On May 9, 2025, the Department of Wine and Beverage Business at Hochschule Geisenheim University held its eighth annual Case Study Day. Thirteen students from the International Wine Business, Beverage Technology, and Viticulture and Enology bachelor's programs spent a full day working in teams on practical assignments provided by our long-standing partner companies Rotkäppchen-Mumm and Hawesko Holding.
This year’s Case Study Day focused on two highly relevant, real-world business challenges that offered students the chance to gain valuable hands-on experience. Acting as external consultants, the students worked in mixed teams to develop creative strategies and actionable ideas.
The Geldermann groups were tasked with transforming the wine company’s historic cellar site in Breisach am Rhein into an attractive, year-round destination for visitors. This required coming up with innovative ideas for a location-based brand experience that would enhance the company’s market visibility and strengthen emotional engagement with the brand. The Hawesko groups, on the other hand, dived into the world of innovative product development, coming up with a marketing strategy for a flavored, dealcoholized still or sparkling wine product that would position the product specifically for the B2B off-trade market.
The results of these group sessions were presented in the afternoon and discussed in detail with representatives from the two companies, including Maxi Weber (HR officer at Rotkäppchen-Mumm), Silke Trick (Brand Marketing Manager at Geldermann), Tamme Wallasch (People & Culture Manager at SPARQ Team Eggers & Franke Bremen), Nadja Witte (Head of Corporate People & Culture HR, Hawesko Holding), Julia Samoes (Head of HR, Hawesko), Sharleen Ziemer (Business Development Manager, Wein Wolf Group – Profit Center Selection) and Felix Frommherz (Head of Corporate Brands, Hawesko Holding).
Although the time they had to develop their ideas was limited, the students demonstrated impressive creativity, specialist knowledge, and structured approaches to the set challenges.
Comments from Students
Niklas Schober, a student of International Wine Business: “Insights into the operations of major companies in our industry are extremely valuable, especially when combined with the chance to develop our own ideas. What makes this event particularly special to me is how we were able to receive feedback on an equal footing.”
Teresa Wiemer, a student of International Wine Business: “The challenge of developing a solution in a group in such a short timeframe was intense, but also highly motivational. We felt a great sense of recognition and encouragement when Hawesko invited our group to Hamburg.”
Maria-Christina Scherzberg, a student of International Wine Business: “It was really impressive to see what a motivated team can accomplish in just one day. I had the opportunity to directly apply my knowledge and deepen my practical experience with companies. The day was a real enrichment and motivation for my further studies.”
Roman Nödinger, a student of Viticulture and Enology: “I really enjoyed the Case Study Day. It was really interesting to apply knowledge from our wine marketing lectures using practical examples that reflect current challenges in the wine industry. Learning more about marketing and going through the development of a new product from a marketing perspective was a very valuable experience.”
Companies Value Personal Exchanges with Geisenheim Students
The company representatives were particularly impressed by the commitment and professionalism demonstrated by Geisenheim’s students. The day was marked with an open atmosphere and personal conversations, including at the final get-together that concluded the event.
Maxi Weber from Rotkäppchen-Mumm: “With their analysis and presentation, the students impressively demonstrated their practical and solution-oriented approach to complex issues.”
Wallasch Tamme from SPARQ: “We were particularly impressed by their structured approach, their understanding of market-relevant topics, and their ability to convincingly present substantiated ideas.”
“We have invited students to visit the Geldermann Privatsektkellerei in Breisach to give them the opportunity to take a look behind the scenes of premium sparkling wine production,” notes Silke Trick. “We see this exchange as a valuable bridge between theory and practice and hope that it will provide inspiration for the participants' future careers.”
“It was once again a great honor for us to collaborate with Hochschule Geisenheim University as part of the Case Study Day,” summarized the Rotkäppchen-Mumm team. “We also benefit hugely from the valuable insights and new perspectives we gain through entering dialogs with the students and by coming in close contact with current academic training.”
Nadja Witte of Hawesko Holding: “The Case Study Day is a lively event that offers clear enrichment for the parties involved. It provides students and businesses the opportunity to build connections within the context of a challenging program. At the same time, the linking of theory with current practices creates added value for everyone.”
Julia Samoes of Hawesko: “The Case Study Day is the ideal platform highlighting individual talents. It offers the chance for students to apply their theoretical knowledge in practical contexts and visualize promising projects and products as part of a team.”
The Case Study Day has become a core part of the praxis-oriented degree programs offered at Hochschule Geisenheim University. It offers students the opportunity to work under real-world conditions, gain insights into possible career paths, and establish contacts with potential employers. Hochschule Geisenheim University is very grateful for the support of all the companies involved and looks forward to continuing the format in the coming year.
