Articles
Food Logistics
Pumpkin Spice Pandemonium
Pumpkin spice mania is a fall tradition in the United States. Here’s how seasonality blended with limited supplies jacks up demand.
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VERTICAL FOCUS: Agriculture/Bulk Agriculture Commodities
AG Outlook: Mixed Both clear skies and stormy weather are in the forecast for the agricultural sector. That’s the mixed-bag conclusion from a September 2022 panel discussion at the Ag Outlook Forum in Kansas City, Missouri. The panel of experts—including Kip Tom, former ambassador to the U.N. Food & Agriculture Organization, and Daniel Whitley, administrator […]
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Solving the Unique Challenges of Shipping Perishables
Cold chain shipping requires precision. The best temperature loggers collect and track shipment temperature and identify where and when temperature fluctuations occur. When it comes to cold chain shipping, the challenges associated with supply chain management are magnified because perishable products must be shipped in a carefully controlled environment—during both storage and shipment. According to […]
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Grocery Shortages: The Worm in the Apple
It started with toilet paper. Spurred by the onset of the pandemic, consumers bought toilet paper rolls in droves. Sales of the product rose 60% annually in March 2020, according to the Statista Consumer Market Outlook. On April 19, 2020, toilet paper was out of stock in nearly half of U.S. grocery stores, estimated NCSolutions, […]
Read MoreParts and Parcels
Rony Kordahi is chief operating officer with Parts Town, a distributor of restaurant equipment parts.
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How to Ensure Delight in the Grocery Aisle
Fulfilling customer needs and maintaining their ongoing satisfaction remains a critical priority. Disappointing a customer doesn’t sit well with a retailer or store associate, and that sense of frustration is something retailers should be working to prevent, starting with the following strategic supply chain enhancements. Improve demand forecasting to reduce unwelcome surprises. Typical seasonal products, […]
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Getting Into the Spirit of Things
Alexi Cashen drinks up supply chain challenges by staying centered, and listening and talking to customers with honesty, empathy, and complete transparency.
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Supply Chain Lessons Learned: The Procurement Groove
16 sound procurement lessons you can tune into moving forward.
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Things Go Better with Bulk
Due to shortages delaying—and even halting—transportation, big brands get creative to keep their product and materials moving. For example, Coca-Cola now transports materials in bulk shipping vessels, which are typically used for raw materials such as grain and coal. The beverage company chose the bulk carriers because it could not access containers and cargo space, […]
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BREA Wine Company Raises a Glass to Logistics
BREA Wine Company runs on a lean staff—just one full-time employee. Yet since its launch in 2013, sales at the Berkeley, California-based company have grown by a factor of more than 13. The company’s founders, Tim Elenteny and Chris Brockway, both are employed full-time elsewhere. Elenteny is co-founder of Elenteny Imports, headquartered in New York; Brockway owns Broc Cellars, a winery based in Berkeley, California.
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Food Logistics: Let’s Eat!
The pandemic and shift to home dining and takeout changed the recipe for the food supply chain. Here’s how food companies are devouring new challenges.
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Groceries Give Warehouse Automation A Lift
The global warehouse automation market will grow from $29.6 billion in 2020 to $69 billion in 2025 (see chart), says an Interact Analysis report, largely driven by e-commerce retailers that sell groceries and general merchandise, such as JD.com, Amazon, and Target. Fixed automation, such as automated storage and retrieval systems, conveyors, and conveyor-based sorters, will […]
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Vertical Focus | Beer, Wine & Spirits
Some States in Low Spirits Liquor shortages in several U.S. states will likely continue into 2022, local news outlets report. Bars and restaurants struggle to stock their shelves now that some COVID-19 mandates are lifted and consumers venture back out, and the high demand is straining supply. Three reasons why: 1. State limitations: North Carolina […]
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Vertical Focus | Agriculture
Unearthing the Land of Cotton You can sell unwanted cotton clothes at a garage sale or donate them to avoid landfills, but what about burying them in soil? The Goondiwindi Circular Cotton Project in Australia recently found that old cotton textiles can improve soil quality on farms, potentially unearthing a large-scale circular solution for textile […]
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For Beyond Meat and QSR Brands, Asking “What if?” Will Prevent “What Now?”
The supply chain disruptions of 2020 resulted in a highly challenging year for the quick-service restaurant (QSR) industry. Wendy’s, for instance, ran out of menu items containing beef in almost one-fifth of its restaurants. As a result of the beef shortage, Wendy’s, along with McDonald’s and Burger King, resorted to importing beef during the earlier […]
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From Cornflakes and Cars to Logistics
In the transparent, open, and honest work environment Val Hoge created for DP DHL Supply Chain, teams are empowered, feedback is considered a gift, and even the coaches get coached.
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2021 Summer Reading Guide
When it’s time to absorb your next audiobook or crack open a book this summer, take a dip into this collection of fresh research, actionable advice, and best practices to refresh your supply chain knowledge.
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