Bel Group Gets AI-Powered Supply Chain Boost

Bel Group, which manufactures such brands as The Laughing Cow, Kiri, Babybel, Boursin, Nurishh, and GoGo SqueeZ, is investing in a more agile supply chain supported by AI functionality as it looks to grow and diversify its portfolio. 

The company is working with Kinaxis and 4flow to install end-to-end supply chain capabilities that will boost its operational performance, elevate collaboration, and bolster sustainability efforts. 

Bel Group was looking to streamline its supply chain operations to better respond to planning shifts within a product distribution network that spans more than 120 countries. As a result, the company wants to tap into scenario planning capabilities, better account for short-term shelf-life management, optimize multi-level distribution and transportation, and gain access to the right information at the right time. 

To do so, Bel Group will be using AI-driven supply orchestration for expedited and smarter decision-making and sustainable operations that reduce transportation costs and carbon emissions. 

Also read: Unilever, Walmart, Bel Group Pledge #TooGoodToWaste With Consumer Goods Forum

Xavier François, chief supply chain officer at Bel Group, said in a statement that he believes the new investment will help the company better respond to consumer needs and drive end-to-end efficiencies. 

The move marks another recent Bel Group investment in AI within its supply chain. Earlier this year, the company partnered with Dassault Systèmes to improve efficiency and sustainability across 11 of its manufacturing plants. 

There, it implemented AI and ML to analyze millions of data points for its products and pack to optimize product formulations, reduce the number of industrial trials needed, accelerate product development, and elevate performance with a reduced time-to-market.