Publications

December 2013 (Revised March 2014)
Case

Beidahuang is a major new Chinese player in global grain trading that in 2013 is seeking access to grain both to help assure China's food security and in pursuit of its own commercial goals. Focusing on potential trade in Brazilian soybeans, the case asks students to... View Details

Keywords: China; Brazil; International Trade; Grain; Soybeans; Agribusiness; Plant-Based Agribusiness; Globalized Markets and Industries; Cooperation; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry; China; Brazil

June 1987
Supplement

Au Bon Pain: Interviews with Ron Shaich and Len Schlesinger, Video

By: W. Earl Sasser, Christopher Hart and Lucy N. Lytle

To be used with Au Bon Pain: The French Bakery Cafe, the Partner/Manager Program. View Details

Keywords: Employee Relationship Management; Human Resources; Management Systems; Selection and Staffing; Programs; Partners and Partnerships; Food and Beverage Industry

December 1980 (Revised February 1998)
Case

Burger King Corp.

By: W. Earl Sasser and David C. Rikert

Describes the operating system of a Burger King unit. The case does not have a decision focus; it is designed for use with McDonald's Corp. Students are asked to compare the operating systems of these two fast food hamburger chains. Careful analysis will detect the... View Details

Keywords: Food; System; Operations; Retail Industry; Retail Industry; United States

October 2007 (Revised February 2008)
Case

The Coca-Cola Company (A): The Rise and Fall of M. Douglas Ivester (Abridged)

By: Michael D. Watkins, Carin-Isabel Knoop and Cate Reavis

This is a shortened version of "The Coca-Cola Company (A): The Rise and Fall of M. Douglas Ivester," HBS case #9-800-355. It eliminates some background detail and the financial data and exhibits. As with the original case, it chronicles the appointment of Douglas... View Details

Keywords: Resignation and Termination; Selection and Staffing; Managerial Roles; Food and Beverage Industry

16 Oct 2013
Op-Ed

Response to Readers: Combating Climate Change with Nuclear Power and Fracking

With more than 7,500 views and 180-plus tweets, I want to thank everyone for taking the time to read the original HBS Working Knowledge piece, The Case for Combating Climate Change with Nuclear Power and Fracking, and, in particular, for sharing your thoughts with one... View Details

Keywords: by Joe Lassiter; Energy; Utilities

October 2010
Case

innocent

By: William A. Sahlman and Harry Wake

This case describes a set of issues confronting the founders of innocent, a 10-year old beverage company that dominated the UK smoothie market. The team must decide how to proceed with expansion of the product line and outside the UK and Ireland. They must also decide... View Details

Keywords: Business or Company Management; Expansion; Capital Structure; Corporate Finance; Growth and Development Strategy; Food and Beverage Industry

January 2003 (Revised December 2003)
Case

Joint Juice

Focuses on Joint Juice, a start-up in the new-age beverage category. The company has a patented formula for producing a glucosamine beverage, the only one on the market. (Glucosamine is a nutritional supplement believed to help rejuvenate joints and treat arthritis.)... View Details

Keywords: Business Startups; Growth and Development Strategy; Business or Company Management; Competitive Strategy; Expansion; Corporate Strategy; Industry Structures; Entrepreneurship; Food and Beverage Industry

July 2002
Teaching Note

Cola Wars Continue: Coke and Pepsi in the Twenty-First Century, TN

By: David B. Yoffie

Teaching Note for (9-702-442). View Details

Keywords: Food and Beverage Industry; United States

January 2009
Teaching Note

The Octopus and the Generals: The United Fruit Company in Guatemala (TN)

By: Geoffrey G. Jones and Marcelo Bucheli

Teaching Note for [805146]. View Details

Keywords: Policy; Vertical Integration; Economy; War; Poverty; Government and Politics; Food and Beverage Industry; Guatemala; North and Central America

December 1999 (Revised March 2000)
Case

Ajinomoto Co., Inc.

By: Ray A. Goldberg, Carin-Isabel Knoop and Cate Reavis

In the fall of 1999, Kumio Egashira, president of Ajinomoto, a 90-year old, Japan-based processed foods and specialty chemicals company, and his team of senior executives were deciding how to globally maximize the synergies that existed between their food and amino... View Details

Keywords: Management Teams; Food; Chemicals; Globalization; Food and Beverage Industry; Food and Beverage Industry; Japan

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Web

Rare Disease Day – Small Numbers, Big Challenges… and Big Opportunities - Blog: Health Supplement

solutions in Subscription SaaS, Marketplace and Consumer spaces. She has passion for building zero to one, having also incubated a couple companies over the years – a real estate tech company with NYC-based venture studio, Alleycorp,... View Details

July 2019
Case

LaCroix Sparkling Water

By: Tomomichi Amano, Das Narayandas and Kerry Herman

Launched in 1981 as an “all occasion” sparkling water brand, LaCroix Sparkling Water has had a number of ups and downs as a brand. After being purchased by National Beverage in 1996, the brand was re-positioned as a new, colorful, fun alternative to the other sparkling... View Details

Keywords: Brands and Branding; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Industry Structures; Food and Beverage Industry

February 2011
Article

The Underdog Effect: The Marketing of Disadvantage and Determination Through Brand Biography

By: Neeru Paharia, Anat Keinan, Jill Avery and Juliet B. Schor

We introduce the concept of an underdog brand biography (UBB) to describe an emerging trend in branding in which firms author an historical account of their humble origins, lack of resources, and determined struggle against the odds. We identify two essential... View Details

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May 1990 (Revised February 1993)
Teaching Note

Distillers Company plc (A), (B), (C), (D), and (E), Teaching Note

By: W. Carl Kester

Keywords: Food and Beverage Industry

May 2022
Supplement

Thinking Outside the Wine Box (C): Mekanism and the Franz for Life Campaign

By: Tomomichi Amano, Elie Ofek, Mengjie Cheng and Amy Klopfenstein

This case reveals the events that took place after the conclusion of the cases “Thinking Outside the Wine Box (A-B): Mekanism and the Franz for Life Campaign.” After selecting a creative direction for the Franz for Life 2.0 campaign, independent advertising agency... View Details

Keywords: Marketing; Brands and Branding; Marketing Strategy; Digital Marketing; Social Marketing; Marketing Communications; Product Positioning; Advertising; Communication Strategy; Advertising Campaigns; Social Media; Food and Beverage Industry; Food and Beverage Industry; United States