個案資料

Agricola Himalaya was a family-owned Colombian company, the national leader in the tea industry, and the owner of the only tea plantation in the country, located in the middle of a mist forest. In Colombia, owing to the labour costs involved in tea production, importing tea was less expensive than producing it locally, but if Agricola Himalaya decided to import the tea, what would be the environmental and social impact of closing the plant and plantation? Agricola Himalaya attempted to resolve this dilemma by entering the specialty tea market, launching a new product that was sustainable and organic, with a range of innovative blends and a premium price. However, after eight years, its Bitaco specialty tea line had not reached break even, and in March 2021 the chief executive officer faced a new dilemma: whether or not to continue with the specialty tea initiative.

The case can be used in graduate-level strategy course modules or programs, such as modules on the evaluation of growth and development opportunities in new business domains, modules concerning market-entry strategies for international markets; modules addressing the marketing of sustainable consumer products; corporate social responsibility (CSR) modules; and executive education programs. The case emphasizes the relevance of a strategic rationale when a company embraces sustainable practices, and discusses the marketing strategies a company can adopt when launching new products and entering new markets. After working through the case and assignment questions, students should be able to do the following:<ul><li>Understand the challenges of CSR policy implementation.</li><li>Analyze a company’s potential courses of action in relation to its core values.</li><li>Analyze a company’s challenges with regard to the management of environmental issues in its supply chains.</li><li>Identify real-world examples of market dynamics for sustainable products.</li><li>Recognize the issues a company can face while developing marketing strategies for new products, segments, and markets.</li><li>Understand the tension between short-term and long-term costs and benefits when companies enter foreign markets.</li></ul>

• CSR, sustainability, niche product,