Mead Johnson Nutrition Hong Kong and HKUST Business School Successfully Nurtured New Generation Business Talents

HONG KONG SAR –
Media OutReach – 23 February 2022 – The “Corporate Project” jointly organised by Mead Johnson Nutrition Hong Kong (“Mead Johnson”) and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (“HKUST”) Business School was successfully completed on January 20, 2022. Five student consultants worked in a team to develop a brand-new business proposal that allowed them to apply concepts, knowledge, skills, and methodologies learned from courses.

In accordance with Mead Johnson’s business goal of consumer acquisition, the student consultants identified the pain points and needs of the industry through primary and secondary research, survey, and focus group interviews with real mums during the four-month project period. The tailor-made business proposal for Mead Johnson not only lists out authentic consumer insights, but also provides in-depth analysis of the values, preferences, social media behaviour, as well as perceptions towards parenting of the post-90s generation, who are the potential consumers of the infant and child milk formula category, and provides innovative insights into Mead Johnson’s business.

“Mead Johnson Nutrition Hong Kong is very pleased to cooperate with the prestigious HKUST Business School to nurture the new generation business talents, and to realise our purpose of nourishing the best start in life for children through a deeper understanding of our current and potential consumers. We are inspired by the ideas from the student consultants, especially the innovative and forward-looking marketing strategies generated through interactions with them. They have enabled us to think of innovative ways to drive sustainable business growth. We look forward to seeing these talents shine in the industry in the near future,” said
Chloe Ko, Marketing Director, Hong Kong & Cross Border of Mead Johnson Nutrition (Hong Kong) Limited.

Professor Veronique A. Lafon-Vinais, Executive Director of Career Development & Corporate Outreach at HKUST Business School added, “the student team has impressed me and our corporate partners with their professionalism and dedication to the corporate project. The nature of the project was not easy for them because topics like parenthood and childbearing are not something that these Gen-Z people find relatable to their everyday lives. Nonetheless, they braced themselves for this demanding yet rewarding business consulting project with great support from their project coaches and faculty advisor Professor Coral Puig Garrigo.”

“I have never worked with a Fast-Moving Consumer Goods company before, and this cooperation with Mead Johnson is definitely an eye-opening experience,” said
Ashley Cheung, a final year student majoring in management. “We could hardly imagine how to put ourselves in the shoes of mothers and understand their needs at the beginning. Yet, by conducting focus group interviews with real mums, it allowed us not only to get first-hand feedback, but also to understand the needs of consumers from their perspective to devise an appropriate marketing strategy.”