Supply chain professionals play an integral role in foodservice distribution and are essential to a company’s success and customer satisfaction. They diagnose problems, creatively work around disruptions, and figure out how to move essential products that commercial kitchens need as safely and efficiently as possible.
In a nutshell, supply chain management professionals coordinate purchasing, receiving, order fulfillment, and delivery.

Positions in Supply Chain
Procurement (including buying, replenishment, and negotiation)
- Establish business relationships with suppliers; negotiate price and quantity terms to ensure adequate supply of products at a reasonable price.
- Maintaining inventory levels to maximize inventory turns
- Determine new products to sell to customers based off of market trends.
- Negotiate deals and allowances to generate additional revenue
Transportation Management (including inbound and outbound product)
- Day-to-day operations of Transportation Team, which includes optimal routing, driver scheduling, fleet readiness and fleet maintenance.
- Compliance to all Federals and State laws to ensure compliance to D.O.T. regulations as outlined in FMCSA (Federal Motors Carrier & Safety Act ).
- Maintains and evaluates fleet data, systems and software to maximize efficiencies and productivity of fleet.
- Develops and maintains highly effective internal and external relationships with the goal of providing excellent customer service through timely and accurate deliveries.
- Responsible for collecting all relevant data and information on products being shipped from the facility to customers.
- Ensures all deliveries are made in a safe, efficient, and timely manner.
- Trains drivers on safe working practices.
Warehouse Operations Management
- Directs and manages all operations in the warehouse.
- Ensures all policies and procedures are being followed within warehouse operations.
- Controls warehouse functions to ensure the accurate and timely flow of product through the warehouse.
- Direct responsibility for the development, management and monitoring of department budgets.
- Analyzes all KPI’s to ensure accuracy, efficient, compliance profitability proper material handling and minimal damage.
- Responsible for the management of business service contracts.
Inventory Management (including inbound and outbound product)
- Manage and oversight of perpetual inventory stock counting inventory and accuracy checks.
- Manages all assigned staff to ensure accurate inventories are maintained at all times.
- Controls all merchandise to ensure product is fresh while also implementing systems to minimize product damage and theft.
- Replenishes inventory and provides analysis as needed to ensure products are always available to customers.
Process Management
- Defines optimal process strategies to maximize output and profits.
- Utilizes Six Sigma and Lean methodologies to manage others and ensures proper methods are being used by all.
- Shares best practices to others within companies.
Pricing Analytics
- Monitors profit margin to ensure Company revenue goals and objectives are achieved, and margin enhancement opportunities identified.
- Manages pricing databases accurately to increase company profits.
- Provides ongoing support for operating company personnel on all aspects of pricing implementation and maintenance.
- Analyzes market trends to ensure pricing results in maximum company profits.
Demand Planning and Forecasting of Customer Needs
- Analyzes historical trends in customer purchasing to predict their needs in advance.
- Communicates findings with Buyers and Inventory Control Managers to ensure sufficient supply of products.
- Conducts market needs surveys to determine new products to buy.
Food safety
- Ensures all USDA standards and regulations are being met in regard to the product and production process.
- Directs assigned staff to perform frequent and thorough cleaning and sanitization of all processing machines and work areas.
- Implements and enforces quality control procedures to ensure consumer safety.
Attributes of Supply Chain Management Positions
Analytical with strong attention to detail
Critical Thinker
Enjoy Negotiation
Decision Maker
Self-Directed
Results Oriented
Good Communicator
Relationship Builder
Problem Solver with the ability to implement process improvement
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