How are Supply Chain issues reshaping fast food value menus

If there has ever been an indicator of inflation, it is fast food value menus. These items or menus have always been the last to reflect changes in prices and have been the last resource indicating whether the economy was at a serious risk.

In the current economic environment, with inflation skyrocketing driven among other things by the several Supply Chain challenges and constraints most of the world are facing, fast food chains have had no other option but to increase the prices on their most iconic menus, leaving customers with the sensation that the old prices are gone for good.

The below video explains some of the challenges fast food chains have been facing and how Supply Chains have been key drivers for the latest price increases.

How China's Covid Shutdowns Keep Hitting Global Supply Chains

It´s no secret China has been keeping a very tight approach on Covid with widespread lockdowns and a tight control on key sectors. The consequences have been felt across the globe.

The video below sheds some light on the impact this approach has had on Supply Chains.  

 

Supply Chain predictions in 2023

 

As we approach the end of the year, it is always worth reviewing the top trends that will be impacting supply chains for the coming year and beyond.

But before we continue with this “tradition” it´s only fair to review how accurate were our predictions for the year 2022.

Not surprisingly the headwinds have continued this year, following from a year 2021 that was considered by many as one of the most challenging in history, aggravated by the COVID pandemic and the continued challenges brought by the acceleration of e-commerce, Brexit or the disruptions in transport.

You can find the post with the predictions for 2022 here.

Overall, and considering the new and more severe challenges that we have faced in 2022, it´s interesting to see that some of the trends we identified last year, became a reality.

Supply Chain issues continued in 2022 and were aggravated by the Ukraine-Russia war, a turn of events that no one was predicting last year.

While logistic prices were up in 2021 driven by shortages on raw materials and transportation, this trend has continued as predicted and has impacted other areas of the Supply Chain even further with inflation skyrocketing and energy prices at an all-time high.

Finally, rightly so, sustainability has been at the forefront of Supply Chains and businesses and has gained prominence as a key indicator for decision making.

Experience should have thought us that a lot can happen in a heartbeat, therefore predicting what 2023 has for us is like a game of roulette, but here we go!

1- Inflation and the risk of recession: Preliminary data in Europe shows inflation running at 10.7% for October; this is the highest ever monthly reading since the euro zone’s formation and something we should expect to continue to a higher or lesser extent in 2023.

Raw materials, transport, energy will all be more expensive than in past years and this will continue impacting Supply Chains and pushing for more efficient and streamlined operations.

2- Globalisation in no more the panacea for business development: With the recent geopolitical challenges we are facing, the focus will be on “localization” VS “globalization” and we shall see assets being transferred from high risk, and generally low cost, areas to more stable and trustworthy locations that are also closer to the end customers.

Investment on fixed assets will be under scrutiny and decisions will not only be made on the basis of lower costs.

3- Sustainability is here to stay: Governments are increasing their demands for companies to prove that they operate ethical businesses and this is becoming not just a “nice to have” and a sign of a company´s values, but a license to operate with significant fines if companies were to fail to comply.

All in all, while predicting what 2023 will bring is an almost impossible exercise, there are certain trends that are likely to gain prominance and we are ready for whatever the future brings! 

What is AI?

Artificial intelligence has been a "buzz word" over the last few years and a lot has been said about how this new technology will have thousands of applications in fields as diverse as medicine, Supply Chain or engineering and will revolutionise the way we work.

However, it´s never been overly clear what is AI, but also, what is not.

The below video, explains all you need to know about AI, some of it´s applications and what we can expect from this technology. 

Supply Chain statistics that will likely surprise you

Different post today, where we will look into 10 of the most surprising statistics related to the field of Supply Chain.

A clear sign of how much Supply Chain has been in the spotlight over the last few months/years and how much more is to come.

- Only 22% of companies have a proactive supply chain network. Proactive supply chain management means that the end-user is always able to address shifts in supply or demand before they become critical.

- Only 6% of companies report full visibility on their supply chain.

- 70% of companies believe that supply chains play a key role in enhancing the overall customer experience.

- Data analysis (44%), IoT (39%), and Cloud Computing (39%) are the top tech priorities for supply chain professionals. 

- Cyberattacks on supply chain software are predicted to increase by 4 times in 2022 as compared to 2021 and it´s already the number one cause of U.S. supply chain disruptions.

 

 

 

Source: 17 Stunning Supply Chain Statistics [2022]: Facts, Figures, And Trends – Zippia

Logistionary: Demurrage and detention

Demurrage is a fine to the buyer which is enforced by a freight provider if they do not take their goods away from a port or terminal. Often ports and terminals allow importers to store goods or containers for a number of ‘free’ days, after which charges are applied.

As an example, let’s say a container is being shipped from a supplier in China to a port in Amsterdam. The port normally allows 7 free days of storage, after which they will start charging.

Detention on the other hand is a charge that can be enforced by a transport provider for not returning an empty container to a container yard or port after an agreed time.

As an example, if the buyer of goods takes a container to their factory for 14 days to unpack, and the shipping port allows just 10 days to return the box, then the shipping line will be charged ‘detention’ for 4 days.

The main difference between demurrage fees and detention fees is that demurrage fees are charged when a container is still full and under the control of the shipping line whereas detention charges, on the other hand, occur when the buyer holds on to a container outside the port beyond the specified free time given by the shipping line.

In very simple terms, demurrage charges relate to full containers while detention charges apply to empty containers.

Drone deliveries

Is the future of ecommerce in drone deliveries?

Getting a purchase delivered in minutes is every consumer’s dream, however this is not exactly easy to do.

 

When it comes to drone deliveries, the logistics are complex and intense. The regulatory hurdles are steep and while the technology might already be capable of the task, it will take time to build acceptance and trust with customers to allow drones to fly onto their property.

 

Despite all the obstacles of drone deliveries, the potential benefits to retailers are immense too.

 

Drones are fast and the latest analysis suggest that potentially each trip could occur at a low cost of $1 per shipment.

On top of this, faster shipments could mean higher revenues since 86% of abandoned carts online were the result of expensive shipping costs, according to a study carried out by McKinsey & Company.

Why Global Supply Chains May Never Be the Same

It´s been two years now since the strain and pressure on Supply Chains has been on the spot light.

Starting with the COVID 19 pandemic and the acceleration of e-commerce, followed by the likes of Brexit, the blockage of the Suez canal and the transport shortages to name a few, to the most recent events with the war between Russia and Ukraine.

It´s safe to say that not even the most through business continuity plan would have covered all of these, and as a result, Supply Chains have suffered the most to keep up with the new market dynamics.

The documentary below, showcases to the profane eye, the challenges of the current supply and logistics flows and it´s a reminder of the complexity of the Supply Chains in a world where globalisation has been the predominant model over the last two decades. 

The world busiest ports

An estimated 90% of world trade is handled through maritime shipping, and as trade volumes continue to increase, the world’s busiest ports continue to grow.

Only five of the top 20 ports in the world are now located outside of East Asia, and only three European ports made the cut.

It´s not a surprise that China continues playing a critical role in the global supply chain, and as a result, over the past decade, China has emerged as the heavyweight champion of world shipping.

In 2006 only three of the top 10 busiest ports were in China, nowadays, seven out of the 10 busiest ports are located in China, and an estimated two-thirds of container traffic now passes through Chinese ports or ports that have received Chinese investment.

 

Amazon, the business that made Supply Chain a real competitive advantage

It´s no secret that Amazon is one of the most relevant companies ever created in the last century and it´s also no surprise that Supply Chain is at the core of what they do.

Amazon is by definition, the company that has scaled operations to levels we never saw before, and its Supply Chain have reached the status of almost being unbeatable.

The one project that has put Amazon´s Supply Chain capabilities on the spot once more is their latest endeavour to start using drones to manage their deliveries in the very near future.

These automated machines that are not limited by traffic or other mundane constraints that traditional delivery methods face, can once more demonstrate that Supply Chain can be a competitive advantage for those companies willing to invest the time and resources on developing these capabilities.