MRP – OM in the News

TikTok Inspired Chipotle’s Fajita Quesadilla

Social media can greatly influence customer demand, and disrupt operations. Such is the case with TikTok and Chipotle.

Two TikTok influencers, Keith Lee and Alexis Frost, endorsed a menu hack that went viral. Initially, the restaurant wasn’t ready for the off-menu item, and some restaurants wouldn’t let customers order the item. This put stress on Chipotle’s systems and employees—not to mention creating unhappy customers who went online to complain about not being able to get the quesadilla.

However, Chipotle decided to listen […]

By Ross L. Fink, Ph.D.|2023-03-22T05:02:29+00:00March 26, 2023|Tags: food supply chain, inventory management, new product design, product design, sourcing, voice of the customer|

Eggs Cost Bakeries Too Much Dough

Bakeries across the U.S. have sought creative ways to operate amidst the challenge of soaring egg prices.

Some bakeries have dropped items that require more eggs as the raw ingredient. Others have started selling by advance order only. A few are thinking of sourcing eggs from lower price national vendors instead of local ones. All are trying to keep operating without resorting to passing the price increase to customers.

Video Spotlight:

Egg prices SOAR across America, especially […]

By Anita Lee-Post, Ph.D.|2023-01-27T06:38:27+00:00January 29, 2023|Tags: bill of materials, dependent demand, food supply chain, MRP|

How Digital Data Enables Strategic Fit

While Carhartt traces its roots back 133 years, the company is now implementing digital tools (cloud, analytics, artificial intelligence, etc.) to improve its overall supply chain operations.

To implement process improvements, data must be timely, accurate, and relevant. A common expression amongst operations leaders: for something to be “meaningful” it also needs to be “measurable.” Hence the requirement for real-time data analytics.

Carhartt continues to improve its operational capabilities—for example increasing factory automation—as a means to further enhance a differentiated business strategy […]

By James Kirby Easterling|2023-01-04T07:24:05+00:00January 8, 2023|Tags: analytics, artificial intelligence, automation, data mining, inventory management, logistics, MRP, operations strategy, strategy, supply chain mapping, warehouse|

Butter Illustrates a Dependent Demand Shortage

Staffing issues and lower milk production in the first half of the year have led to a dairy shortage, resulting in less butter on store shelves and in storage facilities.

Butter prices increased 28% from January 2022 to September 2022. Factors leading to the increase in costs of food production include severe weather and the Russia-Ukraine war.

Video Spotlight:

Butter supply shortage leads to spike in prices (Sep 27, 2022, CBS Philadelphia)

This post is based on […]

By Anita Lee-Post, Ph.D.|2022-10-30T18:44:44+00:00October 30, 2022|Tags: inventory management, MRP, sales and operations planning, shortages|