6 Forecasting Tips for the Fresh Produce Supply Chain

Forecasting is critical to the success of fresh produce businesses operating in the supply chain. 

By properly forecasting demand and inventory requirements, businesses can prevent expensive mistakes, retain solid supplier relationships, and assure customer satisfaction. To forecast supply chains therefore means to ensure a business that’s well-prepared.

This blog post will look at the relevance of forecasting in the fresh produce market and provide helpful tips to improve forecasting procedures. We’ll also take a look at how Silo can help you set your business up for success.

What is forecasting in supply chain management?

Forecasting the supply chain means examining historical data on product demand to make estimates regarding planning, budgeting, and stock management. 

Businesses can acquire insights into demand trends and modify their inventory levels accordingly, monitoring parameters like: 

• Turnover rates

• Lead times

• Freight transit durations

• Warehouse receiving times

• Storage costs

While supply chain forecasting is largely concerned with supply-related data, other demand variables like seasonality, industry trends, economic situations, and global events are also important. 

To effectively manage inventory and meet customer demand via forecasting methods in supply chains, companies rely on accurate data.

The impact of inaccurate forecasting

Accurate supply chain forecasting is critical to meeting consumer expectations. 

Late product deliveries can result in lost opportunities, harm to your brand and reputation, and higher customer acquisition expenses.

Excessive inventory, on the other hand, can result in greater warehousing expenses, capital tie-up, and possible losses from perishable items. Furthermore, poor judgment in ordering can result in deadstock, which necessitates selling at a discount or liquidating in bulk.

The ability to correctly forecast supply chains is therefore crucial for companies to maintain operational resilience and mitigate risks.

Forecasting tips for the fresh produce supply chain

Fresh produce businesses may consider the following tips to improve the accuracy of their forecasting methods in supply chains.

1. Keep an eye on trends and changing demand patterns

Keep up with market trends to anticipate future price hikes. Analyzing customer preferences, watching social media, and keeping an eye on industry information via magazine and online articles can all help with this. 

Understanding shifting demand patterns enables businesses to change output and inventory levels as needed, ensuring they’re better prepared.

2. Improve relationships with business partners

For successful forecasting in supply chain management, strong ties with suppliers and retailers are a must.

Regular communication and effective data exchange assist both parties in aligning projections to better anticipate demand variations. Businesses can, as a result, adapt more quickly to changes in supply or market circumstances.

Making an effort to improve business relationships will pay off in the long run, especially in this industry that relies so heavily on strong partnerships.

3. Consider external variables

Consider external variables that may influence demand, such as weather, holidays, economic conditions, and so on. Businesses can increase the accuracy of their projections by accounting for these external factors.

For example, particular varieties of vegetables are often in greater demand around holidays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas.

4. Monitor and evaluate key performance indicators (KPIs)

It’s important to create and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs). These indicators and supply chain metrics aid in evaluating the efficacy of forecasting techniques and identifying areas for improvement.

Some KPIs you may want to consider tracking are:

• Forecast accuracy

• Inventory turnover

• Stockouts

• Fill rates

5. Invest in data analytics and forecasting tools

To analyze massive amounts of data and make reliable projections, consider using powerful supply chain forecasting tools. These technologies can automate forecasts, with some platforms even using machine learning techniques to provide game-changing insights.

Advanced analytics tools help businesses accurately forecast demand, enabling them to optimize inventory levels and meet customer expectations.

6. Continuously evaluate and improve forecasting models

Supply chain forecasting is a continuous activity rather than a one-time exercise. It’s critical to check prediction accuracy on a frequent basis and modify forecasting models based on sales data, as analyzing and changing forecasting models can increase the accuracy of future predictions.

Ensure your business thrives with Silo

Needless to say, accuracy when you forecast supply chains sets your business up for success.

Once you’ve determined demand, you’ll need the right amount of capital and a better way to manage your inventory. For that, consider enlisting the help of Silo.

Silo Capital is an alternative financing solution that gives you quick, easy, and discreet access to working capital. With more cash on hand, you can sell more product to scale your business.

Silo’s ERP platform helps businesses with real-time insight into their inventory management, allowing them to better mitigate waste and get the most our of their inventory. Understanding how to strategically monitor your inventory will help you proactively adjust based on demand. 

Silo's extensive features guarantee prompt decision making, allowing companies to satisfy customer needs while increasing their profits.

Book a demo with Silo today!