Supply Chain & Merchandising

Keeping a brand strong and maintaining product consistency is inherently complex for consumer packaged goods companies in todays digital landscape.

This year stirred up the pot of new store closings, not because the retail industry as a whole is in crisis, but because some retailers have found it difficult (or nearly impossible) to keep up in the fast-moving, competitive retailing environment.

On a combined basis, the companies are expected to have leading positions in key frozen, refrigerated and center of store grocery categories.

The consumer packaged goods company has never really known its shopper. Today, it can. Shopper and customer data is available in near real time through the different technologies. While it sounds enticing, it is hard work.

CGT Editor Alliston Ackerman gives you a sneak peek into the trends and topics discussed in this month's issue.

Within the highly competitive branded coffee category, approximately 70 percent to 75 percent of volume is sold on promotion. Today, Massimo Zanetti Beverage USA is effectively using a unified system for trade promotion management and forecasting to capitalize on this huge opportunity.

The new executive will lead the largest business unit for McCormick and will report directly to Lawrence Kurzius, President Global Consumer and CAO.

The new company, to be called Jacobs Douwe Egberts (JDE), is expected to hold market positions in more than two dozen countries with a strong emerging market presence.