Business Wars

It’s late 2020 and the first vaccines are going into arms across the world.

With supplies tight, the nations of the world are pushing and shoving to get their shots, and investors are salivating at the thought of the profits to be made now that humanity’s got Covid’s on the run.

But this virus isn’t going down without a fight. And in South Africa, one geneticist is about to make an alarming discovery.

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It’s fall 2020 and the world’s waiting for the first results from the vaccine trials.

But as the moment of truth nears, the pressure on the vaccine makers intensifies.

And while AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson get hit with curveballs, Pfizer finds itself caught in the crossfire of the U.S. Presidential election.

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It’s summer 2020 and with Covid infections surging across America, the Trump administration’s ready to spend billions to get a vaccine fast.

For vaccine makers — who face the enormous costs of rapidly upscaling manufacturing and pushing their shots through large-scale human trials — the government funding is a lifeline.

But as the push to create vaccines hits warp speed, there’s a growing need to reassure the public that science, not politics, is in the driver’s seat.

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It’s February 2020 and drugmaker Moderna’s sprinting ahead – its Covid vaccine is already poised to enter human trials.

But Moderna and its rivals know plenty of vaccines never make it out of trials alive. It’s also going to take a lot of manufacturing muscle to inoculate the world. All of which costs a lot of moolah.

And if the vaccine makers can’t secure a deep-pocketed partner in time, they’re going to get disqualified from the race.

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It’s 25 years before the pandemic and at the University of Pennsylvania a Hungarian biochemist is fighting a one-woman campaign to figure out how to create mRNA vaccines.

But no one wants to fund her research and every lab rat she injects with mRNA dies.

Now, she must decide between her career and her belief in mRNA’s medical potential. And her choice will change the world.

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It’s early January 2020, and a mysterious new virus is overtaking the city of Wuhan, China.

At first the outbreak barely makes the news, but as the threat comes into focus, scientists spring into action to make a vaccine. But the outlook’s grim – vaccines take years to create, test and approve. No one expects one to arrive anytime soon.

But for two ambitious biotech start-ups, this is a chance to show the world what their cutting-edge tech can do.

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After decades in KFC’s shadow, Chick-fil-A rode a wave of chicken sandwich obsession to industry dominance. But for how long? Will consumers tire of the relative simplicity of fried chicken in between two pieces of bread? For more on the emergence of the chicken sandwich as fast food’s favorite son, we speak to Nick Wiger — writer, comedian, and host of the Doughboys podcast. Wiger gets to the bottom of the chicken trend, speculates on what’s next at the drive-thru, and discusses whether or not plant-based protein has a place on the menu.

Pre-order our new book The Art of Business Wars now before it is released on April 13.

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Our new book, The Art of Business Wars, takes fans through stories they've heard on Business Wars and some that are completely new. Host David Brown is joined by Next Big Idea's Rufus Griscom to discuss how the book came together, what makes a great Business Wars story, and preview some of the never-before-seen rivalries sure to thrill long-time listeners. 

The Art of Business Wars is available now from all major booksellers.

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-next-big-idea/id1482067226

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It’s the the early 2000’s and the animal rights group PETA accuses KFC of cruelty in their poultry processing and creating “Frankenchickens.” As KFC revenues tumble, Chick-fil-A surges ahead, cultivating fanatic customers with opening day parties and lavish food giveaways. But when President Dan Cathy makes controversial remarks against same-sex marriage, Chick-fil-A becomes a battleground. Meanwhile, Popeyes new CEO reverses the chain’s long downward slide by returning the company to its Louisiana roots. He introduces snappy new advertising and Cajun recipes, including the company’s first fried chicken sandwich. Rising to the challenge, Chick-fil-A attacks their rival with some savvy twitter swordplay over whose sandwich reigns supreme. The ensuing social media frenzy inspires a nationwide rush on both chains, but KFC is left out in the cold. Then the great sandwich wars of 2019 help bring about a shocking upset in the world of southern fried fowl, just as all the players begin to plan for a more sustainable, less meat-heavy future. 

Pre-order our new book The Art of Business Wars now before it is released on April 13.

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It’s the 1970’s and Kentucky Fried Chicken has yet another new owner: Heublein, the company known for introducing Americans to Smirnoff’s vodka. But KFC brand ambassador Harland Sanders creates a PR fiasco by accusing his new corporate bosses of letting standards slide and ruining the company. As the recession and Sanders wrath hammer revenues, the chain radically changes course, and commits to a “Re-colonelization,” reinstating many of Sanders’ original recipes, and reinvesting in its disenchanted franchisees. Kentucky Fried Chicken surges just as Chick-fil-A makes a series of fatal errors; they lose millions in a marketing misstep, and take on debt to expand rapidly in shopping centers. As the recession deepens, and consumers as well as developers shun malls, Chick-fil-A faces financial ruin. Meanwhile, Popeyes has his own debt-fueled misadventures. Owner Al Copeland leans hard into the 1980s junk bond market and attempts to catch up with KFC by leveraging a hostile takeover of Church’s Fried Chicken, with fatal results.

Pre-order our new book The Art of Business Wars now before it is released on April 13.

Listen to new episodes 1 week early and to all episodes ad free with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ for exclusives, binges, early access, and ad free listening. Available in the Wondery App https://wondery.app.link/businesswars.

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