Food & Beverage Management from Coursera

Managing a company in the food and beverage industry is a fascinating task.

Food and beverage products are so deeply rooted in the culture of most countries that making and selling them is not only a matter of making and selling good and tasty products, but products that nurture people's body, soul, and heart. Given this, it's not difficult to see that the task quickly becomes complex.

The objective of this course is twofold: first, we will focus on contemporary challenges that managers and entrepreneurs in food and beverage businesses should be able to face; and second, we will provide models and tools to design and implement appropriate courses of action to satisfy customers and build an advantage over the competition.

This course is made up of four modules and an introduction, each exploring one dilemma that food and beverage companies face. You will be presented with a set of video lectures and guest speakers. These lectures combine an accessible introduction to specific topics integrated with interviews of managers and experts that will give precious insights and examples to the participants.

To enhance your learning experience with us, we will make a Documentary on the Excellences of the Modena District available for you, which is in a format that we have developed specifically for this course in order to give you the chance to experience first-hand the territory as our on-campus students usually do.

Each module is paired with an evaluated quiz and weekly discussion forums to reflect on the variety of the F&B world, its complexity, and the power of the network that we will build together during the course.

Successful completion of the quizzes is required for a course certificate as explained in the Grading Policy.

Below the guest speakers of the course:

Masterchef Italia Sky – Nils Hartmann, Head of Movie Channels at Sky Italia – www.masterchef.sky.it

Eataly - Paolo Bongiovanni, Marketing Director Italy – www.eataly.net

Berlucchi – Paolo Ziliani, Owner – www.berlucchi.it

Joia Restaurant – Alta Cucina Naturale – Pietro Leemann, Owner and Chef – www.joia.it

Branca – Nicolò Branca, Owner – www.branca.it

Barilla – Giuseppe Morici, President Region Europe – www.barilla.com

Proyecto Expo 2015 Chile – Guillermo Ariztia, Chile Pavillon Director – www.expomilan.cl

Winery Il Cavallante, Milano – Sergio Morpurgo, Owner

Heineken – Floris Cobelens, Marketing Director – www.heineken.com

TRDN – Martin Oetting, Managing Director – www.trnd.com

GROM – Federico Grom, Owner and Founder – www.grom.it/en

Tetra Pak – Matthew Hatton, Director Competitor Intelligence – www.tetrapak.com

BioHombre – Matteo Panini, CEO – www.hombre.it

Acetaia Maletti – Carmen & Claudio Maletti

Cantine Riunite & CIV – Vanni Lusetti, CEO; Francesca Benini, Sales & Marketing Manager; Elena Lottici, Export Manager; Mario Vandi, Brand Manager – www.riunite.it

GlemGas – Marco Guerzoni, Program Product Manager – www.glemgas.com

Bibendum Catering – LaFranceschetta58 – Sabrina Lazzereschi & Marta Pulini, Owners and Founders – www.bibendumcatering.it , www.franceschetta58.it

DISCLAIMER - Since most of the videos are conducted with those whose native language is not English, we have decided to sometimes preserve their more emphatic speech to keep a tighter match between the audio and the subtitles.

What's inside

Syllabus

Products vs. Markets

How products generate value for the customer and how customers value products and their quality.

Tradition vs. Innovation

The role of tradition and innovation along the customer experience in the food and beverage industry. The value of brands in the tradition and innovation dilemma.

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Explores the complexities of the food and beverage industry, catering to learners interested in understanding the inner workings of this dynamic sector

Provides models and tools to design and implement effective strategies, equipping learners with practical knowledge for the industry

Presents a combination of video lectures and guest speakers, offering a range of perspectives from industry professionals

Emphasizes the balance between tradition and innovation, reflecting the evolving nature of the food and beverage industry

Covers the dynamics of local and global markets, providing insights for navigating the challenges and opportunities in international trade

Addresses the advantages and considerations of different business sizes, helping learners make informed decisions in a competitive market

Reviews summary

Insights from f&b industry leaders

According to learners, this course provides a useful framework and broad overview of key management challenges in the Food & Beverage industry, particularly highlighting the tensions like Local vs. Global and Tradition vs. Innovation. A significant positive is the inclusion of insights from numerous industry leaders through guest speaker interviews, which many found invaluable and brought the topics to life. However, some students felt the course content could lack depth and was sometimes superficial, particularly for those seeking more advanced or practical tools. There were also mentions of technical issues with video and audio quality, affecting the guest lectures. Overall, the course is seen as a solid introduction rather than a deep dive.

Split views on practical vs. theoretical focus.

"Expected more actionable advice."

"Didn't provide practical tools as promised."

"More about industry anecdotes from famous people."

Dilemma-based format provides a good overview.

"Really enjoyed the structure based on dilemmas."

"Provided a useful framework for thinking about the industry."

"A solid foundation. Covered the key tensions well."

Valued contributions from top F&B professionals.

"Absolutely brilliant course. The insights from industry leaders were invaluable."

"Guest speakers were great."

"The guest speakers brought the topics to life."

"The balance of theory and practical examples from guests was excellent."

Some problems with video, audio, and subtitles noted.

"Sometimes the video quality was a bit rough, as noted in the disclaimer."

"Found this course unhelpful. The video quality was poor, subtitles were often mismatched."

"Guest interviews were insightful but sometimes hard to follow due to audio/accent issues (as warned)."

Content sometimes felt basic or superficial.

"Expected a bit more depth on financial aspects."

"The content felt a bit basic at times for someone with prior experience."

"The topics felt superficial."

"Felt like an introduction rather than a deep dive into management."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Food & Beverage Management with these activities:

Read 'The Food Revolution'

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Gain insights into the transformative power of food by reviewing 'The Food Revolution' and its exploration of sustainability, health, and ethical considerations in the food industry.

View The Food Revolution: How Your Diet Can Save... on Amazon

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Learn Data Analysis Techniques

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Expand your data analysis skills through guided tutorials to support data-driven decision-making in the food and beverage industry.

Browse courses on Data Analysis

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Enroll in online tutorials or courses
Practice data analysis using industry-relevant datasets
Attend workshops or webinars on data analysis techniques

Participate in Discussion Forums

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Engage with your peers by actively participating in discussion forums to gain diverse perspectives and deepen your understanding of course concepts.

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Read and respond to discussion prompts
Ask questions and share insights
Collaborate with peers on projects or assignments (optional)

Four other activities

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Show all seven activities

Analyze Case Studies

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Develop your critical thinking and problem-solving skills by analyzing case studies of real-world food and beverage businesses.

Browse courses on Case Study Analysis

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Read and understand the case study
Identify key issues and challenges
Develop and evaluate potential solutions
Present your analysis and recommendations

Develop a Marketing Plan

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Put your marketing knowledge into practice by developing a marketing plan for a hypothetical food or beverage product.

Browse courses on Marketing Plan Development

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Develop marketing strategies
Define your target audience
Establish marketing objectives
Create a marketing budget
Evaluate and refine your plan

Develop a Food or Beverage Product Concept

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Embark on a hands-on project to develop a novel food or beverage product concept, applying the principles and insights gained throughout the course.

Browse courses on Product Development

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Identify a market opportunity
Brainstorm product ideas
Develop a prototype
Test and refine your product
Create a business plan (optional)

Participate in a Food or Beverage Industry Competition

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Challenge yourself by participating in a food or beverage industry competition to showcase your skills, connect with professionals, and gain valuable feedback.

Browse courses on Networking

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Research and identify relevant competitions
Prepare your submission
Attend the competition
Network with industry professionals
Reflect on your experience and identify areas for improvement

Career center

Learners who complete Food & Beverage Management will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Food and Beverage Manager

A Food and Beverage Manager is responsible for the daily operations of a food and beverage establishment. These leaders ensure that food and beverage services meet the needs of customers and that the establishment is profitable. This course may help those who aspire to work as a Food and Beverage Manager because it provides the knowledge and tools to succeed in the management of such an establishment.

See salaries and explore the career path for Food and Beverage Manager

Restaurant General Manager

The Restaurant General Manager oversees the entire operation of a restaurant or food service establishment. Their responsibilities include food safety management, marketing, and hiring. This course may be useful to those aspiring to work as a Restaurant General Manager, as it provides a foundational knowledge of the challenges a manager faces in the food and beverage industry.

See salaries and explore the career path for Restaurant General Manager

Beverage Director

A Beverage Director manages the beverage program of a restaurant, bar, or other establishment. This course is an excellent fit as it provides a deep foundation in beverage products and managing beverage services and programs.

See salaries and explore the career path for Beverage Director

Food and Beverage Director

A Food and Beverage Director is in charge of planning, organizing, and directing the food and beverage services of a hospitality establishment. This course would be useful to those who want to become Food and Beverage Directors because it covers the key challenges that they will face in this role.

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Hospitality Manager

A Hospitality Manager plans, organizes, and directs lodging and other hospitality services for guests. This course may be helpful to those aspiring to become Hospitality Managers as it will provide a strong foundation in the industry.

See salaries and explore the career path for Hospitality Manager

Food Scientist

Food Scientists are responsible for developing new food products and improving existing ones. This course may help prepare those interested in Food Science for success by providing a deep foundation in the dynamics of the food and beverage industry.

See salaries and explore the career path for Food Scientist

Food and Beverage Technologist

Food and Beverage Technologists apply scientific and technical principles to the development and production of a wide variety of food and beverage products. This course will likely be useful to those interested in this role as it will help build a foundation in the food and beverage industry.

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Chef

Chefs plan and prepare meals in restaurants, cafeterias, and other establishments. They oversee the preparation and presentation of food and ensure that it meets quality standards. This course may be useful to those who wish to become a Chef as it covers the challenges of the food and beverage industry.

See salaries and explore the career path for Chef

Bartender

Bartenders serve alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages to customers in bars, restaurants, and other establishments. This course may be useful to those who wish to become a Bartender as it covers the specific challenges of beverage services.

See salaries and explore the career path for Bartender

Waiter

Waiters take orders for food and beverages from customers, serve food and beverages, and provide customer service in restaurants and other establishments. This course may provide a strong foundation in the industry, which would be helpful for a Waiter.

See salaries and explore the career path for Waiter

Food and Beverage Buyer

Food and Beverage Buyers purchase food and beverage items for restaurants, hotels, and other establishments. This course may be helpful to those who wish to become a Food and Beverage Buyer because it will build a foundation in the industry.

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Food and Beverage Distributor

Food and Beverage Distributors are responsible for transporting and distributing food and beverage products from manufacturers to wholesalers, retailers, and other food service establishments. This course may be useful to those who wish to become a Food and Beverage Distributor as it will provide a strong foundation in the industry.

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Food and Beverage Sales Representative

Food and Beverage Sales Representatives sell food and beverage products to various customers, including restaurants, hotels, and grocery stores. This course may be useful to those who wish to become a Food and Beverage Sales Representative as it will build a foundational understanding of the challenges faced in the food and beverage industry.

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Food and Beverage Consultant

Food and Beverage Consultants provide advice to businesses in the food and beverage industry. This course may be helpful to those aspiring to become a Food and Beverage Consultant, as it will help build a solid understanding of the industry and its challenges.

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Food and Beverage Photographer

Food and Beverage Photographers are responsible for capturing images of food and beverages for use in marketing and advertising campaigns. This course may be useful to those who aspire to become Food and Beverage Photographers, as it will help build a foundation in the food and beverage industry and a deeper understanding of the products.

See salaries and explore the career path for Food and Beverage Photographer