August 2022 Supply Chain News You Can Use

LACK OF INGREDIENTS HAMPERS SNACK FOOD PRODUCTION

Key Point: Fans of snack foods like Twinkies and Nutter Butter may want to grab all they can whenever the opportunity appears. Supply chain issues are creating shortages on grocery store shelves while manufacturers wait for the delivery of key ingredients. 

The CFO for Hostess Brands explained the dilemma in simple terms: “Unfortunately, you can’t make a Twinkie with only 95% of ingredients.” 

Food product manufacturers have been especially hard hit, owing to the disruption of the agriculture industry in Ukraine as a direct consequence of the Russian invasion. Much of the world’s supply of sunflower oil, wheat, and corn is exported by Ukraine. 

Companies like General Mills are forced to choose between waiting, trying to find another source, or substituting other ingredients for those missing. Get the full scoop in this article from Supply Chain Drive.

[TWEET: Warning: Shortages of Twinkies and Nutter Butter are plaguing grocery stores. Stock up if you can.]

HOW SHIPPERS SHOULD PREPARE FOR THE 2022 PEAK SEASON

Key Point: This expert roundtable summary compiled responses from four industry insiders on a pressing set of questions: Will last-mile delivery companies be able to meet the coming challenges of Christmas 2022? And how can shippers increase their odds of success?

Controlling package intake, starting early on forecasting, and alerting customers to the possibility of delays are just a few of the comments gathered from the experts. It may be that an inflation-fueled drop in consumer demand will take the pressure off, but the period between Black Friday and Christmas Day traditionally puts a heavy burden on the people and businesses charged with getting the packages to the door. 

Click here to get all the tips.

[TWEET: Check out this expert roundtable discussion on the holiday season and last-mile delivery capabilities.]

WEATHERING THE STORM THROUGH SUPPLY CHAIN PARTNERSHIPS

Key Point: Supply Chain Brain’s list of 100 Great Supply Chain Partners pays tribute to the companies who weather the storm — whether the disruption is a snow storm during Christmas week or ongoing disruptions from COVID-19.

Inflation, rising fuel costs, a tight labor market … supply chain service and technology providers always get the job done, no matter what. 

This article lists the types of actions they’ve taken to weather the pandemic and provides real-life customer feedback for a gold mine of insight.

[TWEET: Want to know how supply chain services get the job done day after day? Here are their secrets.]

BUILDING SUPPLY CHAIN RESILIENCE IS MUCH MORE THAN FIXING SUPPLY PROBLEMS

Key Point: Snack companies can’t get enough wheat, corn, and oil. Gas stations can’t get enough gas. And car makers are crippled by the microchip shortage. 

Taking the view, though, that just ramping up supply won’t make all the problems go away, this article digs into “a laundry list of capacity problems.” 

There are seven core capacities that can mean boom or bust for a supply chain, and trouble in any one of them can disrupt the system. This is a serious read with real meat. Don’t miss it.

[TWEET: Seven core capacities for supply chains. If one suffers, they all suffer.]

BONUS CONTENT

Labor shortages challenge supply chains to automate while retaining employees and their trust

Biden signs bill to bolster US semiconductor production

Rethinking data to boost supply chain visibility

The plunge in dry bulk shipping: Ominous signal on China’s economy?

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