Food & Drink - McGraw-Hill Introduction to Business

[VIDEO] Why Walgreens And CVS Are Shutting Down Thousands Of Locations

October 24, 2024

Walgreens and CVS stores are common sights on American street corners, but in the coming years there will be significantly fewer of them around. The video below takes a detailed look at the recent struggles faced by U.S. pharmacy chains as they plan to shut down thousands of locations nationwide.

Questions:

Why are Walgreens and CVS closing thousands of stores over the coming years? What are some factors that have contributed to their problems?
How can entrepreneurs help prevent “pharmacy deserts”?

Chocolate Prices Are Scarily High This Halloween

October 22, 2024

NickelsMcHughMcHugh

For millions of Americans, Halloween is all about eating candy. And there’s no variety of candy more beloved than chocolate. According to national surveys, the average American’s favorite Halloween candy is a chocolate treat like M&Ms, Snickers, or Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. But this year, you may notice less chocolate in your family’s trick-or-treat stash. That’s because cocoa prices are at record highs after three years of poor crops. The price of cocoa has doubled since the start of 2024 Continue reading →

Marketing, Product Development, Promotions, Supply chains, Packaging, Product Distribution, Agriculture, Halloween, Holidays, Food & Drink, Supply & Demand

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 2: Economics, Chapter 9: Production and Operations Management, Chapter 13: Marketing, Chapter 14: Product and Price, Chapter 15: Distribution

McDonald’s Tests Cash-Enabled Ordering Kiosks

October 8, 2024

NickelsMcHughMcHugh

In 2016, McDonald’s attempted to speed up customer wait times by using touchscreen kiosks to take orders, but guests paying with cash still had to go to the register at the counter. After eight years of waiting, though, the fast food chain is finally testing kiosks that can also accept cash and make change. The cash kiosks are optional for McDonald’s franchisees, who own and manage 95 percent of the company’s more than 14,000 U.S. locations. So far, only 2 Continue reading →

Marketing, Operations Management, Product Development, Promotions, McDonald’s, Product Distribution, Food & Drink

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 9: Production and Operations Management, Chapter 13: Marketing, Chapter 14: Product and Price, Chapter 15: Distribution, Chapter 16: Place and Promotion, Bonus Chapter B: Technology and New Media

Bad Weather and Competing Crops Hurt the Coffee Industry

September 20, 2024

NickelsMcHughMcHugh

When it comes to global commodities like coffee beans, even the slightest change in the environment or the economy can drastically change prices and supplies. That’s what happened in 2021 when a sudden and severe frost in Brazil destroyed 500,000 acres of coffee plantations, sending prices for unroasted coffee beans soaring. The extensive damage reduced the country’s coffee production by more than 10 million bags annually for three consecutive years. Brazil is the world’s largest producer of Arabica beans, the Continue reading →

Operations Management, Global, Entrepreneurship, Product Development, Product Distribution, Agriculture, Food & Drink, Supply & Demand

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 2: Economics, Chapter 3: Globalization, Chapter 6: Entrepreneurship, Chapter 9: Production and Operations Management, Chapter 14: Product and Price, Chapter 15: Distribution

Ice Cream Trucks Struggle to Keep Sales Sweet

September 6, 2024

NickelsMcHughMcHugh

Although summertime is drawing to a close and jack-o-lanterns are already starting to appear, meteorologists say that most of the country can still expect plenty of hot days to come. And when the temperature is high, there’s nothing quite like ice cream to stay cool. That’s why for nearly a century, ice cream trucks have roamed neighborhoods across the country serving customers of all ages looking to beat the heat.

In 1926 Good Humour became the first brand to Continue reading →

Marketing, Operations Management, Franchising, Entrepreneurship, Product Development, Product Distribution, Food & Drink, Supply & Demand, Seasonal businesses

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 2: Economics, Chapter 5: Forms of Business Ownership, Chapter 6: Entrepreneurship, Chapter 9: Production and Operations Management, Chapter 13: Marketing, Chapter 14: Product and Price, Chapter 15: Distribution, Chapter 16: Place and Promotion

[VIDEO] How the Pandemic Began a “Pop-Up” Restaurant Boom

August 29, 2024

NickelsMcHughMcHugh

The onset of the Covid-19 pandemic brought the restaurant industry to a standstill as countless kitchens closed and diners largely remained at home. But that didn’t stop some entrepreneurs from finding opportunities in this chaotic situation. The video below breaks down the boom of “pop-up” restaurants that flourished during the pandemic thanks to low overhead and mobile setups that met customers closer to where they lived.

Questions:

How did the pandemic change the restaurant industry?
What are some advantages Continue reading →

New Startup Markets Methane-Eating Microbes to Eco-Friendly Companies

August 21, 2024

NickelsMcHughMcHugh

For decades, many big businesses have tried to go green by reducing their carbon emissions. Companies like Amazon, Microsoft, and Nike have made “net-zero” pledges over the years that promise to remove as much carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as they put into it. While some firms try to go carbon-neutral by reducing their emissions directly, others pay for carbon removal projects — such as planting trees or building solar panels — to offset emissions.

But carbon dioxide isn’t the Continue reading →

Marketing, Operations Management, Ethics, Entrepreneurship, Product Development, Product Distribution, Agriculture, Food & Drink, Supply & Demand, Climate change, Carbon Emissions

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 2: Economics, Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility, Chapter 6: Entrepreneurship, Chapter 9: Production and Operations Management, Chapter 13: Marketing, Chapter 14: Product and Price, Chapter 15: Distribution

[VIDEO] 7-Eleven Reshapes Its American Food Operations to Be More Japanese

August 7, 2024

NickelsMcHughMcHugh

For hungry American consumers, 7-Eleven isn’t the place to go if you’re looking for a variety of options. While the chain serves plenty of Slurpees, pizza, and hot dogs, that is about the limit of its domestic menu. But Japanese consumers have a different experience with 7-Eleven, which offers a wide assortment of fresh items ranging from tasty baked goods to rice balls and ramen. This video examines how 7-Eleven works in the Asian nation, and why the company wants Continue reading →

Marketing, Operations Management, Global, Retail, Japan, 7-Eleven, Food & Drink, Supply & Demand

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 2: Economics, Chapter 3: Globalization, Chapter 9: Production and Operations Management, Chapter 13: Marketing, Chapter 14: Product and Price, Chapter 15: Distribution

Fourth of July Cookouts Could Cost More this Year

July 2, 2024

NickelsMcHughMcHugh

In a few days, millions of Americans will ignite their grills and barbecue up a storm in a grand Independence Day tradition enjoyed from coast to coast. Thanks to inflation, though, this year’s celebrations may be pricier than in years past. While Fourth of July favorites like hot dogs and potato salad remain affordable, prices for items like ground beef, pork chops, and lemonade have risen dramatically.

According to the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), an average cookout for 10 Continue reading →

Marketing, Operations Management, Pricing, Product Distribution, Agriculture, Holidays, Food & Drink, Supply & Demand

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 2: Economics, Chapter 9: Production and Operations Management, Chapter 13: Marketing, Chapter 14: Product and Price, Chapter 15: Distribution

Cash-Strapped Consumers Label Fast Food as a Luxury

June 5, 2024

NickelsMcHughMcHugh

The fast food industry has long depended on affordability as one of its key selling points, offering customers quick meals that are easy on their wallets. Those days might be in the past, however, as inflation and other factors have sent fast food prices soaring in recent years. According to Finance Buzz, average prices at the country’s most popular chains have increased by as much as 100 percent over the last decade. The 31 percent rise in inflation over the Continue reading →

Marketing, Promotions, Pricing, Fast food, Product Distribution, Food & Drink, Supply & Demand, Inflation

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 2: Economics, Chapter 13: Marketing, Chapter 14: Product and Price, Chapter 15: Distribution, Chapter 16: Place and Promotion