Most of my inspiration for specific blog topics comes from current news items. And often, I discover those when traveling on long haul flights– one of the few times when my addiction to all things in print and some quiet downtime without interruptions intersect perfectly. June 17 was such an occasion. Two different papers ran […]
KFC has been in China for almost 30 years. The first of Yum Brands’ restaurants to move into China has reported sharp profit and revenue declines for their first quarter China business recently. Some media outlets such as the WSJ argue that, with competition increasing, the novelty character of brands such as KFC simply seems […]
According to a variety of news outlets, California-based restaurant chain Johnny Rockets is planning for a major expansion in China. The 1950s themed chain currently has more than 300 corporate- and franchise-owned restaurants, about a third of which are in international locations. For the expansion, the company already entered into a joint venture agreement with […]
About a year ago, it still took about 1.40 US dollars to buy one Euro, and today they’re almost on par. European tourists will find the United States a lot less attractive as a holiday destination, and European companies that have obligations in dollars are seeing their costs explode. What may look like a crisis […]
How do you like your donuts? Chocolate or pink frosting? Rainbow sprinkles? Old fashioned? Some coffee with that? If you’re Indian you’re more likely to show up at the local Dunkin Donuts to ask for a “Brute tough Guy Veggie Burger”. Competing with other US-chains including Taco Bell, McDonald’s, Pizza Hut, or Subway, the Massachussetts-based […]
Today’s Wall Street Journal (European Edition) ran an interesting piece on the Chinese market for fast food. Many domestic and regional competitors, so the Journal, are giving foreign fast food giants such as McDonald’s and KFC / Yum Brands a run for their money. Competitors such as Xiabu Xiabu (which serves Chinese hot pot), Da […]
Although Burger King has had its fair share of failures in international markets, things haven’t been going all that bad for the fast food giant over the last decade. Last month, however, the King was (partially) deposed in Germany. After repeated reports of poor hygiene and sub-standard working conditions, Burger King has terminated the contract […]
A few weeks ago, I have written on Hermes’ activities in the Chinese market. Today, I am happy to report that another company seems to join the ranks of those who are smart about their entry into the Chinese market: CostCo, the Issaquah, Washington based company. According to recent media reports, CostCo has teamed up […]
I recently came across this older post that discusses why American companies fail in China. The author of the post singles out Mattel, eBay, Google, and Home Depot and also offer his opinion on the reasons for their failure: a lack of flexibility, the failure to localize, or the existence of a strong competitor. In […]
At the end of last month, Indian Prime Minister Modi traveled to the United States to lure US companies back to India to invest. According to the Wall Street Journal, just four years ago, the US investment stock in India amounted to approximately $1.9 billion, and now four years later it is only around $800 […]
Most of the time, it catches my eye when companies fail internationally. This focus on failure may be the result of my academic training, and it may have something to do with my cultural roots. However, every once in a while I am really intrigued, even fascinated, by how smart some companies are. Hermes International […]
I had been thinking about the Groupon model and its appeal in various countries for quite while when a Google alert recently hit my inbox – Groupon was to shut down its service in Romania. At the beginning of September 2014, Groupon pulled the plug on this market of just under 100,000 square miles and […]