Supplement | HBS Case Collection | September 2019 (Revised May 2020)

Keroche (C): The Excise Tax Increase

by Ramon Casadesus-Masanell and Pippa Tubman Armerding

Abstract

This case discusses the Kenyan government’s decision to increase excise taxes on wines in 2007. The tax increase would cause an average increase in price of 367% on Keroche’s fortified wines. Meanwhile, Keroche’s competitor EABL had effectively lobbied the government for its Senator beer to receive a zero-tax rating. Since Keroche’s wines targeted low-income consumers, Tabitha Karanja knew they would no longer be able to buy its products after the price hike. To make matters worse, Keroche was in the middle of building a brewery, with plans to enter the beer business in 2008. Now Tabitha Karanja had to decide how to react to this tax increase. One option was to lobby the government for a repeal of the tax increase (a long and costly process). Another was to abandon the wine business altogether, either in favor of the vodka Keroche already produced or another alcoholic drink.

Keywords: Keroche; alcohol; alcoholic drinks; alcoholic beverages; beverages; drinks; wine industry; wine; fortified wine; Business Ventures; Business Exit or Shutdown; Business Growth and Maturation; Business Startups; Small Business; Family Business; Crime and Corruption; Customer Focus and Relationships; Decisions; Income; Demographics; Geographic Scope; Geographic Location; Goods and Commodities; Government Legislation; Growth and Development; Business History; Lawsuits and Litigation; Laws and Statutes; Lawfulness; Goals and Objectives; Consumer Behavior; Market Entry and Exit; Problems and Challenges; Safety; Social Issues; Poverty; Strategy; Competition; Entrepreneurship; Manufacturing Industry; Food and Beverage Industry; Kenya; Nairobi; Africa;

Language: English Format: Print 9 pages Purchase

Citation:

Casadesus-Masanell, Ramon, and Pippa Tubman Armerding. "Keroche (C): The Excise Tax Increase." Harvard Business School Supplement 720-392, September 2019. (Revised May 2020.)

Related Work

  1. Supplement | HBS Case Collection | September 2019 (Revised May 2020)

    Keroche (C): The Excise Tax Increase

    Ramon Casadesus-Masanell and Pippa Tubman Armerding

    This case discusses the Kenyan government’s decision to increase excise taxes on wines in 2007. The tax increase would cause an average increase in price of 367% on Keroche’s fortified wines. Meanwhile, Keroche’s competitor EABL had effectively lobbied the government for its Senator beer to receive a zero-tax rating. Since Keroche’s wines targeted low-income consumers, Tabitha Karanja knew they would no longer be able to buy its products after the price hike. To make matters worse, Keroche was in the middle of building a brewery, with plans to enter the beer business in 2008. Now Tabitha Karanja had to decide how to react to this tax increase. One option was to lobby the government for a repeal of the tax increase (a long and costly process). Another was to abandon the wine business altogether, either in favor of the vodka Keroche already produced or another alcoholic drink.

    Keywords: Keroche; alcohol; alcoholic drinks; alcoholic beverages; beverages; drinks; wine industry; wine; fortified wine; Business Ventures; Business Exit or Shutdown; Business Growth and Maturation; Business Startups; Small Business; Family Business; Crime and Corruption; Customer Focus and Relationships; Decisions; Income; Demographics; Geographic Scope; Geographic Location; Goods and Commodities; Government Legislation; Growth and Development; Business History; Lawsuits and Litigation; Laws and Statutes; Lawfulness; Goals and Objectives; Consumer Behavior; Market Entry and Exit; Problems and Challenges; Safety; Social Issues; Poverty; Strategy; Competition; Entrepreneurship; Manufacturing Industry; Food and Beverage Industry; Kenya; Nairobi; Africa;

    Citation:

    Casadesus-Masanell, Ramon, and Pippa Tubman Armerding. "Keroche (C): The Excise Tax Increase." Harvard Business School Supplement 720-392, September 2019. (Revised May 2020.)  View Details
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About the Author

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Ramon Casadesus-Masanell
Herman C. Krannert Professor of Business Administration
Strategy

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