Chapter 1 - The shock

Henry, CEO, launched a meeting for tomorrow 2pm. He is running a food industry company, in the old economy. With employees, clients, plants, in a word: a traditional business. The company was doing well, but for Henry, the future wasn't as bright as it appeared at first. He had received a mail from the shareholders compelling him to meet high financial goals for the 5 coming years. So he told his secretary "Debby, would you please call every top managers for a meeting tomorrow at 2pm! And let them know I want them all to be in and on time"
"Yes of course, sir" said Debby.

The following day, all the managers were present: sales, production, marketing, research and development (R&D), and of course finance. All men and all of course male chauvinists: husbands at work and wives at home. It was really a business from the old economy, very classical and traditional.

Henry greeted them and said: "Gentlemen, we are heading severe difficulties in the coming times." No one could understand. Sales were very good and the company was profitable. "I can see you don't see what all this is about. Our whole industry is under a great pressure from the FDA here in the US, but also from the European Commission and even now from the Chinese government. They accuse us of being responsible for the high obesity rate in their countries. And they summon us to act. If we don't, we'll be sued and probably fined, it'll tarnish our reputation and our sales could well drop severely. This is not possible. It is such an important and vital issue. So we are here to find solutions. The word is yours Gentlemen !"

There was a long and heavy silence around the table. All were shocked. Every manager had his hands on this belly, asking to himself, what could he say or do. And it seams the longer the manager was working for the company, the rounder was his belly; as if the profit the company was making, showed on the top managers waist line.

"I can't here you" Henry said. "No idea? But look at you! Easy times are over. We can't just sit here, waiting for profit to come in and sales to grow by themselves, fattening yourselves and the shareholders! It's time to have ideas, innovate! Otherwise we'll die. We'll be fat and dead.
You know there are good and bad profits, as there are good and bad fat or cholesterol. A good profit is a profit you work for. A good fat is made of weight you've decided to gain. A good cholesterol is made of a certain type of food you've chosen to eat "

The shock was really big for all.