Publications

October 2008 (Revised September 2011)
Supplement

PepsiCo's Bid for Quaker Oats (D)

By: Carliss Y. Baldwin

Describes the final deal struck between PepsiCo and Quaker Oats, including the terms of collared consideration. Summarizes stock price announcement effects. View Details

Keywords: Mergers and Acquisitions; Announcements; Stocks; Price; Risk Management; Negotiation Deal; Valuation; Food and Beverage Industry

August 2015 (Revised March 2017)
Supplement

Planters Nuts (B): The Power of the Peanut

By: Robert J. Dolan and Donald K. Ngwe

This case picks up from the events in Planters Nuts and describes how the new management team for Planters turned the brand around in 2013 by implementing a new brand positioning accompanied by a multimillion dollar marketing campaign. View Details

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

May 1990 (Revised August 1990)
Case

Campbell Soup Co.

By: Steven C. Wheelwright

Describes the engineering effort at Campbell Soup Co. to develop a microwavable package and product for the growing convenience segment. Focuses on the role of engineering services in developing the production process, acquiring and installing equipment, and getting... View Details

Keywords: Product Development; Production; Engineering; Strategy; Business Processes; Innovation and Management; Planning; Competitive Advantage; Food and Beverage Industry; Food and Beverage Industry

January 1986 (Revised December 1986)
Case

Smartfood

By: William A. Sahlman

Contains a description of a major financing decision confronting the management and advisors of Smartfood, Inc., a company which hopes to market a cheese flavored popcorn product. The primary pedagogic objective is to teach students about matching the financing plan... View Details

Keywords: Venture Capital; Financing and Loans; Financial Strategy; Corporate Entrepreneurship; Market Entry and Exit; Decision Choices and Conditions; Financial Management; Food and Beverage Industry

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14 Apr 2021
Research & Ideas

The High Cost of the Slow COVID Vaccine Rollout

in to regulate and fund the chemical’s production. In addition, governments could use existing vaccine stores more effectively through cooperative agreements with other countries View Details

Keywords: by Michael Blanding; Health

August 1978 (Revised October 1979)
Case

Grey Advertising/Canada Dry Account

After taking over Canada Dry's mixers account in 1966, Grey Advertising assembled a successful ad campaign that increased ginger ale sales significantly. But Canada Dry's market share for ginger ale and its other mixer products had remained the same or declined during... View Details

Keywords: Marketing Strategy; Consumer Behavior; Advertising Campaigns; Food and Beverage Industry; Food and Beverage Industry

March 2011
Case

Cash Flow Productivity at PepsiCo: Communicating Value to Retailers

PepsiCo developed a new metric that better measured the value added by Pepsi products than did gross margin, the traditional metric used by retailers to determine shelf space and promotional activity. The new metric, cash flow productivity, captured the value of... View Details

Keywords: Customer Relationship Management; Cash Flow; Measurement and Metrics; Distribution; Performance Productivity; Value Creation; Food and Beverage Industry; Food and Beverage Industry

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Teaching Interest

Yum! Brands Case Study

Case Study Sessions, Summer 2016 and Summer 2017
Program for Research in Markets & Organizations View Details

Keywords: Strategy; Global Strategy; Food and Beverage Industry; China

April 1995 (Revised September 1997)
Case

Frito-Lay, Inc.: A Strategic Transition, 1987-1992 (Abridged)

By: Lynda M. Applegate

A new CEO must take action to return the company to profitability, to clarify the vision, and then to build the infrastructure (human, capital, and information) needed to support the long-term change in strategy and organization. The case provides a rich description of... View Details

Keywords: Organizational Change and Adaptation; Change Management; Leading Change; Information Technology; Adaptation; Technology Adoption; Food and Beverage Industry; Food and Beverage Industry

December 2008 (Revised February 2010)
Case

ViniBrasil: New Latitude Wines

By: David E. Bell, Marcos Flava Neves, Luciano Thome e Castro and Mary Louise Shelman

ViniBrasil is a small wine venture in Brazil started by a top Portuguese wine company, Dao Sul. ViniBrasil grows its grapes in a novel environment (close to the equator) using innovative management practices such as controlled irrigation and year-round harvesting.... View Details

Keywords: Agribusiness; Global Strategy; Innovation and Invention; Management Practices and Processes; Demand and Consumers; Competition; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry; Brazil

September 1997 (Revised August 1999)
Case

Boston Chicken, Inc.

By: Paul M. Healy

This case examines Boston Chicken's franchise strategy for growing its innovative restaurant business, and the associated accounting reporting issues that arise. View Details

Keywords: Financial Reporting; Franchise Ownership; Financial Strategy; Business Strategy; Food and Beverage Industry

29 Mar 2010
Research & Ideas

Ruthlessly Realistic: How CEOs Must Overcome Denial

secret-indicated that the A&P's stores were inferior to those of the four other leading chains. Sales per employee, for example, were almost 45 percent lower than at Jewel. Sales per store were almost 60... View Details

Keywords: by Martha Lagace; Auto; Retail; Technology

January 1997 (Revised March 1998)
Case

Oscar Mayer: Strategic Marketing Planning

By: John A. Quelch

The marketing director of Oscar Mayer faces a series of strategic marketing options regarding established and new products, including budget and capacity allocation decisions. View Details

Keywords: Decisions; Marketing Strategy; Product Launch; Product Development; Food and Beverage Industry; Food and Beverage Industry; United States

01 Oct 2018
Book

Is the US Losing its Ability to Attract Highly Skilled Migrant Workers?

Keywords: by Martha Lagace; Food & Beverage; Food & Beverage

17 May 2017
News

Nisa Godrej Takes Over

company] for 25 years." A recent piece in Quartz suggests that Godrej’s appointment is part of a larger cultural movement in India, with more and more women taking on visible executive roles. Last July, Coca-Cola India appointed its... View Details

6:30 PM – 8:30 PM EDT, 03 Nov 2016
HBS Alumni Events

HBS Washington D.C. Young Alumni Networking Reception

attend! Complimentary food and beverages will be served. Registration is required. You are welcome to register a guest. Host Committee Adam Voci, MBA 2015 Dr. Joseph Ahn, DBA... View Details

December 2013
Case

Grupo Beta San Miguel

By: David E. Bell and Natalie Kindred

In November 2013, Dr. Jose Pinto, head of Grupo Beta San Miguel (BSM), Mexico's largest private sugar producer, is weighing the future prospects of the Mexican sugar industry as he considers whether BSM should bid on one of the state-owned sugar mills slated for... View Details

Keywords: Mexico; Jose Pinto; Beta San Miguel; Polycrom; Sugar; World Sugar Trade; NAFTA; Strategy; Trade; Futures and Commodity Futures; Agribusiness; Price; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry; Mexico; United States; North America