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Smithfield has become the number-one pork producer and processor in the world--given all the changes in the global agribusiness industry. How does the company develop its future strategy? A rewritten version of an earlier case.

Sam Huttenbauer is trying to get two companies, in high-pressure food preservation and in nutraceuticals, off the ground. This case covers strategic, marketing, and financing challenges. It also looks at innovative technologies in the food industry and the role of the entrepreneur in commercializing them.

In late 1998, 38-year-old He Boquan, CEO of the Guangdong Nowada Group, a health beverage producer, needs to decide how to fund his company's growth and ambition to become China's number one domestic health beverage producer by 2002. A consultants study revealed that foreign competition in China was likely to accelerate within the next three years, and that, without improved management skills and additional capital, Nowada risked going from being a leader to being marginalized. The consulting firm therefore identified potential investors (including the investment arm of a European family conglomerate, an international direct investment firm, and a food and beverage multinational). In late 1998, several rounds of negotiations gave He and his team three options: accept a majority investment by the multinational, accept a 25% capital injection with a risky repayment put option, or "go it alone."

The merger of Ciba-Geigy and Sandoz produced genomic-based synergies for health care, agribusiness, and nutritional supplements. How to build on the strength of the individual divisions and provide synergies that would continue Novartis' leadership role is the question facing the company.

A leading Mexican agribusiness firm wants to expand in the United States and other locations. How to do so in a manner that utilizes the strengths of the company?

In July 1999, the Australian Wheat Board (AWB), a statutory national and international grain marketing organization, would become grower-owned. As a private corporation, the AWB would no longer receive government borrowing guarantees and would have to rely on its own capital base for investments. Along with a new structure, the AWB's wheat export monopoly was in jeopardy as domestic and international grain traders called for open competition. The case describes CEO Murray Roger's challenges in navigating the AWB into a new era.

Amul Dairy has been a successful change maker in India's dairy system. How does it move from this success to the new challenges facing the Indian food system--is it an appropriate model?

Danny Wegman, president of Wegmans Food Markets, is trying to decide how to evaluate the success of a nutrition-counseling program for diabetics, and whether and how to expand the program beyond the two stores currently involved. Wegmans, with 57 stores and $2.3 billion in revenues, implemented the program in conjunction with a local hospital and a disease-management company. Initially intended to stem the erosion of pharmacy margins due to managed care plans, the program filled a genuine social need--diabetes can be inexpensively controlled through diet if caught early. In addition to discussing how the program has been established, the case presents financials for the supermarket industry and Wegmans' competitors. The new role of supermarkets in addressing disease, health, and preventive medical needs is also presented.

A new firm is being created to speed up the process of mapping humans, animals, and plants by combining gene technology with rapid gene identification to improve the health and well being of the human population and the productivity of crops and animals. How does one manage this process?

An entrepreneurial shrimp farm in Belize is evaluating its future growth strategy in every segment of the vertical value-added food chain.

Colly Farm is an entrepreneurial cotton farm complex that has to compete on a world market. In going public it has to satisfy the market that it can remain profitable in volatile times.

A firm that started in corn processing and moved up the value-added food chain decides to spin-off the original commodity part of the business. How does the new spin-off survive and how does it develop a strategy? Firms in the food system are separating out their commodity parts of the business from branded food products. How does the new commodity firm develop a strategy for the future?

Angelo Tsakopoulos wanted to convert grazing land to crop agriculture. He received different advice from different government agencies and became involved in legal battles.

A successful turnaround global farm machinery company is attempting to redefine its role in the global food system and develop a strategic plan for the company.

Dr. Franklin Lowe is CEO of a new kind of company in a new kind of industry--medical foods. He must select a business model and partners that will help make this a viable business.

Sets out the strategy and competitive competencies of one of the leading grain trade and processing companies in the world. An overview of the company's innovations in corn and oilseed by-products is provided. The strategy of the firm is to add by-products to corn, soybeans, and wheat processing so that they become part of a food, feed, fuel, and pharmaceutical industry complex.

Boston Beer Co. revolutionized the beer industry by identifying and responding to a new consumer segment. Using the excess capacity in the brewing industry to establish contract brewing arrangements and an extremely capable sales force, the company opened the industry's eyes to the need for high quality product and freshness. The emphasis on unique product development and freshness was a first for the industry.

BSE or Mad Cow Disease is symptomatic of a series of technology crises. This case deals with how governments, scientists, businessmen, farmers, and the media face very difficult issues under exteme pressure.

Discusses the joint venture between two companies with different capabilities: 1) technology provider and 2) transportation agent. Discusses how to capture value from joint venture and biotechnology: 1) who are winners and who are losers; 2) how much value can/should be captured; 3) sustainability issues; 4) implications for agriculture/agchem industry/relationships between supply chain members. Delta & Pine and Monsanto are licensing a new technology cotton seed. They must decide how to do it and how to evaluate its success.

Monsanto has one product, Roundup, accounting for 30% of company net income and is going off patent. How should the company position itself and its products in the future?