LEADING supply chain solutions provider, Manhattan Associates Inc ., now offers its Integrated Planning Solutions for food suppliers in addition to its Integrated Logistics Solutions for food-giving food customers the first single solution provider to offer total supply chain management.
This further increases the ability of food and grocery wholesalers and retailers to tighten their supply chain processes and extend visibility from demand to consumption, effectively minimising inventory levels and ensuring the delivery of fresh goods to customers.
Nearly 100 customers in the food industry utilise the grocery-specific functionality within Manhattan Associates' Supply Chain Solutions.
Hawkeye Foodservice Distribution is a privately owned distributor of foodservice products. Drew Beck, vice president of purchasing and marketing at Hawkeye, said that with Manhattan Associates' Replenishment solution, he can access a real time picture of the company's forecast-ensuring a high level of accuracy.
During a year of over 8% growth he has been able to reduce inventory levels. Beck says inventory turns are increasing, seasonal fluctuations are minimised and service levels are up, and he can accomplish more with the same staff. Beck believes the Replenishment solution is just what he needed to achieve his goals.
Manhattan Associates also continues to enhance its Integrated Logistics Solutions for Food. One of its recent updates included its transportation solution, Fleet Management, which provides visibility of en-route assets and helps eliminate empty kilometres by optimising planned and opportunistic backhauls and tandem loads. Together with other components of Integrated Logistics Solutions, Fleet Management helps companies optimally execute everything from labour and warehouse operations to transportation and RFID capabilities.
Sara Lee Foods utilised Manhattan Associates' Supply Chain Solutions to help create a single process across its five mixing centres in the USA.
Larry Rogers, vice president of integrated logistics at Sara Lee Food and Beverage said that Manhattan Associates' solutions supported his company’s complex requirements for handling perishable food products and helped increase efficiency by helping them optimise the use of their resources, establish best practices and eliminate excess activity.
Through the use of Manhattan Associates' RFID Solutions, Sara Lee became the first provider of frozen and refrigerated foods to ship into the retailer's facilities with RFID tags on cases and pallets. Sara Lee is one of Wal-Mart's top 100 suppliers.