Cosmetic Company in Europe

Case Study Prompt

Eurocos. Inc produces and sells various cosmetics products in several European countries. The company’s different brands are well established in the market. The various products are quite similar in terms of raw material and production.

The market is comprised of many small to medium size companies and few big companies owning several brands. 

Eurocos has factories producing every product in every country it inhabits.  Transportation costs are small.

The company had been doing very well in the past, but profits have been shrinking in recent years. The CEO of Eurocos, Inc considers changing her strategy in the industry. 

The CEO asks you – what should they do? Review the case study overview before getting started. 

Case Study Overview

Your client is a European cosmetic company facing declining profits with no readily available explanation. In this OC&C case study, it’s your job to tackle the data, find the root cause of the profitability and make suggestions for how to proceed.

Preparing for a first round OC&C interview? While it’s a good idea to use the Profitability Framework to solve this case study, we recommend you keep going and add your own experience and business acumen to the framework. The best interview candidates can find 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 thrive under pressure and can keep a clear head.

As you prepare, work on your ability to remain focused when the heat is on.

After you’ve fully reviewed the case study overview, 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.