Publications

Find at Harvard

December 2021 (Revised June 2022)
Case

Darden Restaurants: The Nine Square Feet

By: Joshua D. Margolis and James Barnett

In June 2021, Darden Restaurants CEO Gene Lee contemplates how to position the world’s biggest full-service restaurant more than one year into the COVID-19 pandemic. View Details

Keywords: COVID-19 Pandemic; Agribusiness; Change; Decision Making; Food; Human Resources; Leadership; Operations; Strategy; Health Pandemics; Opportunities; Food and Beverage Industry; United States

January 2018 (Revised March 2018)
Case

Lagunitas Brewing Company

By: Joshua Margolis, Allison Ciechanover and Jeff Huizinga

The CEO of a California-based craft brewery manages new partnership with—and potential acquisition by—industry giant Heineken. View Details

Keywords: Culture; Non-profit; International; Organizational Behavior; Food; Leadership; Mergers and Acquisitions; Organizational Culture; Management; Partners and Partnerships; Food and Beverage Industry; Food and Beverage Industry; United States

19 Jul 2013
News

All in Good Time

and then, hopefully, you have a real reward in the end because you've made a difference in people's lives." At Eos, Silbert is hoping to make a difference by targeting hunger in Massachusetts, with a specific initiative to get affordable healthy, nourishing View Details

Keywords: Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations; Personal Services

07 Sep 2014
News

An MBA That Served up a Big Slice of the Snack Market

Keywords: Panera; Au Bon Pain; Food Services and Drinking Places; Food Services and Drinking Places

31 Aug 2016
News

Managing McDonald’s Makeover

(McDonald's) (McDonald's) McDonald’s has a new head of US operations: Chris Kempczinski (MBA 1997). The former Kraft executive takes over effective January 1, and comes, according to the Associated Press, a year after new McDonald’s CEO Steve Easterbrook took over and... View Details

Keywords: Food Services and Drinking Places; Food Services and Drinking Places

01 Dec 2010
News

Do Good: Eat Chocolate

A FEEL-GOOD HIGH: Founder Sarah Endline with sweetriot’s tiny treats. As a girl in Auburn, Michigan, a small town two hours north of Detroit, Sarah Endline (MBA 2001) grew up with a clear understanding of the link between crops in the field and View Details

Keywords: Julia Hanna; candy; chocolate; Food Manufacturing; Food Manufacturing; Food Manufacturing; Food Manufacturing

July 2009 (Revised October 2011)
Case

VeeV on the Rocks?

By: Joshua D. Margolis, Christopher Marquis and Laura Winig

Three pressing challenges (equity split, extent of commitment to social responsibility, and product discoloration) confront VeeV, the world's first alcoholic beverage infused with acai berries. Brothers Courtney and Carter Reum founded VeeV in 2007 and the firm has... View Details

Keywords: Quality; Food; Business Growth and Maturation; Ethics; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Entrepreneurship; Business Startups; Equity; Food and Beverage Industry

29 Jul 2013
News

Opening New Markets for Black South African Winemakers

Selena Cuffe On a trip to South Africa in 2005, Selena Cuffe (MBA 2003) happened across an advertisement promoting the first Soweto Wine Festival. Cuffe, the director of an exchange-student nonprofit, didn't know a lot about wine. Yet the event sounded so intriguing,... View Details

Keywords: wine; wine making; wine importing; Food Manufacturing; Food Manufacturing; Food Manufacturing; Food Manufacturing

01 Aug 2013
News

For Clover CEO, openness is first

Keywords: Food and Beverage Stores; Food and Beverage Stores

16 Dec 2011
News

A Texan in Tokyo

Keywords: Food Services and Drinking Places; Food Services and Drinking Places

04 May 2015
News

Selling Kentucky Bourbon in Japan

September 2001 (Revised December 2003)
Case

Eskimo Pie Corporation (Abridged)

By: Richard S. Ruback

In early 1991, Reynolds Metals, the makers of aluminum products, decided to sell its holding of Eskimo Pie, a marketer of branded frozen novelties. Reynolds had an offer from Nestle to acquire Eskimo Pie. However, Reynolds decided instead to make an initial public... View Details

Keywords: Food; Initial Public Offering; Cost of Capital; Valuation; Business Divisions; Brands and Branding; Food and Beverage Industry

June 2024 (Revised October 2024)
Case

Equifruit

By: Elizabeth A. Keenan and Annelena Lobb

Jennie Coleman, president of Fairtrade banana company Equifruit, considered how best to position her firm and brand to increase sales of Fairtrade bananas in the U.S. and Canada. She saw her biggest challenge as convincing retailers that consumers would be OK spending... View Details

Keywords: Plant-Based Agribusiness; Food; Goods and Commodities; Brands and Branding; Product Positioning; Sales; Food and Beverage Industry; Food and Beverage Industry; Ecuador; Guatemala; Canada; United States

01 Sep 2004
News

The Wisdom of Crowds

The judgments of many people regarding the merits of a restaurant, hotel, or bar trump a single reviewer’s opinion. That’s the philosophy behind the Zagat Survey leisure guides, and Ted Zagat (MBA 2004) has literally grown up with that concept: His parents founded the... View Details

Keywords: Food Services and Drinking Places; Food Services and Drinking Places

May 1978
Article

Cereal Fortification Reconsidered

By: James E. Austin

Keywords: Food; Nutrition