Product details

This case tells the tale of the growth, the globalization and the decline of a traditional Austrian small and medium-sized companies and one of Austria''s most recognized brands in the candy and confectionary industry, Auer Waffeln. Founded in 1920 and then interrupted by the perils of the economic crisis of the 1930s and World War II, Auer Waffeln developed rapidly during the post-war years. When the son of the founder, Guenter Auer, took the steering wheel from his father, Rudolf Auer, in 1969, the company''s flagship products ''Auer Waffeln'' and ''Auer Baumstaemme'' had become household names in Austria. Not satisfied with the domestic market alone, Guenter Auer took the company international and expanded into foreign markets from Eastern to Western Europe and from the Middle East to the United States. The case describes Auer''s international business development strategy and highlights marketing mix and entry mode decisions for a number of countries. The case ends describing the downfall of Auer in the 1990s that followed its rapid growth and expansion.