This Week's Supply Chain by the Numbers - Nestle Recall, TMS Market, Pilgrim's Pride, SKU Proliferation

Supply Chain by the Numbers: Week of July 2, 2009

-July 2, 2009

The Supply Chain and Logistics Numbers Worth Knowing This Week: Unfortunate Cookie Dough, Trendy TMS Implementation, Pilgrim's Pride Plays Game of Chicken, Too Many SKUs



300,000
Cases of Nestle cookie dough recalled over concerns about E. coli contamination. Some 70 people are thought to have been sickened nationwide from the problem. A Nestle plant in Danville, VA seems to be the culprit.

68%

The percent of companies with commercial transportation management systems (TMS) that have implemented them just within the past three years, according to a recent study by AMR Research.


$32 million
The bid price recently offered to Pilgrim’s Pride by a rival for a chicken processing plant scheduled to be closed by the company, now in Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The bid was declined, amid allegations the company would rather see the plant closed and the 1000 jobs lost rather than sell the plant to competitor and keep chicken supplies up while in a recessionary market.




50%
The growth in average SKU count in grocery stores since 1996, according to the Food Marketing Institute (FMI). The number was reported this week amidst news that many retailers are looking to cut back on SKU proliferation – reducing total SKU counts by as much as 15% in 2-3 years.