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Collaboration

Food supply chains can be long and complicated.  They can involve several separate businesses and many different steps before the product reaches consumers.  Collaboration between businesses in a supply chain can open up benefits not available to businesses working alone.

There are many different ways that businesses can work together and these are explained in ‘Prosper Through Partnership’.  This folder shows some of the practical ways that businesses are working together and the benefits that have been derived.

We encourage collaboration and we have pioneered a technique called ‘food value chain analysis’.  This is a structured way for businesses along a supply chain to work together and find improvement opportunities. 

The Food Chain Centre has applied value chain analysis to the Red Meat, Cereals, Dairy and Fresh Produce sectors.  An explanation of this approach and case studies from each of the chains are published below.

information & case studies


.: Cutting Costs - Adding Value in Fresh Produce (folder)

The ‘Cutting Costs – Adding Value in Fresh Produce’ folder was published in July 2006.  It contains an explanation of the value chain, Masterclass and PROBE methods and case studies from each of our projects.  New case studies will be added as we complete the remainder of our pilot programme.

Business areas: Collaboration
Production Excellence
Sector: Fresh Produce
Region: n/a

.: Cutting Costs - Adding Value in Organics (folder)

The ‘Cutting Costs – Adding Value in Organics’ folder was published in 2005 and contains an explanation of the value chain method and case studies for each of the chains.

Business areas: Collaboration
Production Excellence
Sector: Fresh Produce
Region: n/a

.: Cutting Costs - Adding Value in Cereals (folder)

The 'Cutting Costs - Adding Value in Cereals' folder was first published in October 2005 and contains an explanation of the value chain analysis programme, the methods used and case studies of each of the chains studied.  Updates are issued when each new case study is published.
Business areas: Collaboration
Production Excellence
Sector: Cereals
Region: n/a

.: Cutting Costs - Adding Value in Dairy (folder)

The 'Cutting Costs - Adding Value in Dairy' folder was first published in June 2005 and contains an explanation of the value chain analysis programme, the methods used and case studies of each of the chains studied.  New case studies will be added when further projects are completed.
Business areas: Collaboration
Production Excellence
Sector: Dairy
Region: n/a

.: Cutting Costs - Adding Value in Red Meat (folder)

The 'Cutting Costs - Adding Value in Fresh Produce' folder was first published in October 2005 and contains an explanation of the value chain analysis programme, the methods used and case studies of each of the chains studied.
Business areas: Collaboration
Production Excellence
Sector: Red Meat
Region: n/a

.: Prosper Through Partnership (folder)

Published in June 2005, 'Prosper Through Partnership' is a collection of case studies illustrating how different businesses in the food supply chain can all benefit through communicating and collaborating.  
Business areas: Collaboration
Sector: n/a Region: n/a


Information

.: Building Relationships that Create Value

Create win-win relationships by using a self-assessment tool and discussing the concepts of collaboration and supply chain management within your business and with your customers and suppliers.

Business areas: Collaboration
Sector: n/a Region: n/a



See also


. : Price & Supply Stability for beef (Press Release - 07 Feb 2006)

A study of the chain supplying Scotch beef to the University of Warwick found that all parties could benefit in this and similar chains by agreeing consistent cattle prices in return for more regular delivery times.


. : OrgaOrganic v Conventional Lamb – a Case Study Comparing two Supply Chains (Press Release - 01 Feb 2006)

Sales of organic foods in Britain are growing at a rate of £2million a week – twice the rate of growth of the conventional grocery market. To help the red meat industry take advantage of this growing market, the Food Chain Centre and the Red Meat Industry Forum (RMIF) compared an organic lamb supply chain with a conventional one to see what lessons could be learnt by both.


. : Coming Together to Cut Costs in Dairy (Press Release - 06 Sep 2005)

Teamwork across the supply chain is by far the best way for the dairy industry to cut costs and add value, according to a new report released by the Food Chain Centre.


. : Efficiencies Achieved in £3 million Contract to Feed the Forces (Press Release - 05 Apr 2005)

Collaboration between the Defence Catering Group, 3663 and Geo Adams & Sons Limited has resulted in substantial efficiencies being achieved in supplying pork legs and loins to the Armed Forces.


. : 4500 Farmers Benefit from Best Practice Case Study (Press Release - 13 Dec 2004)

Over 4500 farmers are to benefit from the latest information from the Food Chain Centre (FCC) and Red Meat Industry Forum (RMIF).  The latest case study from Meadow Quality Co-operative focuses on two farmers who have both increased their financial returns through working with the Co-operative.


. : Food Chain Centre Awarded Half a Million Pounds to Help Fresh Produce Sector (Press Release - 25 Oct 2004)

The Food Chain Centre (FCC) has been awarded a major grant by DEFRA, worth almost £500,000, to develop its work in the fresh produce sector.


. : Whitbread Steak Supply Chain Analysed (Press Release - 15 Jun 2004)

A huge in-depth study of Whitbread’s Beefeater restaurants and their steak supply chain has uncovered a new team-based approach to satisfying customers.


. : 20% Savings to be had in Sausage Supply Chain (Press Release - 08 Jun 2004)

Savings of up to 20% are potentially available across the pork sausage supply chain, according to a comprehensive case study published today by the Food Chain Centre and Red Meat Industry Forum.


. : Food Chain Centre and English Farming and Food Parnterships - Putting Collaboration into Practice (Press Release - 04 May 2004)

The Food Chain Centre (FCC) today announces that it will jointly publish with English Farming and Food Partnerships (EFFP) a catalogue of case studies highlighting successful examples of collaboration in the food chain. Publication will take place in the autumn.


. : Cereals Industry Forum Awarded £1.4 million to Improve Cereals Chain (Press Release - 29 Sep 2003)

In what is a significant success for the cereals industry, the Cereals Industry Forum has been awarded a major Government grant of £1.4m over the next three years to improve efficiency and competitiveness in the grain chain. The funds will be provided jointly by DTI and Defra.


. : Potential for 10% Savings in the Red Meat Sector Identified (Press Release - 16 Sep 2003)

The Food Chain Centre (FCC) and Red Meat Industry Forum (RMIF) estimate there is potential for red meat supply chain cost savings of up to 10% in the first of a series of guides entitled ‘Cutting Costs - Adding Value in Red Meat’, published today.


. : Food Chain Centre Awarded Half a Million Pounds for New Project to Help Dairy Industry [Also Best Practice Hub Grant awarded] (Press Release - 16 Jun 2003)

The Food Chain Centre (FCC) has been awarded a grant of £500,000 from Defra to help the English Dairy industry improve its efficiency. The FCC will work in partnership with bodies representing farmers, processors and retailers in the dairy chain including the NFU, the Milk Development Council, DIAL1 and BRC to help dairy farmers get their milk products to consumers more efficiently.


. : Animal Feed Chain Benefits from Reduced Transport Costs and Improved Sampling Efficiencies (Press Release - 26 Jun 2006)

A Cereals Industry Forum (CIF) Value Chain Analysis (VCA) has provided key recommendations on how sampling efficiencies can be improved and transport costs reduced along the poultry feed supply chain. The VCA was conducted by Cranfield Business School to look at the efficiency of the chain from the grain farmer and grain merchant, Saxon Agriculture, through to Bernard Matthews.


. : Helping to Get Fruit to Schools (Press Release - 24 Jul 2006)

The Food Chain Centre (FCC) has released the results of a project set up as part of the Government-funded School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme. The Value Chain Analysis followed fruit grown on a Kent farm through harvesting, processing and delivery to a primary school in London.


. : Savings Possible in Biscuit Production Chain (Press Release - Oct 2005)

The first Value Chain Analysis (VCA) has been completed as part of the Cereals Industry Forum (CIF), which is funded by the DTI and Defra, and jointly run by Home Grown Cereals Authority and the Food Chain Centre. It has shown that there is considerable scope for improvement in the production process. For instance, almost 50 percent of the grain delivered to millers Heygates either did not meet the allocated delivery slot or the quality specification.


. : Brewer Improves Efficiency Through Strategic Partnership (Press Release - May 2006)

An industry leading agreement between brewer Coors Brewers Ltd and Frontier Agriculture has been strengthened as a result of a Value Chain Analysis (VCA) organised as part of the Cereals Industry Forum (CIF). The CIF project has enabled Coors and Frontier to improve planning and communication and cut the cost of production.