Articles

Food Logistics

Grocery Shortages: The Worm in the Apple
| | |

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 More
Troy Prothero
| | | |

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, […]

Read More
Things Go Better with Bulk
| | |

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, […]

Read More
BREA Wine Company Raises a Glass to Logistics
| | |

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.

Read More
Groceries Give Warehouse Automation A Lift
| | |

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 […]

Read More
Vertical Focus | Beer, Wine & Spirits
|

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 […]

Read More
Vertical Focus | Agriculture
| | |

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 […]

Read More
| | |

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 […]

Read More