Supplier insights news

Announcing its first quarter results, Coca-Cola European Partners discussed the challenges its country operations were facing given the shifts in demand. 1. Challenging to predict demand The company noted while the switch to more at home occasions had supported sales, the trading had been ‘ volatile ’. CCEP noted that while volumes had benefited from household stocking initially, this had f...

As several retailers start to limit meat purchases, we look at how the supply chain is responding. Aiming to limit stocking-up Costco, Kroger and Albertsons are among several major US food retailers that have started to limit the number of meat purchases customers can make. In many chains, customers are being limited to two or three items. Although there does not appear to be an issue with ...

We look at how Colgate-Palmolive (Colpal) is being impacted globally by the coronavirus pandemic. 1. Uncertainty on sales and profitability through 2020 Colpal’s first quarter organic sales increased 7.5%, driven by the surge in consumer demand. However, the company expects some of the additional volume in certain categories to impact sales growth in future quarters. Along with stay-at-home...

We look at The Kellogg Company’s first quarter performance, the impact on its breakfast portfolio and what it expects in the second half of the year. Kellogg is another major CPG that was going into the pandemic following a major restructure of its commercial operations, with a new commercial strategy, Deploy for Growth. The words of chairman and chief executive office, Steven Cahillane, paint...

As it reported like-for-like sales growth of 13.3% in its first quarter, Reckitt Benckiser underlined the challenges the business faces in terms of demand planning and understanding whether the buying habits it has seen will continue in the short term. Unclear whether buying will be maintained in rest of 2020 Although the company was able to report strong sales growth across most geographie...

We review Kraft Heinz’s first quarter performance and the plans it’s making in response to the coronavirus pandemic. 1. At-home growth offset foodservice reductions Organic net sales increased 6.2% (excluding the impact of currency and divestments), driven by increased spending related to COVID-19. Growth in at-home consumption more than offset an unfavourable impact from retail inventory r...

We look at the actions Mondelez International is taking to emerge stronger from the pandemic. China bounce-back - the speed of the recovery of its business in China has provided the company with a blueprint that it wants to replicate in other emerging markets. The business delivered growth in the quarter and gained share, based on the strength of its local team, fast-decision making and s...

We look at how PepsiCo is responding to the current trading environment, its four identified phases of the pandemic and how it’s moving forward. 1. Strong and accelerating momentum in first quarter The company’s net revenue grew 7.7% in the first quarter as it benefited from shoppers stocking up. However, its internal analysis highlighted underlying strong growth (ex-COVID-19), with organic...

As part of its first quarter results, Nestlé discussed the impact the coronavirus pandemic had had on all parts of its operations and how it had performed in China towards the end of the quarter as the country exited the worst effects of its lockdown. 1. China exiting the quarter ‘gradually’ Given China was loosening its lockdown towards the end of the quarter, Nestlé discussed what it was ...

Following Unilever’s first quarter results we look at five key takeaways from the announcement and the impact that the coronavirus has had on its operations. 1. Change has required new ‘Agile markets organisation’ As a reaction to the pandemic Unilever said it had established a new structure to manage the organisation through its response to coronavirus. The five workstreams were built arou...