Food, Beverage & Hospitality

Marriott International’s procurement organization makes it easy for the company to expand its already massive worldwide footprint.

By Jim Harris

Last September, Marriott International became the world’s largest hotel company when it completed its acquisition of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide. The $14 billion transaction added nearly 1,300 hotel properties in 100 countries to Marriott’s holdings, giving it more than 5,700 properties with 1.1 million rooms around the world.

Absorbing Starwood’s operations – including its supply chain procurement systems – was a major task, but Marriott was more than up to the challenge. “Because of the procurement organization we have in place, we were able to integrate them quickly,” says Stephane Masson, Marriott’s senior vice president of global procurement. He notes the company has successfully acquired other large hotel chains such as Gaylord Hotels during its long history.

Read more ...

Nutrabolt Life Sciences launches new products while optimizing its supply chain for greater visibility and improved customer service.

By Janice Hoppe-Spiers

Nutrabolt Life Sciences has reorganized its operations over the past year-and-a-half to ensure its strategy is aligned with its goal of becoming the highest achieving and most respected sports nutrition supply chain in the world. The company works toward that every day by delivering superior products and service while creating life-changing opportunities for its customers.

“One of the big things I’m emphatic about is strategy first,” COO Casey Bauer says. “I came aboard in 2015, and for the first 60 days defined our strategy. To me, you have to figure out what you want to do and what do I need to do to get it done from an organization standpoint. In fall 2015, I put in place a 12-month organizational plan with five phases of changes. Fast-forward to now and it’s in place.”

Read more ...

Keurig Canada’s supplier management program and negotiation tool pave the way for productive partnerships that result in greater success.

By Janice Hoppe-Spiers

Keurig Canada attributes its ever-increasing household penetration rate in a highly competitive landscape to being both a disruptive, leading-edge technology company and a leader in specialty coffee that is “extremely loved” by its consumers. To maintain its position in Canada’s single-serve beverage market, the Montreal-based business unit of Keurig Green Mountain invests heavily on relationships throughout its supply chain.

“It’s about finding the right suppliers and working with them,” Director of Procurement and Logistics Joseph Souaid says. “It’s a two-way relationship – one party can’t succeed without the other and we recognize that.”

Keurig Canada offers a wide range of premium coffees in a variety of formats, as well as Keurig® Single Cup coffee makers and Keurig® brewed coffees, teas and other beverages. Van Houtte® and Timothy’s® are Keurig Canada’s flagship brands, but it offers the Green Mountain Coffee® brand coffee, as well.

Read more ...