Current economic conditions have provided sufficient evidence that has prompted more in-depth evaluation of supply chains and related issues in many industries, especially industries that utilize processing technology like the beverage group. The uncertainty of material, machinery and people flow has required beverage producers in all segments to re-evaluate how procedures, practices and methods are coping with some unprecedented operating conditions.
The core of these operations is the supply chain with effective execution in all phases, which includes product processing, packaged production, warehousing, pre-distribution and distribution — with some variations in function and terminology used. Historically, it has been an evolution from old-fashioned planning and scheduling in production control with a new name. With this in mind, a review of six decades in nearly every beverage area prompted two related issues to consider. First, there has to be a detailed understanding of how supply chains should operate, and second, there should be a realization of how the system does operate.