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Hillberg & Berk: Aiming to Sparkle in the Designer Jewellery Business
W. Glenn Rowe; Selena Shannon PritchardCase IVEY-9B17M040-EEntrepreneurship, StrategyFounded by an entrepreneur in 2007, Hillberg & Berk was a successful Canadian company in the affordable designer jewellery industry. After being funded through the Dragons’ Den television show in 2009, the entrepreneur and her team grew the company to achieving more than $10 million in annual sales. The company had focused its growth in its home province of Saskatchewan and into the neighbouring province of Alberta, but in late 2016, it faced a t...Starting at €8.20
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Bio-Vert: Green to What Limit
Raymond L. Paquin; Catherine Bedard; Genevieve GraingerCase IVEY-9B12A035-EMarketing, StrategyBio-Vert is a leading Canadian brand of eco-cleaning products manufactured by Quebec-based Savons Prolav. Run by a brother and sister team, Savons Prolav bases its products on their vision, which includes eco-friendliness, affordability and effectiveness. Demand for Bio-Vert’s phosphate-free detergents has increased dramatically since the 2007 blue-green algae bloom outbreaks in Quebec’s waterways and subsequent legislation restricting phosphate ...Starting at €8.20
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Entomo Farms: Are Canadians Ready to Eat Insects?
Raymond L. Paquin; Iryna Sushko; Shannon LloydCase IVEY-W26996-EMarketing, StrategyIn January 2021, Entomo Farms (Entomo), a family-owned Ontario-based Canadian cricket producer, received additional funding to support its growth and prepare for the entry into Canada of what would be its biggest competitor. As Canada’s largest and only organic cricket supplier, Entomo generated most of its revenue as a supplier of crickets as raw material to food manufacturers; however, due to anticipated industry changes, Entomo was increasing ...Starting at €8.20
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McGill St Laurent: Growing a Commodities Trading Firm
Jesse Prent; Gwyneth Edwards; Raymond L. PaquinCase IVEY-9B20M116-EEntrepreneurship, StrategyIn May 2018, Philippe Boisclair, business owner and president of McGill St Laurent (MSL), sought to grow the firm and increase annual profitability by CA$35 million by 2020. MSL was a medium-sized commodities trading firm with interests in wood, grain, and energy. Founded in 2009 by two business school graduates and veterans of the lumber industry, MSL had enjoyed significant growth. The company had not only expanded into grain and energy trading...Starting at €8.20
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Fortis Inc. and the $11.8 Billion ITC Decision
Rod E. White; W. Glenn Rowe; Selena Shannon PritchardCase IVEY-9B18M020-EStrategyIn late 2015, the executive vice-president and chief financial officer of Fortis, Inc., a homegrown energy delivery company based in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, was preparing to meet with the company’s leadership committee. On the agenda was whether Fortis should make an offer to acquire ITC Holdings Corporation, the largest independent transmission utility in the United States. Fortis had a proven track record of acquiring regulated u...Starting at €8.20
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Jump Gymnastics Inc.: Jumping Into The Future
W. Glenn Rowe; Selena Shannon Pritchard; Megan WamboltCase IVEY-9B19M078-EEntrepreneurship, StrategyIn February 2018, the owner of Jump Gymnastics Inc. was preparing for her company’s upcoming strategic planning cycle. The privately owned children's recreational sport business located in Vancouver, British Columbia, delivered gymnastics programs designed to prepare children for lifelong sport participation and healthy living. In 10 years, the owner had successfully grown the company based on her passion for helping children reach their full phy...Starting at €8.20
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Alvéole: Growing the New Urban Beekeeping Market
Cheryl Gladu; Raymond L. PaquinCase IVEY-9B19M132-EEntrepreneurship, StrategyAlvéole was an urban beekeeping start-up in Montreal, Quebec. Founded in 2012, Alvéole offered beekeeping services and products in support of its social mission of educational outreach surrounding issues related to the natural environment, food security,Starting at €8.20
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Effet Boomerang: A Brand-Repositioning Dilemma
Raymond L. Paquin; Rania Bou Jaoude; Michel GreicheCase IVEY-W30025-EMarketing, StrategyOver two decades old, Effet Boomerang is an advertising agency based in Quebec, Canada. In recent years, it has found it harder to win client contracts, which has been partially due to changes in the industry. This has left its co-founder and president examining her options for repositioning the agency. This case provides an interesting opportunity to introduce students to internal and external analyses by having them examine how a small firm may...Starting at €8.20
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Kombi Sports Inc.: Staying Ahead of the Curve
Heather Calvert; Raymond L. Paquin; Rajshree PrakashCase IVEY-9B21M063-EMarketing, StrategyIn January 2020, Kombi Sports Inc. was at a strategic crossroads in a changing industry. The Montreal-based firm had evolved from a niche provider of alpine performance gloves to a premium Canadian winter apparel brand. Its success could be attributed, at least in part, to its strong collaborative stance and interesting partnerships. However, increasing competition in the industry, particularly among brick-and-mortar retailers, raised questions f...Starting at €8.20
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Blacbiblio: Hold Steady or Change Course
Raymond L. Paquin; Bharathram Sivasubramanian; Rajshree PrakashCase IVEY-9B20M050-EEntrepreneurship, StrategyBlacbiblio.com, Inc., an educational materials start-up in Montreal, Canada, launched its first and only product, the ABCs of Canadian Black History Kit, in 2016. The product received strong positive reviews at the time of its launch, but its initial price of CA$2,500 per kit left it out of reach for most of its intended customers. The company founder, a historian and educational content creator, shifted to a flexible pricing strategy, offering t...Starting at €8.20