Kumnandzi Macadamia Importers: cracking the nut of self-identity

Steve Holder had already worked with Matsapha College for ten years as the organization matured its macadamia orchard to the point of yielding sufficient proceeds to assist in the support of the colleges educational endeavors in Swaziland. Now Matsapha College was entertaining the possibility of launching a separate entity, Kumnandzi Macadamia Importers, to be a stateside distributor of both Matsapha's macadamia nuts and that of other growers in the region, with the prospect of producing additional revenue to help sponsor education. The Board of Matsapha College is interested in the idea of having the College prosper from added macadamia sales, but members have mixed opinions about the direction and form this growth should take. Before any major decisions are made, Steve learns that the organization should do some self-reflection and decide what Kumnandzi Macadamia Importers is all about before proceeding. Specifically, the Matsapha College Board of Directors needs to articulate its vision for the proposed new entity, as well as craft the entity's mission statement and value proposition.

The case was based upon extensive interviews with the President of the organization being described.

This case is targeted to both undergraduate and graduate students in Strategic Management, but may include Marketing Principles, Marketing Management, Strategic Marketing, and Entrepreneurship, especially if the course includes the task of building a business plan or marketing plan that incorporates vision and mission statements as well as a customer value proposition.