OPER3160 Grocery Gateway Case Study

Because the retail grocery market is typically low margin, “typically in the mid-single digit range”.(VALUELINE, 2013) It is critical for companies to have some type of cost advantage over peers, the larger chains may be able to obtain better and cheaper access to products than the independent stores(economies of scale). Labor is also a significant cost to retail grocers, representing 50% to 53% of total operating costs (EHOW, 2013). Other operating costs (including rent, utilities, transportation, and technology) are controllable by the company. Lastly, technology costs are key in the retail grocery industry in order to increase efficiency in operations and aid marketing aids. Point-of-sale systems can help to increase inventory turnover and sales and lead to better targeted customer marketing (COUNTERPOINTPOS, 2013)

The grocery industry has a relatively high market commonality; a lot of grocery stores are somewhat related in terms of technologies used, labor force and the products or services offered in the stores. Differentiation with other competitors is key for survival in this highly competitive industry.

The speed objectives is concerned with how long time it will take the customer to get to the store, buy the product and arrive back home again. The customers would like to do this as quick as possible and Tesco's operation managers should try to make this process quicker than its competitors.

1. The grocery industry is a commoditized industry, which makes it difficult for grocers to sustain through differentiation. Buyer power is high and thus, cost leadership and operational efficiencies are critical. There is fierce competition amongst various grocery stores, with the main players such as Loblaw and A&P holding multi-banner stores in various market segments. Traditional grocery stores also lose some of their market share to drug stores, convenience stores and other retailers who have entered the industry. Threat of substitutes from fast-food and take- away outlets is not as prevalent, since many grocery stores have started stocking ready-to-eat meals and have deli services available for consumers. Competitive

scale expansion operating 575 stores by the end of the fiscal year 2003. BBBY also

Gone are the days of waiting in long lines while at grocery stores with the hopes that that person in front of you will have a speedy transaction without the delay of a price check. The grocery shopping experience is quite different than when we were children. Many of us in the Generation X, Millennials, and Generation Z era are ditching the long lines and relying on apps to fill our fridges. However, while many of us are relaxing in the comfort of our homes and ordering a week’s supply of groceries, others are bypassing the cashier and are heading directly to self-checkout.

Thank you for the opportunity to be part of this exciting project. Per your request I have evaluated the options for enhancing the production capacity to maintain and further develop our market share.

If they succeed, other companies will probably go the online rout as well. This temporary competitive advantage will contribute to above-normal profits for Grocery Checkout, until other grocery supermarkets nullify the advantage.

AAA Transportation is an interstate company that focuses on transporting wholesale products in refrigerated trailers around Midwest this company is located in Waukegan,WI. On the other hand, AAA Transportation has new owners that are planning to make some positive changes that can potentially raise the company's growth becoming more successful. The new owners want to add a delivery of nonperishable products, such as canned foods, to their delivery routes, allowing AAA to expand the area they cover and to provide expanded service to their existing customers. Taking in consideration that many of the routes do not require a full load, there would

This also opens up access to people who may not be able to visit the stores due to poor mobility.

The grocery retail industry worldwide has grown in recent years to become one of the most intensely competitive industries due to the continuous amounts of new entrants. A grocery retailer is one that sells food and other general household items. Hypermarkets, supermarkets, discounters and small grocery retailers are all under the grocery retail umbrella. Between 2003 and 2008, the grocery retailing industry accounted for 45% of store-based retail values sales over the world. The figures

Following considerable investment in new warehouse and carrier management systems the number and quality of delivery options had increased. Now delivery options include: same day, next day or standard delivery options that normally takes around 2-3 days. Also customers can set delivery date by themselves and if wanted can be notified via email or text alerts of delivery status. In addition 85% if orders are tractable

W. W. Grainger, Inc. is a leading supplier of maintenance, repair, and operating (MRO) products to businesses and institutions in the United States, Canada, and Mexico with an expanding presence in Japan, India, China and Panama. The company works with more than 3,000 suppliers and runs an extensive Website (http://www.grainger.com) where Grainger offers nearly 900,000 products. The products range from industrial adhesives used in manufacturing, to hand tools, janitorial supplies, lighting equipment, and power tools. When something is needed by one of their 1.8 million customers it is often needed quickly, so quick service and product

Grocery Gateway would like to increase their deliveries from 2.7 to 4 per hour. Dominique Van Voorhis, vice president of industrial engineering and operations systems, must provide recommendations for improving and optimizing the delivery operations.

For our Gemba project, we decided to analyze the order fulfillment procedure for Cup of Joe, a coffee shop located in the Lennox Town Center. In order to capture the establishment’s peak hours of business, we primarily visited during the hours of 9:00am-12:00pm. We focused our attention on orders for baked goods, coffee, and espresso drinks, as these products are the shop’s main source of revenue and reputation. On several separate mornings we were able to observe an average of 125 orders over three hours (a takt time of 1.44 minutes). In the evening, there were often less than a dozen orders every hour. Since every order is slightly different, we have described the average order and the steps in the process that are consistent in almost every situation. We have identified multiple areas for improvement, which are referenced in the sections entitled analysis and recommendations.