A global leader in the FMCG sector, with complex operations across multiple regions and product lines, was facing significant challenges in aligning sales forecasts with production and supply planning. The organization suffered from:

• Frequent stockouts on fast-moving SKUs, directly impacting customer satisfaction and revenue.
• Excess inventory on slow movers, tying up working capital and increasing obsolescence risks.
• Misalignment between commercial, supply chain, and finance teams, resulting in reactive planning and poor decision-making.

The stakes were high: improving service levels and cash efficiency while reducing operational risks across the network.

CoreChain conducted a comprehensive diagnostic phase, combining quantitative data analysis and qualitative process mapping. Data collected included:

• Forecast accuracy by channel and product family.
• Historical sales trends, promotional impacts, and market variability.
• Inventory health (stock coverage, aging, excess & obsolete analysis).
• Production lead times, supplier constraints, and manufacturing flexibility.
  
• Working capital and cash impact modeling.

• Lean principles for waste identification and value stream mapping
• Scenario planning and risk modeling (safety stock simulations, multi-scenario S&OP modeling).
• Root cause analysis of planning misalignments (Ishikawa diagrams, 5 Whys).
• Governance maturity assessment and process gap analysis.

Based on the diagnostic findings, CoreChain proposed a three-pillar strategy:

1. Design and implementation of a robust S&OP process, integrating sales, marketing, supply chain, and finance stakeholders.
2. Forecast accuracy improvement plan, including data-driven scenario modeling and buffer strategies for high-variability SKUs.
3. Inventory policy redesign, with differentiated stock strategies by product segmentation (ABC / XYZ analysis).

Risk mitigation plans were embedded at each stage, focusing on supplier reliability, forecast bias, and planning cycle agility.

• Phase 1:

Quick wins — fast-track improvements on top 20% SKUs impacting 80% of service issues.

• Phase 2:

Full S&OP process deployment across all business units.

• Phase 3:

Integration of performance monitoring tools and governance rituals (S&OP calendar, RACI matrix, executive dashboards).

Tools delivered:

• Power BI dashboards for real-time KPI tracking.
• Scenario modeling templates for demand and supply balancing.
• Training packages and playbooks for process ownership and adoption.

• Inventory reduction of 18% on targeted SKUs within the first 12 months.
• Working capital freed up by over $5 million, improving cash efficiency.
• Service level increase of +12 points on priority product lines.
• Forecast accuracy improved by 15%, reducing planning volatility.
• Stronger cross-functional collaboration, reinforced by transparent governance and aligned decision-making.
• Cultural shift toward proactive planning and shared accountability across teams.