Publications

17 Feb 2022
Blog Post

The Fifth Year of Short Intensive Programs (SIPs) at HBS

investments, and environment of the global food supply chain, with an immersive look at the role of plant-based foods. Professor Max Bazerman, accompanied by Sebastiano Cossia Castiglioni, entrepreneur View Details

January 2015
Case

Brentwood Associates: Exiting Zoës Kitchen

By: Joan Farre-Mensa and Stephanie Siu

The case discusses the trade-offs associated with the different exit options that private equity firm Brentwood Associates contemplated for its investment in Zoës Kitchen during the summer of 2013: an IPO, a sale to a strategic or financial acquirer, or waiting a few... View Details

Keywords: Finance; Entrepreneurship; Food and Beverage Industry; California

12 Feb 2025
Blog Post

How risk can be the key to a sustainable future with Sophie Levin (MS/MBA: Engineering Sciences 2022)

cell-cultured meat—especially in transforming industries like pet food. An environmental impact study found that pet food - with its high protein content - is responsible for 25-30% of the environmental... View Details

27 Oct 2014
Research & Ideas

The Coffee Economy That Bloomed Out of Nowhere

Near the Guatemalan border in Mexico's Chiapas region, sandwiched between the Sierra Madres and the Pacific Ocean, there's a fertile pocket of land called the Soconusco. While once a hotbed of cacao production for the Aztecs View Details

Keywords: by Carmen Nobel; Food & Beverage; Food & Beverage

01 Jun 2015
News

The End of Cows?

affect far more than your dinner. “It’s potentially severely disruptive in that it gets a lot of the current players out of the market and completely changes the supply chain,” says Alvarez, who explores this impact in a new case study... View Details

Keywords: Jason Feifer; Food and Beverage Stores; Food and Beverage Stores; Food and Beverage Stores

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

06 May 2019
News

Are You Ready for Veggie Fast-Casual?

The founder and former CEO of Panera Bread has a new lease on life. Life Alive, that is. And it’s not a lease—he’s the owner. Ron Shaich (MBA 1978), has tapped his $300 million fund, Act III Holdings, to buy... View Details

Keywords: Food and Beverage Stores; Food and Beverage Stores

29 Jan 2025
Blog Post

Finding Professional Purpose: Building an Impactful Career that Reflects your Values with Lisa Tanzer (MBA 1993)

analysis for a pet food company that I discovered an interest in marketing, branding, and product development—a spark that inspired me to pursue a career in marketing. At HBS, I gained a deeper understanding... View Details

January 2003 (Revised May 2003)
Case

Newport Creamery (B)

By: Paul W. Marshall and Todd H Thedinga

Supplements the (A) case. View Details

Keywords: Food and Beverage Industry; United States

April 1991 (Revised January 1997)
Case

Beatrice Companies--1985

By: David J. Collis

Describes the history of Beatrice Companies from its beginning as a dairy in 1891 to 1985, when the company was a $12 billion conglomerate. Focuses on the corporate strategies that Beatrice followed under each of its CEOs and concentrates on the company's strategic... View Details

Keywords: Corporate Strategy; Change; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry

December 2010
Teaching Note

VeeV on the Rocks? (TN)

By: Christopher Marquis, Joshua D. Margolis and Bobbi Thomason

Teaching Note for 410006. View Details

Keywords: Quality; Ownership Stake; Growth and Development; Problems and Challenges; Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Brands and Branding; Food and Beverage Industry

September 1974 (Revised April 1975)
Case

Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc. (B)

A consumer attitude survey involving more than 1,000 cranberry users has been conducted. Multivariate statistical procedures including factor analysis, cluster analysis and multiple discriminant analysis have been employed to suggest four attitude segments in the... View Details

Keywords: Surveys; Product Positioning; Mathematical Methods; Consumer Behavior; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry

01 Oct 2021
Blog Post

Alumni Spotlight: Career Advice from Alums Working in Climate

change, stick to your guns and seek out companies and opportunities where you can play a role in protecting the planet. Food and agriculture -... View Details

Keywords: Energy / Cleantech

01 Jun 2012
News

Made in the USA

course the lobster industry tried it, but in less than two years, the traps rusted and the welds broke. Our customers came back, because they realized cheaper wasn’t better.” Equipment that automates... View Details

Keywords: Blagg, Deborah; cheese; lobster fishing; Fishing, Hunting and Trapping; Fishing, Hunting and Trapping; Fishing, Hunting and Trapping; Fishing, Hunting and Trapping; Fishing, Hunting and Trapping; Fishing, Hunting and Trapping

December 1999
Case

Lees Supermarkets: Customer Loyalty Programs

By: David E. Bell, Rajiv Lal and Ann Leamon

Keywords: Customer Focus and Relationships; Marketing Strategy; Food and Beverage Industry

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April 2010
Teaching Note

Swire Beverages: Implementing CSR in China

By: Christopher Marquis, Alison Comings and Bobbi Thomason

Teaching Note for [410021]. View Details

Keywords: Corporate Social Responsibility and Impact; Business and Community Relations; Health; Organizational Design; Factories, Labs, and Plants; Business Strategy; Business and Stakeholder Relations; Safety; Natural Environment; Brands and Branding; Interests; Partners and Partnerships; Food and Beverage Industry; China

January 1971 (Revised May 1984)
Case

Vlasic Foods, Inc.

The chairman of a successful pickle company is concerned with the organizational implications of continued growth. Affords an opportunity to analyze the corporate strategy and the management style of the chief executive. View Details

Keywords: Organizational Change and Adaptation; Management Style; Growth Management; Corporate Strategy; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry

Find at Harvard

September 1974 (Revised April 1975)
Case

Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc. (A)

At the conclusion of a small-scale pilot survey, management must decide whether to invest in a larger survey or terminate the project. The objective of the study is to use psychographic measurement techniques to study the alternative positions of cranberry sauce.... View Details

Keywords: Surveys; Product Positioning; Mathematical Methods; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry