SCALA no longer run the fresh connection as a UK competition. However SCALA does provide independent objective expertise in supply chain strategy and the “end to end” management of total supply chains.
UPDATE
AB World Foods have won the UK final and will be heading over to Miami, FL, USA to compete with other teams from all over the world on the 22nd of September along with Pakistan’s TCS, Russia’s R-Pharm, Avebe from The Netherlands, BRISA from Turkey, and many more. Make sure you keep up with their progress here as they represent the UK this week!
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As the spring sun shone through the windows of the splendid Whittlebury Hall, well-known company teams from around the UK were hard at work attempting to revive a failing juice manufacturing business earlier this month. Following an intense introduction to the competition ahead, teams were briefed by Huddersfield University’s lecturer David Leach and then let loose on the perpetually deteriorating company that is The Fresh Connection.
Offering a safe environment to make crucial decisions about the company’s supply chain, the first three rounds of SCALA’s competition were a success – with all teams battling to achieve a positive return on investment. Attendees of the One-Day events and the remote participants managed to pull the company out of the minus figures and managed to attain a positive ROI.
Currently, Mondelez are taking the lead in the competition, with the highest average score over the first three rounds. A team from Waitrose had a shaky start but managed to take the lead in the title for the most improved team. Other participants include AB World Foods, Norbert Dentressangle (now XPO Logistics), Collect+, Unilever, Jordans & Ryvita, and Maple Leaf Bakery. Team Kimberly-Clark won the 2013 competition and have since gone on to implement their new knowledge into the business.
Former Customer Logistics Director at Cadbury-Kraft, Keith Newton, believes that the management of risk in the supply chain and ultimately for the consumer is one of the largest growing issues that companies need to address. Keith spoke recently at Foodex at the NEC stating that “Fresh Connection participants work on identifying these potential dangers and can take appropriate actions to resolve and mitigate the risks in a way that will provide them with real learning to take back into their businesses”.
This year’s competition is being held in partnership with Toyota Material Handling Europe and in association with FSDF, CILT and The NOVUS Trust. Participants are to begin the Global Rounds next week in order to qualify for the intense UK Grand Final in July.