Don’t Let Supply Chain Problems
Threaten Your Business
As the food and drink supply chain
becomes more complex, manufacturers
need clear and transparent processes to
ensure products meet demand for quality
and traceability, says Lucy Pamment,
product manager at supply chain
technology specialist, Access Group.
Crises, like the availability issue that
engulfed fast-food giant KFC and hygiene
scandal impacting customers of meat
supplier Russell Hume, show just how
quickly supply chain problems can escalate.
On top of lost sales, or the upheaval of
recalling products, it can be extremely
difficult for manufacturers to win back
customer confidence, whether it’s that of
the retailer or end-consumer.
Nightmare scenarios like these
underline the importance of being able
to demonstrate traceability for every
ingredient – something that is now
possible using supply chain software.
It’s one of the reasons why it’s become
an essential tool for forward-thinking
manufacturers, like frozen pasta supplier,
Pasta Concepts, which uses Access
software to ensure product information is
accurate, up-to-date and easily available.
But this technology is not just a safeguard
in case things go wrong; it is also helping
businesses improve operational efficiency
and drive down costs. Even simple tasks,
like being able to carry out stocktakes in
real-time, can save countless hours and
thousands of pounds per year.
One example is Burts Potato Chips, which
implemented Access SupplyChain ERP as
it embarked on an ambitious £20million
growth plan. The platform has enabled
the company to optimise every aspect of
operations, including finance, sales order
processing and purchasing, manufacturing,
warehousing and stock management.
Other food and drink manufacturers have
reported similar successes. Specialist
tea producer, Ringtons, which supplies
18 FDPP - www.fdpp.co.uk
to retailers like M&S, Waitrose and
Sainsbury’s, is using Access software
to offer customer full traceability, while
strengthening its financial position.
LycoRed, global vitamin and mineral premix
supplier, has also seen tangible benefits
since deploying our production scheduling
software, for instance, it is saving two days
of admin time per week by automating its
production planning.
Anyone in the competitive
food and drink industry
understands the
challenges of dealing
with perishable goods,
especially when there are
so many manufacturers in
the chain, some of whom
may be overseas.
While issues of
availability, safety,
hygiene and/or legal
compliance won’t go
away, supply chain
software helps to ensure reputable
manufacturers can deliver consistently
high quality products as efficiently as
possible.
For more details on Access Group,
including information on its
supply chain software, visit
www.theaccessgroup.com