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  • August 2019
  • Teaching Note
  • HBS Case Collection

Back to the Roots

By: Elizabeth A. Keenan and Leslie K. John
  • Format:Print
  • | Language:English
  • | Pages:17
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Abstract

Email mking@hbs.edu for a courtesy copy.

This Teaching Note explains the theory of the case and teaching plan for the case: Back to the Roots HBS case No. 518-073. Back to the Roots (BTTR) is a start-up with a social mission to “undo food”—to reconnect people to where their food comes from. In late 2017, Back to the Roots cofounders Nikhil Arora and Alex Velez were contemplating their next move. The company had an eclectic portfolio of products, including ready-to-grow products, which included gardens in a can, and ready-to-eat products, which included cereals, and was being courted by two major players in each category. With an award-winning cereal-based snack bar in their hands, the duo was debating whether they should delve further into the ready-to-eat category. But it was a competitive space. They wondered whether they were ready to launch yet another new product and, if so, what this move would mean for their ready-to-grow product line. Which path would enable them to best achieve their growth goals?

Keywords

Organic Food; Startup; Crowdfunding; Sustainability; Transparency; Entrepreneurship; Product Development; Product Marketing; Growth and Development Strategy; Decision Making; Food; Food and Beverage Industry

Citation

Keenan, Elizabeth A., and Leslie K. John. "Back to the Roots." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 520-028, August 2019. (Email mking@hbs.edu for a courtesy copy.)
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About The Authors

Elizabeth A. Keenan

Marketing
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Leslie K. John

Negotiation, Organizations & Markets
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    Opting-in to Prosocial Incentives

    By: Daniel Schwartz, Elizabeth A. Keenan, Alex Imas and Ayelet Gneezy
    • 2021
    • Consumer Psychology Review

    Consumer Disclosure

    By: Tami Kim, Kate Barasz and Leslie John
More from the Authors
  • Joy and Rigor in Behavioral Science By: Hanne K. Collins, Ashley V. Whillans and Leslie K. John
  • Opting-in to Prosocial Incentives By: Daniel Schwartz, Elizabeth A. Keenan, Alex Imas and Ayelet Gneezy
  • Consumer Disclosure By: Tami Kim, Kate Barasz and Leslie John
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