Alcohol Distribution

Prompt

The client is a U.S. market-leading alcohol manufacturer. They are considering restructuring their distribution strategy and want to know if they should have one or 50 distribution centers.

Distribution centers lie in between the bottling plants (all over the US) and the customers.

Customers are the spirits retailers.

What are some advantages of each scenario – having 1 or 50 distribution centers?

Overview

There are 6 types of case study. This is a Profitability case in the Booz Allen Hamilton style. In this case, your client – an alcohol manufacturer – needs your help to decide on a distribution strategy.

You can use the Profitability Framework to solve this case, but the best candidates use a blend of frameworks and their own business acumen to create a custom framework for the problem.

There are no math exhibits in this case. This a beginner level case interview you could expect to see in a first round at Booz Allen Hamilton. The case has a qualitative difficulty score of 3 out of 4.

Booz Allen Hamilton Interview Tips

What does BAH look for in its case interview candidates? Excellent presentation and interpersonal skills.

The emphasis with the firm is more on personality and communication, so make sure those are points of emphasis as you walk through the case.

Focus on coming away with 1 or 2 takeaways that you can improve on in your next case. In addition, time yourself as you go through the case: 4min for creating and presenting your structure, 5min for math, 2min for brainstorming, and 2min for a recommendation.

Again, there are different types of case study. We recommend practicing multiple types in preparation for your interviews (market study, M&A, profitability, etc.)

For out-loud practice with an expert, book an hour with an ex-MBB coach.