Sales and operations planning for the food supply chain: case study

Abstract

The aim of this chapter is to examine sales and operations planning (S&OP) in the food and drink industry. The chapter highlights the impact on performance of the planning process and specifically S&OP, for food and drink companies. First an overview of S&OP and its historical evolution is presented. Then aims, trends, best practices and implementation processes of S&OP, together with its challenges are examined. The section that follows provides a roadmap for implementing S&OP in the food and drinks industry and discusses the critical aspects that should be evaluated during implementation. Finally, different aspects of S&OP in the food industry are discussed, based on the distinctive characteristics of the sector. The case study of a global leading company in the beverage sector is used throughout the chapter to exemplify key points.