Burger Machines

Case Study Prompt

Our client is responsible for the sale and manufacture of burger machines that produce the meat patties that populate the ever-popular hamburgers sold worldwide by the likes of McDonald’s and Burger King. 

OC&C have been approached to help them think about their international expansion strategy, particularly the opportunity posed by developing markets, such as China, India etc.

Your specific task on this case is to scale the opportunity – i.e. how many Burger Machines could this company expect to sell into China in the future.

First, our client would like to know how to approach this market entry problem, in general terms. 

Case Study Overview

In this OC&C case study with answers, your client is a manufacturer of burger machines who is looking to expand into new markets like China and India. The client has come to you to help them develop a strategy for breaking into the new market as well as forecasting the size of the market in these new countries. Your task is to research the market and bring them a well thought out strategy and recommendations.

Are you preparing for a first round OC&C interview? Use this case study with answers to help you get ready. It’s recommended to use the M&A Framework, but also practice building your own custom framework to solve this problem. The most sought after candidates can work outside the frameworks to bring their own business experience to the table.

There are no diagrams/math exhibits in this case. The qualitative difficulty is 2 out of 4, which makes this a first level case study you would likely see in a OC&C first round.

OC&C Interview Tips

What does OC&C look for in a candidate? Someone who loves the pressure cooker.

In your case prep, work to maintain your focus on the problem even when the pressure is high.

We recommend focusing 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.