Supply Chain Development - Why Collaborate?
The need for increased collaboration in the agri-food industry is well recognised. With continued price volatiliity for farm produce and increasing demands for sustainable food production, improved collaboration is recognised as a key means of managing risk and increasing benefits and economic returns to all within the supply chain.
Collaboration has never been a cornerstone of UK agriculture. Any move to bring this about, no matter how obviously beneficial it may seem, is inevitably faced with some scepticism. A key ingredient therefore, is increased and improved communication and integration between supply chain partners, but there remains a need to nurture this collaborative ethos between primary producers and with processors/end users.
Farexchange will facilitate collaboration in the supply chain and help move “embryonic” supply chain partnerships to a stage where they are confident to adopt a new supply chain process leading to greater tangible and intangible benefits.
Who, What and How to get involved.
Support can be provided to producers working together or along with a processor / end user to establish a new and more effective supply chain process / relationship.
Business support can include:
- Facilitation / Mentoring - provision of a facilitator and/or mentor
- Use of business tools such as benchmarking, lean manufacturing or value chain analysis by all or some of the supply chain partnership members
- Training necessary to build the capacity of key persons within the partnership, to successfully contribute to the achievement of the supply chains objectives.
- Collaboration support to cover costs of collaboration such as those incurred for legal / professional / expert services and advice.
Types of supply chain partnerships can include those looking to:
- Improve supply quality, consistency and security
- Develop premium/value brands and traceability
- Add value through the development of new products/processes
- Develop improved storage, logistics and transport
- Enhance and develop marketing channels
- Understand market segmentation and product fit
The partnership can be looking to set up a new supply chain or looking to re-engineer an existing supply chain to improve its effectiveness.
Contact us for more information on how we can help you.
