MEAT THE NEEDS: Giant Foods’ Meat Rescue Program

Darrell Bartholomew; Peter Swan; Maggie Mehalko

Product #:NAC3934

Supplier:North American Case Research Association

Discipline:Information Systems

Details:Case (PDF) • 12 pages • 2020-01-01

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This case is complemented with video components throughout the written narrative. The decision focuses on sustainable green retailing strategies surrounding meat donations by Giant Foods in their meat rescue pilot program called “Meat the Needs.” John MacDonald needs to decide whether to expand or to eliminate the pilot program, now that the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank (CPFB) will no longer be picking up the meat after 2012. Green retailing strategies include opportunities and risks. The opportunities include reducing food waste by increasing food donations; risks include risk to brand, cost, and logistics for safe food handling. Will Giant Foods’ disposition decision fit with the company’s new focus on zero-waste and its desired edict of “Living Here, Giving Here”? Are the risks and costs too much for the future of the program? MacDonald and his team need to work through these important sustainability issues.

Learning Objectives

This video case is for a sustainability course or as a component of a general business or marketing course. The topic of sustainability is touched on in many business and marketing textbooks today. The video case is appropriate for an undergraduate audience. The primary focus of this video case is sustainable green retailing strategies involving opportunities and risks of food donation and food waste reduction. By analyzing this case, students will learn to: 1. Assess and discuss green retailing strategies, including zero-waste and the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Food Recovery Hierarchy. 2. Analyze risks to brand and discuss how food safety and logistics can help to lower these risks when donating perishable food products. 3. Apply analytical tools, including cost analysis, to green retailing strategies.