Dec 23, 2008 11:10 AM

The main concern of foodservice supply chain management for 2009 is increasing forecasting accuracy, found a recent poll by ArrowStream, a Chicago IL-based foodservice third-party logistics provider.

This survey, conducted among the company’s customers, also found that the continuous rise of commodity costs topped the list of margin pressure concerns among chain operators, affecting how these companies manage supply chains to control costs, drive revenue, attract new customers, and assure customer satisfaction.

Top supply chain management priorities among foodservice industry business as identified by the poll, in order, were:

•Forecasting accuracy and effective promotions management.

•Inventory management with fluid product movement.

•Effective sourcing.

•Optimized freight management.

•Rapid return on investment.

The poll also found that the ability to achieve these priorities and drive revenue can be better achieved by an integrated and synchronized supply chain that delivers optimal communication between trading partners.