Fundamentals of Food Supply Chain Management and Logistics

Introduction

The food sector has changed rapidly in the past decade. The movement of people for work and migration has led to a demand for food products from across the globe and retailers are keen to oblige. Companies and countries around the world have been working very hard to get a share of the pie. This is not an easy, it needs a lot of effort to create capability within the system to manage international trade. Specifically within the food sector, the one factor that plays a very important role in the success or failure of a food supply chain is ‘food safety’.

On completion of this course you should be able to:

• Explores the key aspects of food supply chains from a management and social perspective.
• Gain an understanding of the food supply chain from "farm" to "fork," taking into consideration the various challenges and supporting mechanisms to make sure the food that reaches the consumers' plates is safe. 
• Identify Food supply chains: production, manufacturing, and Food regulation, safety and quality.
• Appraise the importance of food processing.
• Discuss the barriers to the development of the agri-industry
• Identify challenges to the future of food retailing as well as challenges in International food supply chains

Course Outline

Module1: Food production

 Food production

• Entities in the agriculture supply chain
• Agriculture and poverty alleviation
• The barriers to the development of the agri-industry
• Future steps for the agriculture sector
• Case example: Cargill works with producers on finance and risk management
• Case example: Nestlé works with dairy farmers
• Case example: ITC Ltd India empowers farmers through technology
• Case example: Microfinance models within the food sector

Food manufacturing

• The importance of food processing
• Changing market conditions
• Food processing
• Food packaging
• Inventory management
• Food safety
• Procurement

Module 2: Operational challenges

Food retailing

• The retail environment
• How does the food reach the consumer?
• Online grocery retailing
• Challenges to the future of food retailing
• Case example: Retailers turning more to ‘dark stores’

Food Logistics

• Movement of food
• ICT future trends in agri-food logistics
• Packaging in logistics
• Temperature-controlled supply chains

Challenges in international food supply chains

• International food supply chains
• Factors affecting the future of international food systems
• Managing challenges in international food supply chains
• International politics and food 91
• Collaboration and relationships
• Trends in supply chain relationships
• Current relationship models within the food sector
• Other trends within supply chain collaboration

Food sourcing and procurement

• Sourcing
• Sourcing models
• Purchasing models
• Supplier segmentation
• Supplier development
• Strategic sourcing
• Sustainable procurement

Risk management

• Risk management and uncertainty
• Risks in the supply chain
• Risks in the food supply chain
• Managing supply chain risks
• Managing risks in food supply chains  

Technology trends in food supply chains

• Traceability and use of technology
• Food production
• Food processing in a technological context
• Food packaging in a technological context
• Food logistics

Module 3:  Sustainability and future challenges

Food regulation, safety and quality

• Attributes to consider when designing food supply chains
• Food regulation and its effect on safety
• Food laws and regulation
• Reference standards
• Compatibility standards
• Private food standards
• Other initiatives within the food supply chains

Food innovation

• Classification of innovation methods
• Innovation systems
• Case example: Indian curry in the UK
• Product development in food supply chains
• Innovations within food supply chains
• Case example: Types of functional products
• Case example: Detecting counterfeit whisky through the bottle

Sustainability challenges in food supply chains

• Sustainability – the origins of the idea
• Sustainable supply chains
• Sustainable food supply chains
• Measuring sustainability
• Developing sustainability within food supply chains
• Case example: Various initiatives within food supply chains
• Case example: Just Eggs – recycling eggshells to make filler for plastics

Food sector and economic regeneration

• Infrastructure development for the food sector
• Food hubs
• Moving up the value chain
• Case example: Food infrastructure in India and new mega food parks
• Case example: Rubies in the Rubble
• Case example: Development of smallholder agro-processing in Africa

Food security and future challenges

• Food security
• Drivers of change affecting food security
• Factors affecting the future of the food supply chain
• Balancing demand and supply sustainably
• Case example: Partners in Food Solutions
• Case example: Coca-Cola and water conservation
• Case example: International wheat initiative to improve wheat security