BBS MEETS VALSOIA S.p.A.
31 July 2023COMPANY PROJECT WORK – BUSINESS MANAGEMENT MASTER/FOOD&WINE
On May 31st, in the Bologna Business School classrooms, the closing of the I Company Project Work of the Business Management Master’s program, track Food&Wine, was held.
The project was presented in the Villa Guastavillani venue by Martino Tadolini, Trade Marketing Manager and Lorenzo Vanucci, Marketing Manager Food division of Valsoia S.p.A.
Valsoia S.p.A. is a company founded in 1990 from the idea of Lorenzo Sassoli de Bianchi, with the mission of capitalizing on the high nutritional properties of soy to offer a food product that would meet the growing demand for health and wellness. Listed on the Milan stock exchange since 2006, Valsoia S.p.A. has grown over the years by acquiring several food brands, including Loriana, a high-end brand in the piadina production sector with a great tradition behind it.
The task given to the students: to study the possible positioning of the Loriana brand in three foreign markets: UK, Germany and Scandinavia. The idea behind it: to grow the brand, making it an umbrella brand for products that share the values represented by high-quality Italian food.
It was a real challenge for the participants in the Master in Business Management, Food&Wine track of Bologna Business School, who presented their work to the Valsoia S.p.A. executives, accompanied by the company’s HR manager.
The first group worked on the U.K. market, introducing a socioeconomic country overview, and then analyzed consumer behavior and the perception of Made in Italy food, both in restaurants and in large-scale distribution. The group then examined the brand’s competitors and identified different targets to which to propose the products, studying their production, marketing and promotion.
The team in charge of the Germany area developed its proposal starting with market analysis, import/export, distribution channels and brand competitors. Then it focused on the analysis of consumption trends, moving on to the study of Italian cuisine, with a focus on the attention already paid in the country to Romagna, a tourist destination familiar to the average German consumer. Finally, the team proposed the product and its positioning in the large-scale retail trade and the marketing networks to be activated with a time plan and editorial plan.
The third team focused on analyzing the lifestyle and product portfolio of the Nordic countries to understand the penetration potential of Italian products across the entire landscape. After studying segmentation and demand, the team identified three types of buyer personas, resulting in a product proposal for the brand with a related marketing strategy.
Challenging work for students in Bologna Business School‘s University Master’s in Business Management program, which combines face-to-face lectures, Project Work and MGIncontri: meetings with executives who talk about their own paths and companies.
Company Project Work, a curricular activity coordinated by Professor Angelo Manaresi, Scientific Director of the Master’s program, and Marketing lecturer Barbara Lorenzini, allows its participants to meet with leading companies such as Valsoia. Four weeks to manage a real case, under the supervision of BBS professors. A teamwork time, to learn company dynamics and arrive aware of the final internship. An opportunity to develop skills and a powerful personal network.
Bologna Business School‘s Business Management Master is a global path that combines study and practical experience, to enter directly, also thanks to the final internships in the company, into the business world (placement index over 90% six months after the conclusion of the Master’s degree).
