This case study tells the story of the gourmet olive oil company Castillo de Canena highlighting the professional career developments of its protagonists. It focuses on Rosa Vañó who just before her 40th birthday left an executive role at Coca-Cola to manage a new family business line in the olive oil company with her brother. She had given up what promised to be a brilliant career to take up a new professional challenge in a small company that is fast becoming her personal dream. It shows the dilemmas of such a decision and details the first successes and failures.

The case puts the student into the picture with graphs and audiovisuals in depth interviews of the transformation of the company the people and their future challenges. It also includes the description of the strategy formulation process followed by the Vañó siblings as well as of their first strategic plan. It concludes with Rosa and Francisco Vañó reflecting on the future of the company. The economic crisis and the proliferation of new products have made it more difficult to achieve success through a differentiation strategy. In this context they have received an offer to buy the company which has both strategic and personal implications: Should they sell the company? Should they make the career shift from owners to managers?

This case study can be taught as part of core MBA subjects like Organizational Behavior about career management and career transition. The case has been particularly useful in Organizational Behavior modules designed for experienced audiences, since they are more likely to be receptive to the career transition story described in the case.

This cases provides a description of the evolution of the family company Castillo de Canena Olive Juice. This company started its operations in 2003 when the founders (Rosa y Francisco Vañó) decided to change their successful career in multinational companies and create their own company inside their family business (Castillo de Canena). The case explains the process of developing their differentiation strategy and the different steps in order to modernize and innovate the company. The last part of the case asks questions about the success factors.

This case tries to help students to analyze the design and execution of a differentiation strategy in a small family business. It also allows them to discuss the different challenges managers affront while deciding on their career path and turn themselves into entrepreneurs.