Abstract

In 2010, PepsiCo Beverage Company (PBC), an operating unit of PepsiCo Inc. (PepsiCo), the second largest food and beverage company in the world, received the supply chain innovation award from the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP). PepsiCo was given this award for its innovative distribution strategy, the “Direct to Store Delivery model”, that reduced system-wide inventory, eliminated warehouse space constraints, enhanced the potential for unlimited SKU growth, and delivered warehouse cost savings. After showing spectacular growth in the 1990s and early2000s, PBC found it difficult to manage its distribution centers and warehouses. The case looks at how the company tried to optimize cramped warehouses and how it revived its distribution strategy using automation technology. The case also highlights the benefits of total supply chain transformation for PepsiCo. This case can be used by MBA / MS students studying Operations Management as part their curriculum.

Learning Objectives

The case is structured to achieve the following Learning Objectives:

• To understand the supply chain process of PepsiCo.
• To understand and discuss PepsiCo’s innovative distribution strategy, the “Direct to Store Delivery model”.
• To examine the benefits of the “Direct to Store Delivery model”.
• To discuss PepsiCo’s collaborative supplier relationship.

Keywords

Operations Management, Supply Chain Management, Supplier Network, Operational Strategies, Distribution Model, Direct to Store Delivery model, Automation Technology, Inventory Management, Collaborative Supplier Relationship, Continuous Improvement, Supply Chain, Low Cost manufacturing, PepsiCo, Quality.