Oct 08, 2026 by Offer

OC&C Asia Expansion Case 2027: How to Evaluate Markets

For the OC&C Asia expansion case — "Our client is a European grocery chain considering expansion into Asia. Which country should they enter first?" — evaluate candidate countries on market opportunity, competitive landscape, operating environment, and entry economics. The evaluation that works compares countries on identical criteria and recommends one, with the trade-offs stated openly.

What This Question Assesses in an OC&C Asia Expansion Case

This case is commonly reported by candidates and tests whether you can compare highly diverse markets without drowning in complexity. Asia is not one market — Japan, India, and Vietnam differ on almost every dimension that matters to a grocer. The interviewer is watching for disciplined comparison: can you pick the criteria that matter for grocery retail specifically, apply them consistently, and reach a reasoned recommendation? Candidates commonly report that generic country analysis (GDP, population) without retail-specific thinking scores poorly.

How to Evaluate Markets in This OC&C Asia Expansion Case

Choose grocery-relevant criteria, then compare.

Market opportunity: Size the modern grocery opportunity per country — urbanisation, middle-class growth, and the shift from traditional wet markets to modern retail. A large population means little if modern grocery penetration is structurally blocked.
Competitive landscape: Map the incumbents in each candidate country — local champions, other international entrants, and the strength of traditional trade. Look for where a European operator's advantages (supply chain, private label, store formats) actually differentiate.
Operating environment: Assess the practicalities — foreign ownership rules, real estate availability, cold chain infrastructure, and cultural fit of the assortment. Grocery is operationally intense; these factors can dominate the decision.
Entry economics and recommendation: Compare investment, payback, and risk per country. Recommend one country, name the two or three decisive factors, and flag the biggest risk plus how you would mitigate it.

Example line: "I would compare candidate countries on modern-grocery growth, the strength of local incumbents, operating constraints like foreign ownership rules, and payback — then recommend the country where our supply chain edge transfers most cleanly."

Common Mistakes With the OC&C Asia Expansion Case

Treating Asia as one market. Candidates commonly report that interviewers penalise answers that generalise across the region. Country-by-country comparison is the entire task.
Using generic country attractiveness criteria. GDP growth alone says little about grocery opportunity. Tailor every criterion to what a grocery chain actually needs.
Forgetting the entry mode. The country choice and the entry mode (joint venture, acquisition, greenfield) interact — a difficult operating environment may argue for a local partner rather than a different country.

Cases are won on structured thinking under pressure — drill this framework aloud until the structure flows without notes.

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FAQ

How many countries should I compare? Two or three. Ask the interviewer if they have a shortlist in mind; if not, propose a sensible spread (for example, one mature, one high-growth, one frontier) and compare those.

Should I recommend a specific entry mode? Yes, briefly. The country recommendation is the core answer, but noting whether a joint venture or greenfield fits the chosen market shows completeness.

What if I know nothing about Asian grocery markets? Say so and work from first principles plus interviewer data. Structured ignorance — knowing what you would need to find out — is a valid and respected approach.

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