Regarding ongoing supply chain challenges, IndustryWeek.com predicts “...a continuation of the many disruptions we are currently seeing at every stage of the supply chain.”

They went on to list all the reasons why such as:

• Container shortages

• Long-range logistics

• Shipping terminal and port congestion and backlog

• Labor shortages

• Adherence to quality requirements and standards

Not to mention, the rest that keeps you up at night...

• Raw material shortages

• Packaging shortages

• Rising costs

Forbes agrees, saying that “...supply chain disruptions have emerged as one of the most impactful business challenges.”

So, how can nutrition bar or powder brands respond to, anticipate and meet these challenges?

First of all, expect the unexpected and assume that disruption will happen.
Second, depend on Nellson to help you navigate the supply chain terrain.

Nellson Partners with Nutritional Bar and Powder Brands

Supply chain pressures are felt across all facets of the industry, affecting suppliers, brands and ultimately, the consumer. We help manage and mitigate supply chain challenges, with our understanding of the variables that pose the most risks and by implementing strategies to reduce risk exposure.

Our Supply Chain Services for Nutritional Bar and Powder Brands

Our strategic sourcing team leverages consolidated purchasing power for supply and price. They work across competencies and departments to strategize, plan and source in order to purchase 5K+ ingredients, 200M lbs. ingredients and 3.5K packaging components, annually.

The Nellson strategic sourcing team includes:

• 5 category experts

• 1 pricing analyst

• 5 material managers

• 30 local buyers

We utilize supply and price risk management to support your brand, with:

• Firm contracts

• Indexed pricing (commodity-specific)

• Vendor managed inventory/floor stock

• Customer stocking agreements

• Commodity market insights

Guiding Principles for Successful Nutritional Supply Chain Management

So, how do we do it? By adhering to the following principles:

Communication is Key and Transparency is Critical

In a challenging supply chain environment, it is crucial to be in constant communication with suppliers and logistics partners. As our customer, you benefit from transparency and collaboration, as we share:

• Forecast analysis

• Risk management strategy

• Ingredient transparency

Vigilance is Required

We continually monitor what is needed, when, where and how, keeping tabs on:

• Ingredient and packaging inventory

• Supply order levels

• Factory output

ABS: Always be Sourcing

Our stocking agreements and supplier relationships benefit our customers. We are keenly aware of alternative resources available and work tirelessly to source them, should the need for ingredient substitutions arise.

Continuous Improvement for Co-Manufacturing

We are continuously looking for efficiency improvements for our co-manufacturers and private label customers. For example, during recent human resource shortages, we provided some resiliency by moving some production from manual to automated manufacturing, creating efficiencies and a reduction in required headcount.

Prioritize Now for Future Success

In this new supply chain environment, it’s more important than ever to plan, predict, prioritize—and pivot as needed. Nellson is the only full-service provider of the highest quality nutritional bar & functional powder solutions. Successful supply chain management has played a significant role in achieving this level of excellence. With us by your side helping navigate today’s supply chain challenges, you can rest assured that your brand is in good hands.

Find out more about how we can help smooth your path to success in the wellness product landscape, here.

You can get in touch here.