Beer Industry

Case Study Prompt

Your client is a well-known beer company. The company manufactures and sells beer.

It is sold in pubs/restaurants and in bottles/cans (supermarkets, grocery stores, etc.), but mainly in pubs and restaurants.

Recently they have become aware that their profits have been declining while those of their main competitors have been increasing.

Where would you to start to solve this problem?

Case Study Overview

Your client is facing declining profits, and in this OC&C case study, it’s up to you to dig into profitability to discover the root cause of the decline in a market where their competitors are thriving.

Preparing for a first round OC&C interview? We recommend using the Profitability Framework to solve this case study, but don’t stop there. The best case interview candidates blend frameworks and their own business acumen to create a unique solution.

There are no math exhibits in this case. The qualitative difficulty is 2 out of 4, which makes this an intermediate case interview you would most likely see in a OC&C first round.

OC&C Interview Tips

What does OC&C look for in a candidate? Candidates who are able to think clearly under pressure.

In your case prep, assess your ability to remain focused on the problem when under pressure.

To be fully prepared, focus on a couple of things:

1. Time yourself throughout the case (2min to build structure and 2min to present it; 2min each for a brainstorming question; 2min for final recommendation)
2. Focus on your communication and polish as you walk through the case

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