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Case Study

Tetra Pak (A): The challenge of intimacy with a key customer

By Kamran Kashani and Janet Shaner

14 pages

June 2003

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Reference: IMD-5-0604

The A-case of this series describes a failed attempt to sell new packaging machinery to a key Italian customer facing declining sales and profits in its milk business. Tetra Pak’s analysis leads them to propose a new product strategy that is summarily rejected by the customer. The case raises the issue of Tetra Pak’s strategy in the Italian milk market and the wisdom of its proposed customer strategy. The broader question is whether the company is serving the best interest of its key accounts.

Keywords

Change Management, Customer Orientation, Industrial Marketing, Key Account Marketing, Marketing, Marketing Implementation, Value Chain Marketing

Settings

Italy
2000-2002

Type

Field Research

Available Languages

English, Italian, Japanese, Chinese

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This case study is part of a series

Tetra Pak (A): The challenge of intimacy with a key customer
Tetra Pak (B): The customer satisfaction initiative
Tetra Pak (C): Implementing new initiatives
Tetra Pak (D): Results achieved (and the remaining issues)

2005 EFMD AWARD WINNER (Marketing)

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This case study is part of a series

Tetra Pak (A): The challenge of intimacy with a key customer
Tetra Pak (B): The customer satisfaction initiative
Tetra Pak (C): Implementing new initiatives
Tetra Pak (D): Results achieved (and the remaining issues)

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