Imported Whiskey in an Emerging Market

Looking for quality business case examples for interviews? Start with this case study by strategy firm OC&C Strategy Consultants.

Case Prompt

The client was a first mover in promoting imported whiskey in bars, discos and karaoke clubs, which was a fast-growing business about 10 years ago and had experienced tremendous success – an annual growth of over 30%. The client penetrated the channel through aggressive marketing and partnering with top/key outlets in cities, offering sponsorships on events and volume rebates in return for exclusive or preferential sales on-premise.

The growth has slowed down in the past few years to about 10% per year and profit margin is also declining.

How will you help the client?

Case Overview

The client in this case study is a whiskey importer that has seen success in the industry, but as of late, growth has slowed and profit margins have decreased. You’ve been hired to identify the root causes of the decline, and give a recommendation on how to reverse the decline.

The Profitability Framework is a good foundational framework to begin with in this case. Keep in mind that the best casers blend frameworks and their own business experience to create a blended framework tailored to the case.

The case has no math exhibits. The case has a qualitative difficulty score of 2/4. If you’re prepping for a first round case interview, this is a great practice case for that.

OC&C Interview Tips

OC&C is looking for candidates who use common sense and logic in their decision-making processes. Don’t use business jargon in the case, and stick to the fundamentals of business if you want to impress your OC&C interviewer.

For enhanced case practice, identify one growth area that you can focus on in your case prep.

Book a session with an ex-MBB coach for expert help in your case preparation.

For more business case examples for interviews, head back to the Case Library.