Risk Reimagined: Mapping a Safer, Stronger Global Supply Network

Client Overview

Our client is a global, privately owned company that connects people with ideas, data with insights, supply with demand, restaurants with deliveries and ultimately, people with the products they love. Whether sourcing, storing, or delivering products, they bring unmatched category expertise and unrivaled operational excellence, combined with powerful digital analytics and insights. Founded in 1974, they employ more than 10,000 people and serve customers in over 100 countries.

They are a global leader in integrated supply chain management for the food industry, offering end-to-end solutions for retail, quick-service restaurants (QSR), and food service (FSR). Operating in over 30 markets with 8,500+ employees, their portfolio of services ensures over 2 million deliveries annually through warehousing, logistics, and planning.

The Challenge / Mandate

Client sought support evaluating the risk profile within the supply chain of a quick-serve packaging industry client.

Objective: Identify the highest concentrations of risk within the global packaging supply base and prioritize opportunities to strengthen supply and capacity gaps.

Output included:

• Prioritized list of opportunities to improve the supply network
• Assessment of players for potential partnerships with diverse suppliers
• A framework for evaluating future suppliers and partnerships
  

Required Experience: Top-tier consulting toolkit, supply chain familiarity, and due diligence expertise.

The Search

We targeted candidates with backgrounds in logistics and supply chain, specifically those with exposure to risk assessment, due diligence, and packaging. The ideal consultant would come from a top-tier consulting firm with a proven track record in operations, supply chain analysis, and logistics strategy, particularly within food and packaging ecosystems.

The Placement

The chosen consultant was a former Deloitte manager with deep expertise in supply chain logistics, backed by a Logistics and Transportation MBA. Their experience included food packaging supply chain projects for the Department of Defense, Sysco, and Tyson, each requiring detailed risk mitigation and strategic sourcing.

They also founded a supply chain technology platform—Scillum—that maps supplier relationships and strengthens supply chain resilience using secure, cloud-based architecture. This expertise aligned perfectly with the client's goal to build a stronger, more transparent global supplier network.

Additionally, the consultant led or supported over 40 supply chain risk assessments and operated a veteran-owned supply chain and operations research firm specializing in continuous process improvement and SCRM.

The Outcome

The consultant delivered a structured, data-driven roadmap for reducing vulnerability across the client’s global supply network. Their analysis pinpointed top areas of risk and offered actionable strategies for improvement, including new partnerships with diverse and reliable packaging suppliers.

Key contributions included:

• A prioritized list of at-risk supply segments
• Vetting criteria and framework for ongoing supplier evaluation
• A playbook for partnership development, with a strong DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) lens

The work helped the client take proactive steps toward a more resilient, efficient, and inclusive supply chain.