IRVINE, California \u2014 Responding to consumer packaged goods companies\u2019 and retailers\u2019 increasing need to improve product availability and cut the cost of getting products to the shelf and into the hands of shoppers, Advantage Intelligence, Advantage Solutions\u2019 commerce data and technology group, has expanded its supply chain services.<\/p>\n
Advantage Solutions first developed supply chain services for consumer packaged goods clients three years ago, working with one of the largest U.S. grocery chains. In its first year of service, one food product manufacturer added more than $2.1 million to its top line by reducing phantom inventory, improving order fill rates, optimizing in-stock levels at distribution centers, speeding new items to the shelf and honing its demand planning.<\/p>\n
Since then, Advantage Solutions has enhanced its supply chain services and, as part of the Advantage Intelligence group, combined them with the company\u2019s data, analytics, intelligence and technology capabilities and services. Today, Advantage Intelligence is partnering with a growing number of key grocery, mass and dollar store retailers, collecting and analyzing brand data from more than 45,000 stores.<\/p>\n
Advantage Intelligence will continue its investments in the talent and technology that help brands and retailers sharpen demand forecasting, reduce fines for incomplete or late order delivery, better control days of supply at retailers\u2019 distribution centers, speed up placement of new products, eliminate phantom inventory and improve insights into the impact of promotions on inventory levels.<\/p>\n
\u201cManufacturing, transportation and labor challenges, unpredictable consumer demand and the fast acceleration of digital shopping continue to impact our manufacturer clients\u2019 ability to get the right products in the right amounts to retailers so that shoppers can place them in their physical and digital carts,\u201d said Alex Kelleher, president of Advantage Intelligence.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen our clients and customers have a problem, our job is to help solve it. Our position as a strategic partner to thousands of brands and top-performing retailers gives us unmatched knowledge of the supply chain, from the plants to store shelves to shoppers\u2019 homes. We have unique access to retailers\u2019 inventory and sales data, which, coupled with the technology and expertise to gather and analyze it, provides the insights needed to help consumer packaged goods companies and omnichannel retailers cut costs and grow sales.\u201d<\/p>\n
Advantage Intelligence\u2019s data-driven order fulfillment and logistics services for grocery products are supported by nine fulfillment centers across the U.S. and three in Canada. The fulfillment centers provide the flexibility and scale for brands, retailers and suppliers that enable all modes of fulfillment to distribution centers, retail stores, e-commerce hubs and consumers. New capabilities in 2022 will include cold supply chain services, same-day direct-to-consumer delivery, and, in some geographies, one-hour direct-to-consumer delivery.<\/p>\n