The buzz surrounding the Winter Fancy Food Show in San Francisco, CA a few weeks ago was overwhelmingly positive as Port Jersey takes a commanding step forward into 2018. Conversations with current customers, and future customers alike, confirmed the same theme: a continued positive view of growth as the economy continues its uptick and the need to explore innovative ways to add value to their customer base by offering diverse products. Regarding relationships with both customers and partners, most conversations touched on the common theme of working together to drive collaboration and reduce inefficiencies. Many food importers and manufacturers discussed better ways of communicating and sharing information with their partner retailers and distributors to help improve the consumer experience by reducing out of stocks and the overall price of products on the shelves. Many companies expressed an interest in exploring different ways of servicing the business, looking to become more agile by taking chances they may not have in the past. One company we've been in conversations with for close to 10 years recently invested in their own manufacturing facilities which is allowing them to be more flexible in their strategic decisions. They're now able to explore setting up a distribution center on the East Coast for limited shelf life items, which will allow them to provide better service their customer base and help reduce overall transportation costs. As new regulations hit the transportation industry, a common topic of discussion is how to navigate the new Supply Chain landscape to continue to service customers effectively. Food manufacturers are feeling the pinch as Dry Van and Refrigerated capacity continues to dwindle and rates in some markets have doubled or even tripled. Proactive shippers have already started the search for viable 3PL warehouse solutions to allocate inventory in markets closer to their customers, in an overall effort to mitigate delays. With the reignited economy and the growing demand for specialty food products, it's more important than ever to hold inventory close to your customers while having the transportation capacity to ensure that your shipments are delivered on time. The specialty food market is becoming increasingly competitive, so it's critical to find the right 3PL partner to help you navigate through any supply chain disruptions and keep your customers satisfied. If you're experiencing costly stumbles and delays in your supply chain, contact Port Jersey Logistics to discuss how you could improve your distribution model.
