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  • February 2019
  • Case
  • HBS Case Collection

Canibal—Play It Green!

By: Frank V. Cespedes, Joseph B. Fuller, Tonia Labruyere and Elena Corsi
  • Format:Print
  • | Language:English
  • | Pages:24
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Abstract

In 2011, Canibal launched a machine that could sort and compress aluminum cans, plastic bottles, and cups. Users could play a jackpot-style game on the machine’s digital display, while disposing of their beverage containers and earning coupons or other rewards. The machine could also display advertising or serve as a communication tool. In 2016, the company's new machine, the i3, had more potential than earlier models, due to enhanced reliability and displays that could allow Canibal to pursue new markets. Benoit Paget, CEO and founder of Canibal, must choose a growth path: which customer segment should he focus on? How should he position his product? What would be the implications of these choices for marketing and sales requirements, pricing, and funding?

Keywords

Sales Growth; Recycling; Start-up; Scaling; Market Selection; Sales; Marketing; Business Startups; Growth and Development Strategy; Segmentation; Product Positioning; Technology Industry; France

Citation

Cespedes, Frank V., Joseph B. Fuller, Tonia Labruyere, and Elena Corsi. "Canibal—Play It Green!" Harvard Business School Case 319-089, February 2019.
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About The Authors

Frank V. Cespedes

Entrepreneurial Management
→More Publications

Joseph B. Fuller

Entrepreneurial Management
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More from the Authors

    • 2025
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    Governors Reshaping Workforce Development: Turning WIOA Challenges into Workforce Solutions

    By: Joseph B. Fuller, Kerry McKittrick, Nathalie Gazzaneo, Ariel Higuchi, Justine Gluck, Zoe Butler, Jack Porter and Malena Dailey
    • 2025
    • Faculty Research

    Navigating Opportunity: Career Information and Mobility in Low-Wage Employment

    By: Joseph B. Fuller, Kerry McKittrick, Amanda Holloway, Rony Rodriguez Ramirez and Ali Epstein
    • March–April 2025
    • European Business Review

    Getting Value from Digital Technologies

    By: Frank Cespedes and Georg Krentzel
More from the Authors
  • Governors Reshaping Workforce Development: Turning WIOA Challenges into Workforce Solutions By: Joseph B. Fuller, Kerry McKittrick, Nathalie Gazzaneo, Ariel Higuchi, Justine Gluck, Zoe Butler, Jack Porter and Malena Dailey
  • Navigating Opportunity: Career Information and Mobility in Low-Wage Employment By: Joseph B. Fuller, Kerry McKittrick, Amanda Holloway, Rony Rodriguez Ramirez and Ali Epstein
  • Getting Value from Digital Technologies By: Frank Cespedes and Georg Krentzel
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