Implementing supply chain planning system for specialty retailer
The Challenge
A multi-billion food retailer launched a new specialty retail branch with complex supply chain needs. Key challenges included:
60,000+ active SKUs with 30% annual assortment changes
Flexible, automated planning required to maintain product availability and working capital limits
Large scale – almost 7 million SKU-Location combinations across 250 stores
What We Do
To address these challenges, the company implemented a new Supply Chain Planning System:
Vendor Selection & Analysis – Market research, AS-IS and TO-BE documentation, shortlist of vendors
RFP & Evaluation – Assessed functional fit, scalability, security, timeline, and commercial terms; calculated total cost of ownership
Implementation Support – Project management for Supply Chain and IT teams, including risk assessment and timeline/budget control
Results
Implemented within 14 months; system still in use
Automated key processes – promotion, demand, and supply planning; team workload reduced 3x
Extended planning horizon – from 5 weeks to 6 months
Improved supplier service levels – +2 percentage points in the first year
Financial impact – ROI achieved in 1.5 years through cost savings and reduced capital tied in safety stock
Single source of truth – supports Supply Chain, Logistics, Commercial, and Finance
Summary
The retailer successfully:
Replaced SAP MRP with a modern planning system
Automated planning processes, enabling growth without expanding the team
Enhanced visibility and collaboration across functions
Increased planning horizon and supplier performance
Achieved ROI in 1.5 years
This solution enabled efficient scaling while maintaining high service levels and financial performance.
