Progressive Grocer - March 2009 - (Page 24)

Progressive Views Redefining the value chain Looking Forward A report from the Global Commerce Initiative lays out how retailers and CPG companies can evolve to satisfy the shoppers of the next decade. By Jim Flannery I 24 • Progressive Grocer • March 2009 n 2006, the Global Commerce Initiative (GCI) released its report, “2016, the Future Value Chain” (available at www.gci-net.org), which identified the external forces and trends that could shape how retailers and manufacturers meet the needs of tomorrow’s shoppers and consumers. population density. • Trading partners (retailers and manufacturers in their bilateral relationships) must more readily and freely share information, embracing the concept that the best way to manage increasing complexity is through increased transparency. • Trading partners must develop new ways of working together, including sustainable changes in culture, collaborative business planning, and new measures and rewards processes. When I heard the idea of “developing new ways of working together,” my first thought was, “Been there, done that.” For close to 20 years, the fast-moving consumer goods industry has been focused on eliminating waste in the value chain to better meet the needs of consumers. It began with Nearly three years later, those forces and trends — volatile energy costs, economic shifts, emerging and more accessible technology, and a more knowledgeable and demanding consumer — have come sharply into focus, with far-reaching consequences that have given the “2016” report even greater relevance. That report concluded that, for the industry to thrive, three things must change. • The industry must redefine the 2016 value chain, addressing new requirements of the physical flow of goods, driven by forces like volatile energy costs and a growing A H E A D O F W H AT ’ S N E X T www.progressivegrocer.com http://www.gci-net.org http://www.progressivegrocer.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Progressive Grocer - March 2009

Progressive Grocer - March 2009
Contents
Front End: Ahold Banners Launch 'Major Consumer Wellness Initiative'
Nielsen's Shelf Stoppers/Spotlight: Frozen Foods/One-Food Oriental Entrees
Market Snapshot: Miami-Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
Independents Report: The New Agenda at FMI - And in Washington
Lempert Report: What Shoppers Will Demand in 2009
Wake-Up Call: Back to the Future
Progressive Views: Looking Forward
Frozen & Refrigerated Trends: Staying Cool
Store of the Month: Straub's Newest Family Member
FutureView Introduction: Great Expectations
Futureview: Magnetic Core
Honey: Sweet Sensation
Organic/Natural Cereal: The New Face of Breakfast Sales
FutureView: Home-Cooked Homecoming
2009 Meat Operations Review: Solid Ground
2009 Seafood Operations Review: Rough Seas
Pharmacy: A Destination for Health
Technology FutureView: Retail 3.0
Equipment FutureView: Sustainable Differentiation
What's Next: Editors' Picks for Innovative Products

Progressive Grocer - March 2009