Publications
Publications
- January 2025
- HBS Case Collection
Food for Thought: Exiting Russia? (A)
By: Clayton S. Rose, Hugo Etchegoyhen and Lena Duchene
Abstract
In September 2022, the French food companies Bonduelle and Danone each grappled with the difficult decision of whether to exit Russia following its invasion of Ukraine in February. Both companies were deeply embedded in Russia’s agricultural supply chains and local economies, employing thousands and playing a key role in regional food security. At the start of the war, each company had decided to continue operations in Russia, however they were now facing mounting pressure to exit the market, especially after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s declaration that “peace is more important than income”
reverberated globally, leading to heightened scrutiny and intensifying pressure from European governments, consumers, and
shareholders. Public sentiment began to view companies continuing operations in Russia as in some ways supporting the war
effort. A rapid exit would mean abandoning decades of investments and risking the potential seizure of assets by the Russian
government.
Keywords
Citation
Rose, Clayton S., Hugo Etchegoyhen, and Lena Duchene. "Food for Thought: Exiting Russia? (A)." Harvard Business School Case 325-084, January 2025.