Route to Market & Supply Chain Blog
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We are passionate about Route to Market and supply chain management and we are delighted to share our thoughts with you. We would like to hear from you too, so please comment on our posts or contact us.
How good is your Route To Market (RTM) distribution? Take this test!
Dave Jordan Wed, Jun 15, 2011
Whether your business is summer seasonal, e.g. beer, ice cream or you enjoy a relatively flat demand profile one of your key challenges will be to reach your Traditional Trade (TT) consumers. Where TT remains sizable and therefore important, your…
An FMCG Success Story; Focus on Customers and See the Benefits
Dave Jordan Mon, May 09, 2011
Once upon a time there was an FMCG company that I will refer to as “Foresight”. “Foresight” had spent many years and many dollars creating an acknowledged slick inbound Supply Chain. Top class global buying Flexible factory network State of the art…
FMCG Beverages and the World’s Greatest Drinks Salesman!
Dave Jordan Fri, May 06, 2011
As the snow ploughs, sledges and gloves are packed away for another year in the northern hemisphere we enter a key period in the FMCG industry. Beverage consumers are about to get thirsty or at least large numbers of drinks companies hope this is…
Top 10 Supply Chain New Year Resolutions: Making Progress?
Dave Jordan Tue, Apr 19, 2011
So, we have reached April and Q1 is already done and dusted; how were your results? Be honest, did you push, push, push to make last year’s final number and shoot yourself in the foot for Q1? From what I understand very few companies will have had a…
RTM. Hear Mungo Jerry sing about the World’s Greatest Drinks Salesman
Dave Jordan Thu, Apr 14, 2011
Everyone involved in selling any type of beverage looks forward to those hot, hot days of summer when the sun is shining and drinks are moving quickly off shelves and out of coolers. This is a time when sales people can relax a little and let the…
Retailer Logistic Platforms: A Help or Hindrance?
Dave Jordan Fri, Mar 18, 2011
For years producers have sent their products to individual retails stores and endured the seemingly endless waits for an unloading slot plus the inevitable claim “for missing goods”. Why do International Key Account (IKA) retailers have so much…
10 Reasons Why NOT to Evaluate your FMCG/Pharma Route To Market
Dave Jordan Fri, Mar 11, 2011
The reasons and benefits for carrying out a professional review of your Distribution network are well documented. Most of the senior people I meet understand the value of such a programme but there is a sizeable minority holding opposing views.…
Essential Elements of FMCG/Pharma Route To Market (RTM) Success
Dave Jordan Mon, Mar 07, 2011
With Traditional Trade enjoying something of a revival due to the extended recession some savvy companies are sorting out their RTM distribution networks. This will provide an immediate advantage over competitors and once the recession cloud blows…
Enchange Supply Chain Blog of the Year 2011
Michael Thompson Fri, Feb 18, 2011
It’s that time of year. With just over a week to go until the cinematic version, it is time to reflect upon a year of supply chain blogging. Ladies & gentlemen I give you the nominations for the inaugural 2011 Enchange supply chain blogs. Supply…
11 Critical Success Factors for Route To Market Programmes
Michael Thompson Fri, Feb 04, 2011
Trying to get the best out of distributors in some less developed markets is particularly challenging. The traditional non-key account trade is unstructured and characterised by very many players many of whom are opportunists and not interested in…
FMCG Supply Chain - What do all those initials really mean?
Dave Jordan Wed, Feb 02, 2011
Like many business functions Supply Chains use multiple initials and/or acronyms to describe various tasks they manage on a daily basis. Those not familiar with SC-speak will often sit bemused in meetings as various initials are quoted and debated…
Yes, you can work in an FMCG Supply Chain and have a sense of humour
Dave Jordan Mon, Jan 24, 2011
Frankly, if you do not have a sense of humour you will be lost in the Supply Chain. Seldom recognised, under paid, under graded, under stress and most of all, misunderstood. The only real fun is reading the sales force accuracy figures and the…
FMCG International Key Accounts (IKA) and Traditional Trade (TT)
Dave Jordan Tue, Jan 18, 2011
I regularly see headlines about how much the IKA sector has suffered in the recession. Expansion plans curtailed; fewer stores opening; CEE not a boom town now etc etc. The ongoing recession has delayed the onward march of the IKA and I think that…
Top 10 Signs Your Route To Market Distribution Programme Worked!
Dave Jordan Fri, Jan 14, 2011
So you evaluated your distribution network and wait to see the promised results? What changed? You are selling more volume - no, not sales in but real Sales Out – and your bottom line looks far healthier. Your Distributors bring well thought-out and…
Exactly What Does An FMCG RTM Distribution Assessment Deliver?
Dave Jordan Tue, Dec 21, 2010
In the past week I have met two Sales Directors from blue-chip FMCG companies to discuss an assessment review of their RTM network. Surprisingly, neither Director was interested and gave a remarkably aligned reason for this rejection. “All this does…
