Publications

October 1995
Case

Groupe Danone Prepares for the Next Century

By: Ray A. Goldberg and Elizabeth Ashcroft

Danone is the largest food company in France and is in the top ten in the world, but most of its activity is in France, Spain, and Italy. How does it become a global company? Should it? How does it leverage its leadership in yogurt, biscuits, and mineral water? View Details

Keywords: Decision Choices and Conditions; Global Strategy; Goods and Commodities; Marketing Strategy; Strategic Planning; Expansion; Food and Beverage Industry

18 Nov 2019
News

Robin Hood Army enters Harvard classroom

February 1992 (Revised September 2003)
Case

Beech-Nut Nutrition Corporation (A-1)

By: Lynn S. Paine

The CEO of Beech-Nut Nutrition Corp. must decide what to do when he receives information that the company's supply of apple juice concentrate may be adulterated. The concentrate is used in many of the company's juice products. It appears that others in the company may... View Details

Keywords: Quality; Law; Ethics; Nutrition; Management Teams; Decisions; Business or Company Management; Communication; Governance Compliance; Information Management; Corporate Finance; Food and Beverage Industry; United States

November 1997
Case

Royal Ahold NV: Shopkeeper to the Global Village

By: Ray A. Goldberg and Tom Clay

Royal Ahold has become one of the top U.S. food retailers in the United States and Europe, with a family firm that began in the Netherlands and grew to a listing on the U.S. Stock Exchange. It wants to be a global player and is trying to develop a global strategy. View Details

Keywords: Family Business; Cross-Cultural and Cross-Border Issues; Global Strategy; Leadership Style; Public Ownership; Food and Beverage Industry

Find at Harvard

04 Apr 2024
Blog Post

Climate Stories: Water Series - Episode #16: Tim Murdoch, HBS MBA 1990 – Learning about Climate Change and Water

gas or solar pumps into a tank where it’s filtered. But you can’t filter out PFAS.” PFAS constitute a group of chemicals called per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. According to the CBC report, there are... View Details

January 2014 (Revised June 2014)
Case

23andMe: Genetic Testing for Consumers (A)

By: John A. Quelch and Margaret L. Rodriguez

On November 22, 2013, the direct-to-consumer genetic testing provider, 23andMe, received a letter from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ordering the company to halt the sale and promotion of its genetic testing kit. The FDA stated that the product was... View Details

Keywords: Public Health; Genome Testing; Health Care; Ancestry; 23andMe; Marketing; Product Launch; Health; Health Care and Treatment; Health Testing and Trials; Genetics; Strategy; Health Industry; United States

September 1996 (Revised December 1997)
Case

Cytec Industries' Spin-Off (A): Sink or Swim?

In the wake of market pressure to restructure, American Cyanamid spun off its poorly performing Chemicals Unit into a new publicly traded corporation, Cytec Industries. In addition to weak operations, Cytec inherited the bulk of Cyanamid's environmental and... View Details

Keywords: Organizational Change and Adaptation; Management Practices and Processes; Restructuring; Performance Improvement; Chemical Industry; United States

29 May 2018
News

From Pink Milk to Smart Questions, How to Be a Rebel Leader

February 2010
Case

Amyris Biotechnologies: Commercializing Biofuel

By: Gary P. Pisano and Alison Berkley Wagonfeld

In 2009, Amyris Biotechnologies was building a plant in Brazil that used synthetic biology to convert sugarcane into both renewable fuels and renewable chemicals. The Amyris' marketing team was investigating the commercial interest for both types of products, while the... View Details

Keywords: Renewable Energy; Chemicals; Risk Management; Product Marketing; Product Development; Production; Environmental Sustainability; Commercialization; Biotechnology Industry; Brazil

October 2011
Case

Levendary Cafe: The China Challenge

By: Christopher A. Bartlett and Arar Han

Just weeks into her new job, Mia Foster, a first time CEO with no international management experience, is faced with a major challenge at Levendary Cafe, a $10 billion US-based fast food chain. Strategically, many of her corporate staff have become concerned that the... View Details

Keywords: Globalization; International Management; Foreign Subsidiaries; General Managers; Strategy; Management Style; Strategic Planning; Business Subsidiaries; Multinational Firms and Management; Adaptation; Entrepreneurship; Relationships; Standards; Cross-Cultural and Cross-Border Issues; Food and Beverage Industry; Food and Beverage Industry; China; United States

July 1997 (Revised April 1998)
Case

Chase Manhattan Corporation: The Making of America's Largest Bank

By: Stuart C. Gilson and Cedric Escalle

Chase Bank and Chemical Bank intend to merge, producing the largest commercial bank in the United States, the fourth largest in the world. Projected financial benefits under the merger reflect significant planned reduction in operating costs, including 17,000 employee... View Details

Keywords: Commercial Banking; Profit; Corporate Strategy; Value Creation; Restructuring; Negotiation; Mergers and Acquisitions; Risk and Uncertainty; Resignation and Termination; Revenue; Banking Industry; United States

May 1998
Teaching Note

Internationalizing the Cola Wars (A): The Battle for China and Asian Markets & (B): The Battle for India TN

By: David B. Yoffie

Teaching Note for (9-795-186) and (9-795-187). View Details

Keywords: Food and Beverage Industry; China; Asia

15 Nov 2018
News

Good ‘Food Citizens’: Why Collaboration Is Key to Feeding the World

25 Apr 2024
Blog Post

Climate Stories: Water Series - Episode #18: Tom Ferguson (MBA 2014) Venture Capitalist and Water Evangelist

nostalgic: to find and fund the best water entrepreneurs in the world. “The water industry spends $3.6 trillion per year in infrastructure, waste water, irrigation and food... View Details

02 Mar 2016
News

Drug ad backlash doesn’t deter Cambridge biotech

October 2002 (Revised June 2005)
Case

McDonald's Corporation (Abridged)

McDonald's has over many years built an operating strategy based on consistency and quality through a limited product range. Competitive forces have drawn the company into a much wider variety of foods and services to maintain growth. Now, new competitors threaten to... View Details

Keywords: Risk Management; Competition; Brands and Branding; Growth and Development Strategy; Food and Beverage Industry; Food and Beverage Industry

November 2016
Case

Pete & Gerry's

By: Jose Alvarez and Natalie Kindred

October 2023
Case

Foodology: Creating a Virtual Restaurant Group in Latin America

By: Rembrand M. Koning, Jorge Tamayo and Jenyfeer Martínez Buitrago

In April 2020, Daniela Izquierdo (HBS, 2019) and Juan Guillermo Azuero (HBS, 2019), awaited the results of Harvard Business School’s Alumni New Venture Competition. Operating since September 2019, Foodology, a Colombian food-tech startup in the cloud kitchen segment,... View Details

Keywords: Business Startups; Business Model; Entrepreneurship; Food and Beverage Industry; Latin America; South America; Colombia