Publications

August 2015 (Revised March 2017)
Case

Planters Nuts

By: Robert J. Dolan and Donald K. Ngwe

In 2012 Planters had about $1 billion in U.S. annual revenues, but had experienced declining unit sales and household penetration over the past six years. The snack nuts category was growing overall, but household spending was shifting away from peanuts, cashews, and... View Details

Keywords: Product Marketing; Product Positioning; Marketing Strategy; Food and Beverage Industry

01 Sep 2023
News

Global Outposts Expand HBS’s Intellectual Footprint

the case “Nestlé: The World’s Largest Food Company Confronts Climate Change” to explore how the company is striving to achieve its sustainability objectives without sacrificing short- term performance and shareholder value. The event was... View Details

Keywords: Jennifer Gillespie

12 Mar 2021
News

My Favorite Case

food company during the pandemic. Wow, what a ride—we are still growing! —Richard Craven (MBA 1987) Back to top “Head Ski Co.” Published in 1967, this case describes the development of the company to its preeminence in high-priced skis,... View Details

Keywords: Business Schools & Computer & Management Training; Educational Services

2015
Report

Clusters and Regional Economies: Implications for the Great Lakes - St. Lawrence Region

By: Christian H.M. Ketels

The Great Lakes – St. Lawrence Region, covering eight U.S. states and two Canadian provinces located around the lakes and waterways that have given this region its name, is what economic developers call a 'macro region'. It is an area of intensive economic interaction... View Details

Keywords: Clusters; Regional Policy; Great Lakes; Economic Development; Industry Clusters; Economy; Canada; United States

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01 Jun 2023
News

Cultivating Prosperity in Afghanistan

restaurants The French Laundry and Daniel and in recipes for meals offered by Blue Apron. It also can be found on the shelves of Whole Foods and Dean & Deluca, as well as on the company’s website, where a range of products are available... View Details

Keywords: Jennifer Gillespie

05 Jun 2009
What Do You Think?

What Does Slower Economic Growth Really Mean?

it isn't. That is like saying that all apples are just that, apples." A rich discussion centered around a proposition raised by Colin Moore that more "stable" or "sustainable" forms of growth, for example food... View Details

Keywords: by Jim Heskett; Financial Services; Construction; Real Estate

2018
Working Paper

Survival of the Fittest: The Impact of the Minimum Wage on Firm Exit

By: Dara Lee Luca and Michael Luca

We study the impact of the minimum wage on firm exit in the restaurant industry, exploiting recent changes in the minimum wage at the city level. We find that the impact of the minimum wage depends on whether a restaurant was already close to the margin of exit.... View Details

Keywords: Wages; Business Exit or Shutdown; Food and Beverage Industry

SSRN

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May 2016 (Revised September 2017)
Case

Pal's Sudden Service—Scaling an Organizational Model to Drive Growth

By: Gary P. Pisano, Francesca Gino and Bradley R. Staats

Pal's Sudden Service has developed a unique operating model and organizational culture in the quick service restaurant business. With a deep emphasis on process control and improvement, zero defects, extensive training, and a high level of employee engagement, Pal's... View Details

Keywords: Growth Strategy; Corporate Culture; Operations Strategy; Motivation; Values; Motivation and Incentives; Strategy; Values and Beliefs; Service Operations; Organizational Culture; Growth and Development Strategy; Food and Beverage Industry; Food and Beverage Industry

January 2024 (Revised May 2024)
Case

Uncle Nearest: Creating a Legacy

By: Hise Gibson, Archie L. Jones, Nicole Gilmore and Ai-Ling Jamila Malone

Fawn Weaver, as a Black woman and industry outsider in a capital-intensive, highly regulated, competitive and male-dominated spirits industry, successfully overcame numerous obstacles to launch a premium American whiskey brand, Uncle Nearest in 2017, which became the... View Details

23 Mar 2023
Blog Post

Arla Foods: How Sustainable Can A Dairy Company Be?

essays posted on the HBS Business and Environment Initiative’s Blog that highlights their reflections. Learn more about this IFC course on Decarbonization and Sustainable Production by watching this five minute video summary. Visit Date: January 5, 2023 Arla View Details

Profile

Nashae Roundtree

food dinner, and running around with other kids in our churchyard while we waited to eat. As an only child, I valued time spent with other children in my community and celebrating the traditions of my culture. Who is one person from your... View Details

08 Mar 2022
Blog Post

Recalling My First Cold Call: A Conversation with Second-Year Students

like training a muscle, and it’s exactly what we are training here. VARUN NAGARAJAN (MBA 2022) Nagarajan is a member of the HBS Show Club, Entrepreneurship Club, and the South-Asian Business Association. He is also a part of the i-lab venture program and is currently... View Details

June 2003
Case

In-N-Out Burger

By: Youngme E. Moon, Lucy Cummings, Sonali Sampat, Sam Thakarar and Kerry Herman

In-N-Out Burger is a fast-food chain with 171 company-owned locations in three states--California, Nevada, and Arizona. It has an extremely hardcore customer base and the company appears to be in good financial health. The primary issue in this case concerns expansion:... View Details

Keywords: Customer Relationship Management; Profit; Leadership Development; Brands and Branding; Product Marketing; Distribution; Expansion; Food and Beverage Industry; Arizona; California; Nevada

Web

Industry Information - Alumni

available for free in the areas of food & beverage and travel & hospitality. Hospitality - Hotels/Lodging Hotel Management Publication focusing on news, trends and analysis across the hospitality industry including topics such as global... View Details

November 2018 (Revised April 2019)
Case

Zespri Grows

By: David E. Bell and Natalie Kindred

Controlling about a third of global kiwifruit exports by volume and nearly half by value in 2018, Zespri was a grower-owned “corporatized cooperative” with the exclusive right to export New Zealand-grown kiwifruit (except to Australia). Zespri did not grow fruit but... View Details

May 2019
Case

Whiskey and Cheddar: Ingredient Branding at the Caesan Cheese Cooperative (Brief Case)

By: John A. Quelch and Katherine B. Hartman

The Caesan Cheese Cooperative is considering introducing a new high-quality, high-margin artisan whiskey cheddar cheese. Deidra Kelly, vice president of marketing and product development at Caesan, must recommend to the Board of Directors whether to launch the product... View Details

Keywords: Brands and Branding; Product Development; Management; Product Marketing; Product Positioning; Marketing Strategy; Partners and Partnerships; Food and Beverage Industry