Publications

August 2019 (Revised August 2022)
Case

Baroo (A): Pet Concierge

By: Thomas R. Eisenmann and Susie L. Ma

Baroo CEO Lindsay Hyde was facing unrest from the board of her pet services startup in August 2017. One board member (and lead investor) was alarmed that Baroo’s growth was slowing while its appetite for funding was accelerating. Hyde wanted to hit the gas and continue... View Details

Keywords: Entrepreneurship; Outcome or Result; Failure; Business and Shareholder Relations; Venture Capital; Governing and Advisory Boards; Opportunities; Strategy; Service Industry; United States; Massachusetts

24 Aug 2021
Cold Call Podcast

Why Did Pet Concierge Startup Baroo Fail?

Keywords: Re: Thomas R. Eisenmann; Technology; Service

February 2000 (Revised March 2000)
Case

Pet Doctors: 1999

By: Paul A. Gompers and David James Alexander Grant

Describes the decisions confronting David Hodges and Garret Turley about whether to grow their chain of veterinary clinics in the United Kingdom. Turley and Hodges must decide whether to attempt to speed up their acquisition pace and raise venture capital. View Details

Keywords: Decisions; Venture Capital; Expansion; Acquisition; Service Industry; United Kingdom

April 1991 (Revised October 1993)
Supplement

Cat Fight in the Pet Food Industry (C)

Describes significant developments in the pet food industry in 1987 and 1988, focusing on the competitive interactions among the industry's major players. View Details

Keywords: Competition; Food and Beverage Industry

April 1991 (Revised November 1993)
Supplement

Cat Fight in the Pet Food Industry (D)

Describes important developments in the pet food industry in 1989, 1990, and 1991, focusing on competitive dynamics among the industry's major players. View Details

Keywords: Competition; Food and Beverage Industry

January 2011
Teaching Note

Online Pet Supply Retailing (TN)

By: Tom Nicholas

Teaching Note for 809-117. View Details

Keywords: Economic Growth; Internet and the Web; Business Startups; Failure; Information Technology; Market Entry and Exit; Decisions; Retail Industry; United States

April 1991 (Revised October 1993)
Case

Cat Fight in the Pet Food Industry (A)

Describes the pet food industry in the mid-eighties prior to the breakout of a major competitive battle as manufacturers fight for share. Illustrates how when there are benefits to play in multiple markets, competitors will take action in one market to preserve their... View Details

Keywords: Cost vs Benefits; Forecasting and Prediction; Financial Markets; Management Analysis, Tools, and Techniques; Ownership Stake; Competition; Corporate Strategy; Food and Beverage Industry

30 Nov 2016
News

Chatting w/Christine Exley about the pet market - Part 2

30 Nov 2016
News

Chatting w/Christine Exley about the pet market - Part 1

May 2018 (Revised February 2019)
Teaching Note

Greg Mazur and the Purchase of Great Eastern Premium Pet Foods

By: Richard S. Ruback, Royce Yudkoff and Ahron Rosenfeld

Teaching Note for HBS No. 211-085. Greg Mazur (HBS 1997) identified a small firm, Great Eastern Premium Pet Food, in December of 1998 that fit his search criteria and decided to offer the seller a cash price of $1.2 million plus an earn-out equal to 1% of revenue over... View Details

Keywords: Acquisition; Entrepreneurship; Financing and Loans; Negotiation Deal; Strategic Planning; Valuation; Analysis

14 Feb 2013
News

Wagaroo: A matching market for pet dogs from responsible sources

February 2011 (Revised February 2018)
Case

Greg Mazur and the Purchase of Great Eastern Premium Pet Foods

By: Richard S. Ruback and Royce Yudkoff

Greg Mazur decided to purchase a small business after graduating from the Harvard Business School. The case explores his decision about whether or not he should finalize his deal to purchase Great Eastern Premium Pet Foods, Inc. ("GEPP"). It gives students the... View Details

Keywords: Mergers and Acquisitions; Entrepreneurship; Financing and Loans; Negotiation Deal; Negotiation Preparation; Strategic Planning; Valuation

24 Aug 2021
News

Why Did Pet Concierge Startup Baroo Fail?

April 1991 (Revised August 1995)
Supplement

Cat Fight in the Pet Food Industry (B)

Describes the contest for the takeover of Anderson Clayton as industry players compete for one of the seven major dog food makers. View Details

Keywords: Business or Company Management; Bids and Bidding; Competition; Corporate Strategy; Food and Beverage Industry

March 2018 (Revised September 2019)
Case

Chewy.com (A)

By: Jeffrey F. Rayport and Matthew G. Preble

In late 2013, Ryan Cohen, cofounder and CEO of online pet products retailer Chewy.com, faces a “bet the company decision”—whether to stay with a third-party logistics provider (3PL) for all of its e-commerce fulfillment or to take the function in house. Cohen worries... View Details

Keywords: Pet Food; Pet Products; Retail; Growth and Development Strategy; Service Operations; Decision Choices and Conditions; E-commerce; Retail Industry; Service Industry; Florida; United States

November 2018
Supplement

Greg Mazur and the Purchase of Great Eastern Premium Pet Foods

By: Richard S. Ruback and Royce Yudkoff

August 5, 2021
Article

How to Build a Life: Which Pet Will Make You Happiest?

By: Arthur C. Brooks

Read Now

March 2018
Supplement

Chewy.com (B)

By: Jeffrey F. Rayport and Matthew G. Preble

Cohen and Chewy’s other board members decided to fully insource order fulfilment and commenced building an order fulfilment center near its 3PL partner’s facility. As soon as the 3PL learned that Chewy would be managing its own order fulfillment; however, it decided to... View Details

Keywords: Pet Food; Pet Products; Retail; Growth and Development Strategy; Service Operations; Decision Choices and Conditions; E-commerce; Retail Industry; Service Industry