Fast Moving Consumer Goods

Distributors and retailers of fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) are faced with shorter product life cycles, rising customer expectations and intense competition. The logistics of balancing direct-to-store, direct-to-consumer and omnichannel distribution strategies has created further complexity in FMCG supply chain management.

Stringent distribution replenishment practices have become vital to avoid tying up cash flow in excess stock. Co-ordination with overseas manufacturers, transportation firms, suppliers and co-packers adds another layer of complexity.

At a retail level, FMCG businesses must always stay one step ahead of the market, reviewing consumer behaviors and trends to accurately forecast demand.

FMCG companies have always needed supply chain agility, and this is now more important than ever for them to stay efficient and competitive, exceed their customer expectations and optimize their cost management.

The key lies in maintaining product visibility, efficiency and 100% fulfillment accuracy at every stage of the FMCG supply chain.

Retail clients expect their FMCG distributors to label and bundle products specific to the requirements of the store. Some retailers request store-ready packaging to cut down on unpacking time, or for tailored delivery times to meet their particular needs.

In ecommerce, the increasing number of orders with a few or even single items has placed new demands on picking, packing and transportation processes. Without the right technologies and processes in place, the intense focus on speed within FMCG supply chain management can compromise accuracy in an environment where there is no tolerance for error.

Comprehensive and robust solutions ensure the seamless flow of goods through the FMCG supply chain, the consistent availability of top-selling products and the avoidance of out-of-stock occurrences. The importance of processing returns is sometimes overlooked, yet their efficient handling is an important aspect of how clients perceive you as a long-term partner/supplier.

Whether you are an FMCG distributor or retailer, Körber’s process experience and comprehensive, customizable solutions help you enhance your process efficiencies, raise your service levels and exceed your customer expectations.

For example, our warehouse management solutions provide instant visibility into your inventory and operations, so you can adjust your wave picking processes against specific order profiles. Our robust track-and-trace function will lead to compliance and efficiency within any recall scenario.

Our automation and voice directed technologies lead to huge productivity gains, both in processing outgoing goods and handling returns efficiently, and to complete customer satisfaction.

We know your customers’ requirements will change over time. Our solutions are adaptable, so you can configure and update different workflows in-house, without complex coding, and adapt them to your evolving business needs.

Our supply chain solutions integrate with each other, with complementary systems and with automation solutions, which means you can build a highly effective system landscape which will address your evolving needs over time.