Publications

24 Jun 2021
Blog Post

Celebrating the Past, Crafting the Future Part 2: The First HBS/HKS Class

be a wonderful part of what I do.” Medoff advises current students, “Invest time with this group. There’s no substitute for the time you’ll spend together.” Niyati Gupta Current role: CEO and Co-Founder, Stealth Mode Food Startup Becoming... View Details

01 Dec 2022
News

Singing to the Corn

you will, for an alternative to the high-yield, soil-depleting cycle of tilling, pesticides, and fertilization that could ultimately endanger the planet’s ability to grow enough food for its people. Through gardens planted with heirloom... View Details

Keywords: Julia Hanna; photographed by Vance Jacobs; Agriculture

February 2022 (Revised October 2022)
Case

Ample Hills Creamery

By: Tom Eisenmann, Lindsay N. Hyde and Tom Quinn

Ample Hills Creamery started in 2010 as a temporary ice cream pushcart in Brooklyn, New York City. On the strength of inventive flavors and clever marketing, husband-and-wife founders Brian Smith and Jackie Cuscuna built a premium, artisanal dessert empire of 16 retail... View Details

Keywords: Brands and Branding; Business Growth and Maturation; Partners and Partnerships; Logistics; Profit; Insolvency and Bankruptcy; Food and Beverage Industry

01 Jun 2022
News

The Exchange: Same Great Price, Now with Fewer Chips

health preferences and tastes. Some customers may prefer smaller portions. Meanwhile, the prices for certain organic foods and things like wild-caught fish seem to be going up in a very transparent way, and people seem less concerned... View Details

Keywords: Miscellaneous Store Retailers; Retail Trade

26 Mar 2024
Blog Post

IFC India: Financing the Climate Transition in India

year) offers optimism. If individuals in rich countries contribute USD 700 each, we could potentially meet the funding needs. 2) Where is the Current Funding Going? 80% of the allocated funds are directed towards energy and mobility, accounting for 40% of emissions.... View Details

March 2008 (Revised March 2022)
Case

Cadbury Schweppes: Capturing Confectionery (A)

By: David Collis, Toby Stuart and Troy Smith

In late 2002, global confectionery and beverage maker Cadbury Schweppes needed to decide whether or not to make an acquisition bid for Adams, an underperforming gum company which had been put up for sale by pharmaceutical giant Pfizer. Examining the decision from a... View Details

Keywords: Business History; Strategy; Decision Choices and Conditions; Mergers and Acquisitions; Food and Beverage Industry

11 Apr 2023
Blog Post

BTG Bioliquids: Creating Fast Pyrolysis Bio-Oil from Biomass Residue Streams

What we learned about BTG Bioliquids and biofuels We left our visit with some key considerations and food for thought. First, it was interesting to witness how threat and opportunity are merely different sides of the same coin. While the... View Details

January 2015 (Revised July 2019)
Case

Rebranding Godiva: The Yıldız Strategy

By: Rohit Deshpande and Esel Çekin

This case concerns Yıldız Holding’s acquisition of Godiva Chocolatier from its previous owner, Campbell Soup, and its salient strategy in preserving Godiva’s “made in Belgian” brand position. Provenance Paradox, a problem faced by companies in emerging countries trying... View Details

Keywords: Branding; Internationalization; Provenance Paradox; Acquisitions; Positioning; Innovation; Customer-centricity; Brands and Branding; Marketing Strategy; Emerging Markets; Product Positioning; Change Management; Innovation and Management; Customer Focus and Relationships; Food and Beverage Industry; North America; Turkey; Japan

September 1998
Case

McDonald's: International Expansion Strategy

By: Gary W. Loveman and Sabina M. Ciminero

James Cantalupo, CEO of McDonald's International, and top management have a few months to decide how the McDonald's brand should be transferred into India. Faced with the challenges presented by the Indian market--80% of Indians are Hindus and cherish cows as sacred... View Details

Keywords: Globalized Firms and Management; Expansion; Brands and Branding; Strategy; Cross-Cultural and Cross-Border Issues; Food and Beverage Industry; Food and Beverage Industry; United States; India

27 Jun 2019
Research & Ideas

Rituals Strengthen Couples. Here’s Why They’re Good for Business, Too

rituals into various categories: Date or leisure activity: This was the most common type of ritual, with 63 percent of respondents engaging in them. Study participants reported things like: "Every Friday night we make popcorn and watch a movie together."" Or, "We drink... View Details

Keywords: by Dina Gerdeman

October 2022 (Revised December 2022)
Case

Aphro Beverages

By: Frank V. Cespedes and Amram Migdal

This case focuses on distribution, sales, and product decisions as Aphro Beverages reaches an inflection point in its growth trajectory. In 2020, Aphro Beverages, based in Accra, Ghana, successfully launched its brand and brought two new alcoholic spirits products to... View Details

22 Nov 2004
Research & Ideas

Side Effects: The Case of Propecia

Food and Drug Administration's advertising restrictions, what kind of advertising should Merck pursue, Wosinska asked the audience: product claim, reminder, or help-seeking? Most attendees thought the product claim approach was the way to... View Details

Keywords: by Sean Silverthorne; Health; Pharmaceutical

December 1999 (Revised October 2003)
Case

BRL Hardy: Globalizing an Australian Wine Company

By: Christopher A. Bartlett

Two new product launch decisions face Christopher Carson, managing director of BRL Hardy, Europe. Responsible for the European operations of a major Australian wine company, Carson has begun to globalize his strategy beyond selling the parent company's wines. After a... View Details

Keywords: Global Strategy; Joint Ventures; Product Launch; Brands and Branding; Competitive Strategy; Business Subsidiaries; Negotiation Style; Food and Beverage Industry

Portrait Project

Jennifer Wu

Mom lay on the bathroom floor, her face ashen as she threw up once more. Dad and I hovered over her, fretful and anxious, as we debated calling an ambulance. Thankfully, it turned out to be a bout of food poisoning that quickly passed. ... View Details

April 2023 (Revised July 2023)
Case

Fermenting Accounting Problems at Vermont Kombucha Corp.

By: Tatiana Sandino and Marshal Herrmann

Founded in 2005, Vermont Kombucha Corp. (V-Ko) was an early mover in the fledgling U.S. market for kombucha, a drink brewed for its health benefits. Early on, the company captured more than 90% of market share. Under the leadership of its founder and CEO, Joe Williams,... View Details

Keywords: Going Public; Business Model; Financial Reporting; Ethics; Corporate Governance; Stock Shares; Food and Beverage Industry

September 2023
Case

Trilling Foods: Managing People with Data

By: Alexandra C. Feldberg and Jeffrey T. Polzer

Trilling Foods, a regional bricks-and-mortar grocery chain, has recently provided its frontline managers with new tools for using data. Allison Andersen, Trilling’s VP of Data Science, has spearheaded these efforts. Yet, as she works with Kent Wade, the general manager... View Details

Keywords: Digital Transformation; Management Practices and Processes; Training; Organizational Change and Adaptation; Food and Beverage Industry; Food and Beverage Industry