The beverage alcohol industry is as dependent upon the supply chain as any other industry. From raw ingredients to packaging materials, there are just as many moving parts for beverage alcohol companies to keep track of as organizations in retail, for instance.
When beverage alcohol companies are weighing business intelligence solutions, supply chain visibility and traceability need to be part of the consideration. Here’s how that plays out in the beverage alcohol industry, and what the right business intelligence solution can do for you.
The state of the industry
When it comes to the beverage alcohol supply chain, it’s not just getting a product from a brewery, distillery, or winery to a customer. There are elements such as cardboard, glass, and aluminum to consider as well. Some of the products a producer relies on could be coming from the other side of the world. Companies need to be able to track where all of these materials are within the global supply chain at any given time, all while monitoring the shipping of their own beverages closer to home.
The industry shifted to a direct-to-consumer (DTC) alcohol delivery model during the pandemic, when temporary allowances were put in place to override laws restricting the process. The DTC model proved extremely popular, and states have since moved to make more permanent changes to the laws around alcohol delivery. This has resulted in an increase in regulatory processes that organizations need to track to make sure they are complying with laws that vary from state to state.
Data’s role in the beverage alcohol supply chain
Besides regulations that need to be tracked and met, there are many opportunities for organizations to use data to help them make better decisions when it comes to the beverage alcohol supply chain. For example:
- Real-time data can be collected on shipments regarding the status of a shipping container, flight, truck, or ship.
- Sensors can provide real-time information about the temperatures at which perishable items are being kept while they are in transit.
- Digital twin technology can be used to help map out supply chains and identify potential disruptions or opportunities for more efficient practices.
The only problem with the data is that it can be collected by so many different tools that it could take more work just to bring that information together to produce actionable results. Organizations need a way to integrate their data to make their work easier instead of more complicated, allowing them to track everything at once.
How Dimensional Insight can help
Dimensional Insight is the analytics leader in the beverage alcohol industry because it has the right technology combined with industry expertise. Our technology enables beverage suppliers and distributors to gain valuable insight into the supply chain:
- The ability to integrate data from various sources such as the ones listed above and provide self-service analytics enables holistic, real-time supply chain visibility.
- Customizable reporting and self-service analytics allow operations executives to quickly access and analyze data to identify potential issues and make proactive decisions.
- Supplier performance scorecards in Distributor Advisor help track and manage supplier metrics, strengthening supplier relationships and improving overall supply chain performance.
Times have changed. Not only do companies have more access to up-to-the-minute information about the status of products and deliveries, but customers do as well. Most customers are tracking their orders from the moment they place them, and any organization that doesn’t take steps to make sure the product reaches that customer as quickly as possible is risking losing business.
That applies to the beverage alcohol industry as much as any other industry. It takes the right business intelligence solution to make sure your organization has complete visibility into the supply chain, allowing you to trace a product or materials to any point along the way if necessary. More importantly, the right data can help you plan ahead for any potential disruption and make any necessary changes to ensure that your operation is running smoothly from end to end.
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