{"id":22377,"date":"2017-11-14T15:45:54","date_gmt":"2017-11-14T20:45:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/digital.hbs.edu\/platform-rctom\/submission\/keeping-bees-buzzing-haagen-dazs-ice-cream\/"},"modified":"2017-11-14T15:49:02","modified_gmt":"2017-11-14T20:49:02","slug":"keeping-bees-buzzing-haagen-dazs-ice-cream","status":"publish","type":"hck-submission","link":"https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-rctom\/submission\/keeping-bees-buzzing-haagen-dazs-ice-cream\/","title":{"rendered":"Keeping Bees Buzzing: H\u00e4agen-Dazs Ice Cream"},"content":{"rendered":"

Disappearing Bees<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Bees are the unsung heroes of our food supply. As insect pollinators, bees (honey bees, bumble bees, stingless bees, etc.) help pollinate more than 85% of the world\u2019s flowering plants and one-third of the world\u2019s crops, generating $20B in value to U.S. agriculture.[1]<\/a> Bees are particularly important to H\u00e4agen-Dazs, where they impact 20+ flavors of ice cream through their use in the pollination of blueberries, strawberries, almonds, and other ingredients.<\/p>\n

However, the U.S. bumble bee population has declined about 90% since the late 1990s and disappeared from 15 of 28 states.[2]<\/a> Scientists have identified two main causes for the population decline \u2013 habitat erosion driven by climate change[3]<\/a> and high pesticide usage.[4]<\/a> Because of changes in the timing of seasons and temperatures, bee species have been facing food scarcity and retreating from their historic geographic ranges to higher elevations.[5]<\/a><\/p>\n

Recognizing the severity of the problem, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service added bumblebees to the endangered species list in January 2017.[6]<\/a> This was a stark wake up call for the commercial industries that rely heavily on crops pollinated by bees.<\/p>\n

A dwindling bee population directly threatens H\u00e4agen-Dazs\u2019 supply chain \u2013 fewer bees means fewer nuts, fresh fruits and berries for a scoop of rocky road, vanilla swiss almond or strawberry ice cream. [7]<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

H\u00e4agen-Dazs Responds<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

H\u00e4agen-Dazs first identified challenges for bee populations in 2008, five years before Time magazine featured \u201cA World Without Bees\u201d on its front page.[8]<\/a> The company established the \u201cH\u00e4agen-Dazs Loves Honey\u201d program, focusing its effort on research and education. Since then, it has donated more than $1M, supporting bee research at UC Davis and Penn State, a half-acre bee \u201cfriendly\u201d garden for demonstrations, and a Gardner Certification program to educate the public on supporting bee populations.[9]<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
“Bee Garden” on UC Davis Campus<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Having initially focused on research efforts, H\u00e4agen-Dazs is now extending its work to supporting interventions on behalf of an almond supplier in California Central Valley. Joining forces with the non-profit environmental organization Xerces Society, in April 2017 H\u00e4agen-Dazs unveiled 6.5 miles of \u201cbee-friendly\u201d hedgerow and 11,000 native drought-tolerant shrubs and plants.\u00a0At 850 acres, it is the largest permanent hedgerow habitat in the US with 12 varieties of plants native to the farm, and serves as a constant, reliable food source for bees and other pollinators.[10]<\/a><\/p>\n

In the short term, H\u00e4agen-Dazs is monitoring the impact of the hedgerow and spreading the mission to its consumers through its website and a virtual reality \u201cbee experience\u201d. The film takes the viewer on a journey from the perspective of a bee; it was selected as a grant recipient for HTC Vive\u2019s VR for Impact Program and is currently available for download at HTC\u2019s app store for virtual reality.[11]<\/a> In the longer term, H\u00e4agen-Dazs has not made any specific commitments but expects to develop more custom bee-habitats on behalf of its suppliers to ensure continued production.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Other Opportunities and Open Questions<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

H\u00e4agen-Dazs can capitalize on the work it has already done by engaging the public and increasing awareness to bring about more sweeping change. Cheerios, for example, launched a campaign called \u201c#BringBacktheBees\u201d to motivate people across America to plant wildflower seeds in their backyards \u2013 within one week Cheerios gave away 1.5B seeds.[12]<\/a> In line with Cheerios\u2019 consumer-oriented approach, H\u00e4agen-Dazs can tie their bee efforts directly with the products their consumers buy (e.g. changing the packaging, one seed per pint campaign, etc.). This would not only help elevate their brand, but also activate other advocates for sustainable agriculture.<\/p>\n

In the medium term, and in conjunction with other companies facing similar threats, H\u00e4agen-Dazs can also work with policymakers to introduce legislation that restricts the use of pesticides near bee-habitats. Alternatively, they can choose to work only with suppliers that use sustainable practices or teach their current suppliers best practices. Finally, H\u00e4agen-Dazs should conduct a risk-assessment to determine the longer-term threat in the U.S. and globally, exploring alternative supply sources (e.g. indoor farming).<\/p>\n

Going forward, there are several key questions for H\u00e4agen-Dazs. Aside from supply chain concerns, a strong motivator behind H\u00e4agen-Dazs\u2019 initiatives is good PR; rather than starting with bees, should the Company have focused its efforts on ingredients in ice cream more associated with their product (e.g. dairy products)? Should they take a more public stand against non-sustainable farmers or keep their message exclusively positive? Lastly, is H\u00e4agen-Dazs spending enough resources on their current efforts, or is there more opportunity to profitably support bee populations and influence consumer behavior?<\/p>\n

(Word count: 754)<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

[1]<\/a> “Here’s The Buzz On H\u00e4agen-Dazs’ Plan To Protect Honeybees”. 2017.\u00a0Greenbiz<\/i>. https:\/\/www.greenbiz.com\/article\/heres-buzz-haagen-dazs-plan-protect-honeybees<\/p>\n

[2]<\/a> “Bombus Affinis (Rusty Patched Bumble Bee)”. 2017.\u00a0Iucnredlist.Org<\/i>. http:\/\/www.iucnredlist.org\/details\/44937399\/0.<\/p>\n

[3]<\/a>\u00a0Kerr, J. T., A. Pindar, P. Galpern, et al. Jul 2015. Science. “Climate Change Impacts On Bumblebees Converge Across Continents.”<\/p>\n

[4]<\/a> Baron, Gemma L., Vincent A. A. Jansen, Mark J. F. Brown, and Nigel E. Raine.\u00a0Aug 2017. Nature. “Pesticide Reduces Bumblebee Colony Initiation And Increases Probability Of Population Extinction.”<\/p>\n

[5]<\/a> “Bumble Bees Being Crushed By Climate Change”. 2017.\u00a0Science | AAAS<\/i>. http:\/\/www.sciencemag.org\/news\/2015\/07\/bumble-bees-being-crushed-climate-change.<\/p>\n

[6]<\/a>\u00a0Greshkow, Michael. Mar 2017. National Geographic. “First U.S. Bumblebee Officially Listed As Endangered”.\u00a0 https:\/\/news.nationalgeographic.com\/2017\/03\/bumblebees-endangered-extinction-united-states\/.<\/p>\n

[7]<\/a>\u00a0Apr 2015. “The Haagen-Dazs\u00ae Brand Announces Partnership With The Xerces Society For Invertebrate Conservation In New Effort To Help Bees”.\u00a0Prnewswire.Com<\/i>. https:\/\/www.prnewswire.com\/news-releases\/the-haagen-dazs-brand-announces-partnership-with-the-xerces-society-for-invertebrate-conservation-in-new-effort-to-help-bees-300068854.html.<\/p>\n

[8]<\/a> Walsh, Bryan. 2013. “The Plight Of The Honeybee”.\u00a0TIME.Com<\/i>. http:\/\/content.time.com\/time\/magazine\/article\/0,9171,2149141-6,00.html.<\/p>\n

[9]<\/a>\u00a0“H\u00e4agen-Dazs Loves Honey Bees | Bee Informed Partnership”. 2012.\u00a0Beeinformed.Org<\/i>. https:\/\/beeinformed.org\/2012\/03\/19\/3651\/.<\/p>\n

[10]<\/a> Newswire, MultiVu. 2017. “The H\u00e4agen-Dazs Brand\u00ae Digs Into Sustainable Agriculture, Helps Bees Thrive With Creation Of Pollinator Habitats”.\u00a0Multivu<\/i>. https:\/\/www.multivu.com\/players\/English\/8075051-haagen-dazs-sustainable-agriculture-bees-pollinator-habitats\/.<\/p>\n

[11]<\/a> “Haagen-Dazs Honey Bee Virtual Reality Experience”. 2017.\u00a0Http:\/\/Www.Nestleusa.Com<\/i>. https:\/\/www.nestleusa.com\/media\/pressreleases\/haagen-dazs-virtual-reality-honey-bee-experience-vr-for-impact-program.<\/p>\n

[12]<\/a>\u00a0Editorial Board. 2017. “A Bumbled Campaign: General Mills Gets Stung For Its Attempt To Save Bees”.\u00a0Chicagotribune.Com<\/i>. http:\/\/www.chicagotribune.com\/news\/opinion\/editorials\/ct-bees-wildflower-seeds-cheerios-0327-20170323-story.html.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

How H\u00e4agen-Dazs is reviving bee populations to support its suppliers of critical ice cream ingredients<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10173,"featured_media":22432,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","categories":[1745,1218,2001,1747,1991],"class_list":["post-22377","hck-submission","type-hck-submission","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bees","category-climate-change","category-ice-cream","category-pollination","category-sustainable-agriculture","hck-taxonomy-organization-haagen-dazs","hck-taxonomy-industry-food-and-beverage","hck-taxonomy-country-united-states"],"connected_submission_link":"https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-rctom\/assignment\/rc-tom-challenge-2017\/","yoast_head":"\nKeeping Bees Buzzing: H\u00e4agen-Dazs Ice Cream - Technology and Operations Management<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/d3.harvard.edu\/platform-rctom\/submission\/keeping-bees-buzzing-haagen-dazs-ice-cream\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Keeping Bees Buzzing: H\u00e4agen-Dazs Ice Cream - 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