Page 5 - Bigham Case Guide

Case Rationale

This case study Charlie Bighams: The Future of the Ready
Meal is a teaching case providing some help and

interpretation of the information provided .

The ready meal industry is undergoing fundamental
change which is placing extreme pressure on existing

business models. Entrepreneurship and managed growth

are under examination.

Charlie Bigham is an entrepreneur who has successfully

grown his business based upon a set of values that he has

rigorously adhered to.

His industry has faced many threats for example, from the

increasing power of the supermarkets to the horse meat

scandal. Throughout all Charlie Bigham’s has not only
survived but prospered. Partly this is due to his values

which he encapsulated in the following statements:

“I don't like to think of what we do as ready meals actually -

I wanted to make great food without any of the crap in it
which you can cook quickly. I love cooking from scratch,

like a lot of people, but I'm busy, like a lot of people.”

The electronic version of the case study and teaching guide

adds a further dimension to case teaching. Unlike the

paper based case study the electronic version allows