Sri Lanka Distributor Issues

Sri Lanka is currently waking up from years of civil war. There is a sense of optimism in the air and the country is most certainly open for business. In September I spent two weeks in the country and also had a chance to review a FMCG company’s distributor network.  I jotted down a few [...]

Lean: The emerging market challenge

Emerging economies with robust economic growth remain a significant opportunity for companies eager to grow and expand their business. With growth opportunities limited in the U.S. and Europe, these countries will be the battleground for companies in the years to come. Asian companies have improved their skills and practices and are gaining in their ability [...]

Cold chain challenges: Poor electricity supply

How do you create a cold chain in a city with constant power cuts and outages? This is one of the key questions that faced us on a recent project in Guinea, West Africa. Periodic power and water cuts are a daily burden for Conakry’s residents, not to mention the upcountry areas. For consumer goods [...]

Vietnam’s changing retail environment

The Vietnamese retail market has seen significant changes the last couple of years. Neighbourhoods in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi have been transformed as Vietnamese shoppers demand more from their retailers and retail experience. However, even when compared to other major Asia economies, the retail market remains in its infancy with a great potential [...]

The affects of the economic crisis on the global supply chain

Reuters has an interesting article about the affects of the economic crisis on the supply chain. Recent bankruptcies in China among suppliers pose a serious risk to the global supply chain. PricewaterhouseCoopers estimates that 670,000 small companies have closed across China because of the global crisis. When suppliers goes out of business, companies need to [...]

Bangkok Suvarnabhumi airport closure: 3 billion baht and counting

“Reports has shown that the closure of Suvarnabhumi airport is causing 3 billion baht of damages to cargo transportation per day; 1.8 billion baht to importers and 1.2 billion to exporters. While the biggest impact so far has been on shipments of food and other agriculture products, if the closure continues for as much as [...]

Emerging mobility

Wherever you go in emerging markets, there seem to be an affordable way of getting your goods around. In Dar Es Salaam and Nairobi you have the two wheel push cart (Mikokoteni) and in Accra a more modern four wheel version.   South East Asia prefers the three wheel motor-cart version, known for its high [...]

Learnings from Unilever Indonesia

I recently read an article about the success of Unilever Indonesia, one of Asia’s top consumer goods companies. Please find below a summary of the key learning: Distribution network strength – covering more than 600,000 outlets, their distribution network is a key competitive strength and a barrier for entry. Growth in modern trade- accelerated growth [...]

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