Go to main content
Harvard Business School
HBS Home
  • About
  • Academic Programs
  • Alumni
  • Faculty & Research
  • Baker Library
  • Harvard Business Review
  • Initiatives
  • News
  • Recruit
  • Map / Directions

Faculty & Research

  • HOME
  • FACULTY
  • RESEARCH
    • Global Research Centers
    • HBS Case Collection
    • HBS Case Development
    • Initiatives & Projects
    • Publications
    • Research Associate (RA) Positions
    • Research Services
    • Seminars & Conferences
    Close
  • FEATURED TOPICS
    • Business and Environment
    • Business History
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Finance
    • Globalization
    • Health Care
    • Human Behavior and Decision-Making
    • Leadership
    • Social Enterprise
    • Technology and Innovation
    Close
  • ACADEMIC UNITS
    • Accounting and Management
    • Business, Government and the International Economy
    • Entrepreneurial Management
    • Finance
    • General Management
    • Marketing
    • Negotiation, Organizations & Markets
    • Organizational Behavior
    • Strategy
    • Technology and Operations Management
    Close

Case | HBS Case Collection | December 2015 (Revised February 2016)

Ocado

by José Alvarez, David E. Bell and Damien McLoughlin

  • Print
  • Email

Abstract

In 2015, U.K.-based Ocado was the world's largest pure player in the online home-delivery grocery business and was gaining a growing share of the highly competitive U.K. grocery market. Ocado had made heavy investments in technology, including a highly automated warehouse operation, intelligent software for efficient order delivery, and a customer-friendly online interface. Ocado's customer base had expanded beyond the wealthy to include middle-income consumers; even with a delivery charge, grocery shopping through Ocado was, in many cases, as affordable as shopping in a retail store. In 2015 the company was developing a strategy for its Smart Platform, a model in which Ocado would lease its software, hardware, and integration services to brick-and-mortar grocery retailers seeking to build online businesses. Ocado's management believed the Smart Platform, which they planned to market internationally, had the potential to disrupt the global grocery retail market.

Keywords: Ocado; grocery; retail; online grocery; supermarket; supply chain; delivery models; service models; United Kingdom; competition; technology; operations management; Market Platforms; Competition; Online Technology; Service Operations; Service Delivery; Supply Chain; Marketing; Retail Industry; Food and Beverage Industry; United Kingdom;

Language: English Format: Print 24 pages EducatorsPurchase

Citation:

Alvarez, José, David E. Bell, and Damien McLoughlin. "Ocado." Harvard Business School Case 516-059, December 2015. (Revised February 2016.)

Related Work

  1. Case | HBS Case Collection | December 2015 (Revised February 2016)

    Ocado

    José Alvarez, David E. Bell and Damien McLoughlin

    In 2015, U.K.-based Ocado was the world's largest pure player in the online home-delivery grocery business and was gaining a growing share of the highly competitive U.K. grocery market. Ocado had made heavy investments in technology, including a highly automated warehouse operation, intelligent software for efficient order delivery, and a customer-friendly online interface. Ocado's customer base had expanded beyond the wealthy to include middle-income consumers; even with a delivery charge, grocery shopping through Ocado was, in many cases, as affordable as shopping in a retail store. In 2015 the company was developing a strategy for its Smart Platform, a model in which Ocado would lease its software, hardware, and integration services to brick-and-mortar grocery retailers seeking to build online businesses. Ocado's management believed the Smart Platform, which they planned to market internationally, had the potential to disrupt the global grocery retail market.

    Keywords: Ocado; grocery; retail; online grocery; supermarket; supply chain; delivery models; service models; United Kingdom; competition; technology; operations management; Market Platforms; Competition; Online Technology; Service Operations; Service Delivery; Supply Chain; Marketing; Retail Industry; Food and Beverage Industry; United Kingdom;

    Citation:

    Alvarez, José, David E. Bell, and Damien McLoughlin. "Ocado." Harvard Business School Case 516-059, December 2015. (Revised February 2016.)  View Details
    CiteView DetailsEducatorsPurchase Related

About the Authors

Photo
Jose B. Alvarez
Senior Lecturer of Business Administration
Marketing

View Profile »
View Publications »

 
Photo
David E. Bell
Baker Foundation Professor, George M. Moffett Professor of Agriculture and Business, Emeritus
Marketing

View Profile »
View Publications »

 

More from these Authors

  • Case | HBS Case Collection | November 2019

    Bayer Crop Science

    David E. Bell, Damien McLoughlin, Natalie Kindred and James Barnett

    Keywords: Agribusiness; Research and Development; Innovation and Invention; Innovation Strategy; Mergers and Acquisitions; Consolidation; Customer Value and Value Chain; Change Management; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry; Technology Industry; United States; Germany;

    Citation:

    Bell, David E., Damien McLoughlin, Natalie Kindred, and James Barnett. "Bayer Crop Science." Harvard Business School Case 520-055, November 2019.  View Details
    CiteView DetailsEducators Related
  • Case | HBS Case Collection | December 2018 (Revised May 2019)

    Bord Bia: Strategically Growing Irish Exports

    Jose B. Alvarez, Forest L. Reinhardt and Emer Moloney

    Agriculture was Ireland’s largest indigenous industry. Its agri-food sector was export driven, with almost 90% of production exported. Bord Bia was the Irish government agency charged with the promotion, trade development, and marketing of the Irish food, drink, and horticulture industry. Bord Bia's CEO, Tara McCarthy, was shaping the government agency's new strategy amid a volatile socio-political environment (with Brexit and other cross-border trade issues) and in light of consumer trends in the macro food and drink industry.

    Keywords: Agribusiness; Trends; Disruption; Communication Strategy; Experience and Expertise; Talent and Talent Management; Public Sector; Trade; Education; Food; Geography; Geographic Location; Rural Scope; Corporate Governance; Government Administration; Information; Knowledge Dissemination; Marketing Channels; Brands and Branding; Marketing Communications; Marketing Strategy; Planning; Business and Government Relations; Environmental Sustainability; Public Opinion; Business Strategy; Diversification; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry; Food and Beverage Industry; Public Administration Industry; Retail Industry; Republic of Ireland; United Kingdom; Europe;

    Citation:

    Alvarez, Jose B., Forest L. Reinhardt, and Emer Moloney. "Bord Bia: Strategically Growing Irish Exports." Harvard Business School Case 519-043, December 2018. (Revised May 2019.)  View Details
    CiteView DetailsEducatorsPurchase Related
  • Case | HBS Case Collection | December 2018 (Revised May 2019)

    Darling Ingredients International

    David E. Bell and Natalie Kindred

    Led by CEO Randall Stuewe, Texas-based Darling Ingredients International was a rendering firm with $3.7 billion in 2017 revenues. Since 2003, Darling had transformed from U.S. focused into a global player in the processing of biological waste from meat and foodservice firms into oils, fats, and proteins that were sold for use in feed, food, fuel, and other products. It had also entered a 50-50 joint venture, called Diamond Green Diesel (DGD), with oil refiner Valero to produce renewable green diesel. Darling supplied the oils and fats that DGD converted into renewable diesel products sold to oil companies. In the U.S., regulatory mandates and incentives supported the market for renewable diesel, which cost more to produce than conventional fuels. For Darling, the renewable diesel JV was proving to be a lucrative outlet for the company’s oils and fats and as a valuable hedge for its traditional business. In 2018, Stuewe and his Valero partners were considering a substantial expansion of DGD. This case invites students to consider the long-term competitive advantages of DGD’s renewable diesel product, the strategic questions for a business (at least in 2018) dependent on favorable regulations, and the tradeoffs involved in moving too aggressively, or not aggressively enough, to claim a place in the carbon-friendly fuel market.

    Keywords: Darling; ingredients; Stuewe; rendering; animal byproducts; used cooking oil; UCO; Diamond Green Diesel; DGD; Valero; renewable diesel; biofuel; recycling; carbon; LCFS; blend; blender; Strategy; Corporate Strategy; Renewable Energy; Food; Agribusiness; Expansion; Diversification; Growth Management; Technological Innovation; Policy; Government Legislation; Agriculture and Agribusiness Industry; Energy Industry; Food and Beverage Industry; United States; Louisiana; California; Texas;

    Citation:

    Bell, David E., and Natalie Kindred. "Darling Ingredients International." Harvard Business School Case 519-048, December 2018. (Revised May 2019.)  View Details
    CiteView DetailsEducatorsPurchase Related
ǁ
Campus Map
Campus Map
Harvard Business School
Soldiers Field
Boston, MA 02163
→ Map & Directions
→ More Contact Information
→ More Contact Information
→ More Contact Information
→ More Contact Information
  • HBS Facebook
  • Alumni Facebook
  • Executive Education Facebook
  • Michael Porter Facebook
  • Working Knowledge Facebook
  • HBS Twitter
  • Executive Education Twitter
  • HBS Alumni Twitter
  • Michael Porter Twitter
  • Recruiting Twitter
  • Rock Center Twitter
  • Working Knowledge Twitter
  • Jobs Twitter
  • Social Enterprise Twitter
  • HBS Youtube
  • Michael Porter Youtube
  • Executive Education Youtube
  • HBS Linkedin
  • Alumni Linkedin
  • Executive Education Linkedin
  • MBA Linkedin
  • Linkedin
  • HBS Instagram
  • Alumni Instagram
  • Executive Education Instagram
  • Michael Porter Instagram
  • HBS iTunes
  • Executive Education iTunes
  • HBS Tumblr
  • Make a Gift
  • Site Map
  • Jobs
  • Harvard University
  • Trademarks
  • Policies
  • Accessibility
  • Privacy
  • Terms of Use
Copyright © President & Fellows of Harvard College