End of the Great KFC Chicken Shortage of 2018?

End of the Great KFC Chicken Shortage of 2018?

April 30, 2018
Ross L. Fink, Ph.D.

Have you been following The Great KFC Chicken Shortage of 2018? See previous OM in the News posts (KFC’s Chicken Shortage and What the Cluck Happened to KFC?) for more of a background, but to recap: In February 2018, KFC was forced to close over 700 restaurants in the United Kingdom due to a shortage of chicken.  The problem resulted from switching suppliers from Bidvest to DHL and Quick Service Logistics (QSL).

Two months after the shortage, problems continue.  As of April 21, 2018, approximately 400 of KFC’s 900 UK restaurants have a full menu in place.

That leaves approximately 500 restaurants with a partial menu, and KFC is predicting 98% of the menu will be available by early May.

According to a spokesperson from Bidvest (the original and now-rehired supplier). “Every KFC restaurant that Bidvest Logistics services will be on full menu from Tuesday, April 24.” DHL did not respond to a request for comment.

This post is based on the Telegraph article, Less Than Half of KFC Sites Have Full Menu Months after Delivery Fiasco, by Bradley Gerrard, April 21, 2018. Image source: Dima Fadeev/ 123RF.

Discussion Questions:

1. What sort of Continue reading →

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Crowdsourcing the Last Logistical Mile

Crowdsourcing the Last Logistical Mile

April 23, 2018
David Little, Ph.D.

Crowdsourced delivery is on the rise with 10% of retailers using this “last mile” delivery model currently, and 26% of retailers planning to use this delivery network in the future.  The challenges to crowdsourced delivery include finding a long term partner, sharing privacy data with vendors, and the potential for safety incidents at delivery.

But there are also opportunities, especially in densely populated areas, as retailers compete to offer same-day delivery.

This post is based on Logistics Viewpoints’ The Other Side of the Coin for Crowdsourced Deliveries, by Chris Cunnane, April 11, 2018. Image source: Shutterstock / Andrey_Popov.

Discussion Questions:

1. How can a major retailer select a safe, reliable, and financially stable “last mile” delivery partner?

Guidance: Students should develop a checklist to present in class that addresses vendor selection for a crowdsourced delivery partner.  Lists could include items related to financial stability, route coverage, delivery guarantees, contract penalties for failures, and addressing privacy protection policies.

2. Would crowdsourced delivery be a viable solution for the healthcare industry? Why or why not?

Guidance: Students should consider the privacy and safety concerns that are more difficult to address with crowdsourced delivery firms.  For Continue reading →

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