On April 20th, representatives from the 50 member organizations of IFMA’s Supply Chain Optimization (SCO) development board gathered in Chicago for the second of four in-person meetings. The development board continues to progress in developing a best practice framework and model that will be used by the operator, manufacturer and distribution communities in creating a more efficient and effective supply chain.
During the day-long session, more than 80 individuals on the board broke into small groups to refine the definition of Foodservice Supply Chain Optimization, which is:
- A collaborative, transparent process and toolkit that consistently delivers the right product, in the right quantity, at the right price, to the right place, at the right time, to ultimately delight the consumer.
Next, the group was charged with identifying supply chain needs as they apply to each of the key stakeholders; to/from Distributor, to/from Operator, to/from Manufacturer. The board also identified supply chain barriers and brainstormed potential solutions to these barriers.
The SCO development board has made tremendous strides, but the work is not yet done. The third meeting will take place Wednesday, June 28 in Chicago, focusing on data and communication tools. To learn about the outputs of the development board to-date, check out the infographic below. For more information on SCO, please contact Becky Conroy at becky@ifmaworld.com.