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  • January 2016
  • Case
  • HBS Case Collection

COFCO

By: David E. Bell and Natalie Kindred
  • Format:Print
  • | Language:English
  • | Pages:28
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Abstract

In 2015, COFCO, China's state-owned agribusiness giant, was working to protect China's food security (a key national security priority) by extending its control of the global food system through overseas acquisitions. At the same time, COFCO sought to grow its market share in China's fiercely competitive branded foods market. To help achieve these goals, COFCO Chairman Frank Ning was driving internal reforms to make COFCO's management more competitive, innovative, and globally experienced. This case allows for a discussion of the Chinese marketplace and the evolving approach to business structures taken by the Chinese government. COFCO is the leading food company in China, and we can see through the case the hurdles faced in transitioning a company from pursuing mostly social objectives to mostly profit making. Finally, the case is a useful vehicle for discussing the question of whether and how China can feed itself. Efficient and reliable sourcing of food from abroad is evidently an increasing, and urgent, priority.

Keywords

China; Consumer Products; Commodities; Commodity Trading; Grain Trade; Globalization; Internationalization; Mergers And Acquisitions; Foreign Acquisitions; COFCO; Frank Ning; Gaoning; Nidera; Noble; Competition; Branded Products; Food; Markets; Marketing; Business and Government Relations; Agribusiness; Animal-Based Agribusiness; Plant-Based Agribusiness; Policy; Trade; Goods and Commodities; Food and Beverage Industry; China

Citation

Bell, David E., and Natalie Kindred. "COFCO." Harvard Business School Case 516-057, January 2016.
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About The Author

David E. Bell

Marketing
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  • U.S. and Global Agriculture: The Next Four Years By: Forest Reinhardt, Sarah Dankens and Natalie Kindred
  • Tropo Farms By: David E. Bell, Pippa Tubman Armerding, Namrata Arora and Natalie Kindred
  • Yum China: People First By: David E. Bell, Shu Lin and Nancy Dai
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