1 - Delivering performance in food supply chains: an introduction

Abstract

The aim of this book is to provide a supply chain perspective of the food and drinks industry from farm to fork. The focus is on managing across functions and improving performance by addressing the challenges affecting the industry. The book is targeted at both practitioners and academics who are interested in understanding the key levers of performance in food supply chains. This introductory chapter provides an overview of the scale and structure of the food and drinks supply chain. This is followed by a discussion of the key trends affecting the industry, such as globalisation, price volatility, economic recession, product diversification, sustainability and corporate social responsibility. Six key challenges associated with managing food and drinks supply chains are introduced: managing relationships, aligning supply and demand, managing processes efficiently and effectively, maintaining quality and safety, leveraging technology and managing responsibly. Each of these challenges forms a section of the book and each section comprises three to five chapters. In this chapter we provide a roadmap for the book introducing the reader to the key challenges and discussing the contribution of each topic to supply chain performance.