The Laduree Franchise in Belgium

| |EXE 4 |

| |Marie CLAUDEL |

| |Bianca Patricia MARIN |

| |Sophie RIBER |

The LADUREE macarons in BELGIUM

[pic]

European management

2010/2011

I. Introduction 2

II. Brief discussion of the country’s relevant history 2

III. Geographical setting 3

A. Location 3

B. Climate 4

C. Topography 4

IV. Social institutions 4

A. Family 4

1. The nuclear family 4

2. The extended family 5

3. Dynamics of the family 5

4. Female/male roles (changing or static?) 5

B. Education 6

C. Political system 9

1. Special taxes 9

2. Role of local government 10

D. Legal system 10

1. Organization of the judiciary system 10

2. Marketing Laws 11

E. Social organizations 11

1. Group behavior 11

2. Social classes 11

3. Race, ethnicity, and subcultures 11

F. Business customs and practices 11

IV. Religion and aesthetics 13

A. Religion and other belief systems 13

B. Aesthetics 14

1. Visual arts 14

2. Folklore and relevant symbols 15

VI. Living conditions 15

A. Diet and nutrition 15

B. Clothing 15

VII. Language 16

VIII. Executive summary 16

Introduction

You Say Macaroons, We Say Macarons. A market survey, made in Belgium in January 2007, has shown that the hottest trends, whether fashion or cuisine, often begin in big cities. Dessert right then was all about macarons. Not macaroons, that are traditionally encased in coconut. No, we are talking about the very French macaron, which is like a colorful little sandwich made by a pastry chef. It’s a soft, airy and chewy pastry that holds a layer of something flavorful and rich, like a chocolate ganache, or a flavored buttercream. The macaron combines the best of all the trends—it’s a small bite, with a lot of flavor, and it is unusual enough (not to mention pricey enough—one little macaron can cost 3euros) to be a...