular conceptions of marketing. Organisational culture, excellent (if informal) customer and competitor knowledge and long‐term orientation are seen to underpin the success of these “marketers in denial”.