A. B. Brown
Supply Chain Dive
Washington, DC, United States
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Past articles by A.:
Shortages in liquor supply chain throw a wrench in summer rebound
"We’re at the mercy of the supply chain," said the CFO of Brown-Forman, the maker of Jack Daniel's and Woodford Reserve. → Read More
Under Armour on alert for product cancellations as sourcing challenges mount in Vietnam
A resurgence of COVID-19 in the region has Under Armour uneasy, but company execs said their diversified sourcing base adds resilience. → Read More
Starbucks says advance coffee purchasing helps it stay competitive
While CPGs and others in the coffee industry scramble due to inflation and rising green coffee prices, Starbucks is sticking with its 12- to 18-month early buying approach to secure pricing. → Read More
MSC Industrial Direct ups prices amid 'fast and furious' supplier price increases
Supply chain challenges are creating an inflationary environment that the industrial supplier hasn't seen in years, the company's CEO said on a Q3 earnings call. → Read More
Unilever backs UK accelerator for diverse suppliers
The partnership comes as the company works to spend 2 billion euros ($2.36 billion) of its annual supplier budget with diverse suppliers by 2025. → Read More
USPS considers setting longer benchmarks for 1/3 of first-class packages
The proposed modification aims to allow more transportation time for long-distance delivery to support increasing package volume and "network efficiencies," according to the agency. → Read More
La-Z-Boy tries to whittle down backlog, up to 9-month lead times
Backlogs are eight times higher than they were before the pandemic, CEO Melinda Whittington said on an earnings call. → Read More
Increased containerboard output not enough to keep prices down
The PPI for corrugated and solid box manufacturing shows prices shot up during the first half of 2021, despite remaining flat or even falling throughout much of 2020. → Read More
USDA to invest over $4B to strengthen the food supply chain
The agency's investments through the Build Back Better Initiative are part of the Biden administration’s efforts to make U.S. supply chains more resilient. → Read More
Kimberly-Clark taps biotech supplier for alternative to single-use plastics
The CPG brand's strategy is to focus on products that have large global demand for sustainability first, and go from there. → Read More
Disruptions to rare earth supply would be far-reaching at time of heightened demand: DOE
The Department of Energy study found that a single year of not exporting rare earths and two years of mine closures could result in years of price, production and capacity impacts. → Read More
Casper sidesteps product shortage with third-party manufacturers
The company's CEO expects its manufacturing base to be a "critical benefit" as sourcing improves long-term. → Read More
Chocolate makers map 600K cocoa farms in Ghana, Ivory Coast
Companies increased traceability efforts in 2020, tracking more than 74% of purchases in the two countries, according to the World Cocoa Foundation. → Read More
Under Armour restricts inventory despite high demand
The company's strategy is to limit low-demand products, thereby boosting the margins it may need to resist future supply chain shocks. → Read More
Walmart gives diverse suppliers option for early payment to help increase access to capital
The retailer is working to expand access to early payments through a partnership with the financial technology company C2FO. → Read More
Starbucks says it will help distribution partners struggling with labor shortages
Delayed or disrupted fulfillment from distribution centers to stores are possible if Starbucks-delivery partners can't find the labor they need to move goods. → Read More
Supply chains turn to Vietnam, India to diversify sourcing
Rising labor costs, a trade war and the pandemic have prompted companies to rethink their dependence on China, whether that means reshoring, nearshoring or China+1. → Read More
Study: Spend analytics, category management top priorities for supply chain leaders
The IHS Markit survey results come on the heels of a Gartner report that found data and analytics will become a "core business function" this year. → Read More
'Chaotic' supply chain pushed up supplier prices: MSC
Port congestion, severe weather and COVID-19 disruptions to production lines have impacted product availability and led to inflation. → Read More
Chipotle reaches 31M pounds of locally sourced produce
The quick serve restaurant joins a growing number of food brands and grocers emphasizing local sourcing over the last year. → Read More