ACI Group, which works with large food, pharma, industrial and road brands has announced the acquisition of a technology software business which will support and deliver end-to-end visibility in the supply chain. Its Naturis brand produces plant-based proteins, fibres and sugar reduction for bakery applications, as well as partnering with bakery suppliers to bring a range of sourdough, wheat grain and sprouted grains to its product range.
The acquisition of Oomphs Work is a move by the UK distributor to reduce global bottlenecks and tackle increased costs in the supply chain which, according to McKinsey & Company, are expected to reach US$110 billion by 2027.
“The extraordinary challenges of the last few years have shown us why access to real-time, high-quality data – and knowing exactly what to do with it – is the key to solving complexities in the supply chain. For example, supply chain leaders that increased their end-to-end visibility with high quality data were two times likely to report zero disruption issues in 2022,” explained Karsten Smet, Director of ACI Group.
“We recognise that many SMEs rely on antiquated data input methods that cannot keep pace with rising demand from today’s consumers. Of those businesses that have made the leap to software platforms – such as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) or Customer Relationship Management (CRM) – to deliver end-to-end visibility, these often come at a high cost with little-to-no data integration between platforms. The result is a widening of vulnerabilities and communication breakdowns in the supply chain,” she added.
Having acquired Oomphs Works, the company is in the process of developing an AI-powdered real-time data solution which incorporates both traditional and non-traditional supply chain elements so SMEs are able to “build resilience” in the face of real-time disruptions.
Earlier in year ACI Group was also responsible for launching a bakery webinar, a six-month digital program which will support bakery manufacturers with new product development and/or reformulations ahead of new legislation around HFSS products which will come into force in the UK by October 2023.
From October through to March, the company will have a new guest each month. Future months can expect to see guests from Goodmils Innovation, IFF and data analysts Nutrition Integrated who will share their insight.
“Bakery manufacturers have a challenging year ahead as the UK government continues to push non-HFSS products into the spotlight. With consumer demand soaring for healthier, ‘better-for-you’ products and raw material shortages that will continue well into 2023, there is a growing need for the bakery sector to look for new, innovative and sustainable approaches,” said Karsten Smet. “Our innovation series is designed to tackle these challenges. From reducing NPD and reformulation costs to using great tasting, clean-label ingredients that deliver value-added health benefits, there is something for everyone in our webinars.”
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