CARGOCONNECT-APRIL2026 - Flipbook - Page 39
FMCG SUPPLY CHAIN : SPECIAL FEATURE
execution architectures, Manivannan attests that their
distribution network is built on pan-India presence,
strategically placed stocking and fulfilment points,
and integrated first-mile to last-mile connectivity,
enabling organisations to respond faster to demand
variability while strengthening execution continuity
across geographies.
At the same time, predictability is emerging as an
equally critical performance metric alongside speed.
Sethi observes, “Earlier people used to sort of play
between scale and cost. Now it is more to do with speed,
consistency and I think one factor that is added is what
is a more e昀케cient predictability that you can give for
the market.” She further emphasises how continuous
network recalibration has become essential in a rapidly
expanding retail footprint, noting that “AI or market
data de昀椀ciency becomes so important here because
you need to have real-time monitoring almost every
second day to ensure that the product is reaching in
the right way to the correct customers.”
Adding to this emphasis on predictability-led execution and reflecting on how execution assurance is
becoming central to transit-model redesign, Manivannan
noti昀椀es, “Customers today evaluate partners based on
capability, infrastructure, and scale, along with service
consistency, SLA adherence, technology readiness, and
trained manpower.” Further, consolidating his views on
the transition toward intelligent routing ecosystems,
Manivannan inferences, “We are progressively implementing vehicle planning models to optimise capacity
and cost, route optimisation to improve on-time delivery,
and predictive track & trace systems for better visibility,
thereby enabling stronger execution synchronisation
across temperature-sensitive logistics environments.”
For FMCG organisations handling freshness-sensitive
categories, this transition toward shorter, more intelligent
transit paths is particularly signi昀椀cant. Gupta explains,
“Many FMCG brands are increasingly adopting D2R and
D2C distribution models, bypassing multiple traditional
layers in the supply chain… improving responsiveness
to market demand.” He further highlights that reducing
handling layers directly strengthens product integrity,
noting, “Our supply chain strategy focusses on ensuring
that products travel the shortest possible distance
and spend minimal time in transit before reaching
the consumer.”
In temperature-sensitive categories such as dairy,
routing precision is becoming inseparable from product
quality assurance. Gupta points out that “route planning and optimisation are extremely important.” He
illustrates, “Any delay in transportation can directly
lead to product loss and impact consumer satisfaction,
while also enabling improvements in 昀氀eet utilisation,
fuel e昀케ciency, and cost discipline through composite
load strategies.”
However, even as automation-led routing systems
expand across the FMCG landscape, organisations
continue to identify untapped e昀케ciency potential in
digitisation initiatives. Bhawna candidly expresses,
“Digitisation is not only the choice, this is the need for
the company, because this route optimisation brings
a lot of e昀케ciency. So, this cost is not visible, but this is
Distribution & Execution
— Disintermediation:
Brands are bypassing
traditional middlemen
layers to gain real-time
visibility through Directto-Retailer platforms.
— Market Speed: Digital
infrastructure has
improved speed-to-market
for new product launches
from 3 months to 3 days.
— Mobile Warehouses:
Delivery trucks now act
as "mobile warehouses",
replenishing stores
based on real-time
predictive data.
— Integrated Planning:
AI-driven IBP platforms
reduce 昀氀uctuations while
strengthening distributorto-retailer stock availability.
— Shelf Intelligence:
Edge computing
and computer vision
monitor SKU presence
and expiry with nearinstant accuracy.
— Workforce Capability:
Structured training
frameworks like COLTE
ensure teams are upskilled
to match high-velocity
digital transformation.
a hidden cost people can bring in through e昀케ciencies.”
Within the framework of visibility-led execution control,
Manivannan adds, “As an integrated 3PL, ProConnect ensures
end-to-end visibility, control, and reliability, strengthening
operational transparency across increasingly compressed delivery
timelines.”
While the industry narrative increasingly emphasises direct
distribution as a universal solution, implementation realities
remain nuanced across India’s highly diverse market structure.
Kumar notes, “For most players, bypassing the traditional layers
is not possible in the near to mid-term. India is very diverse
with signi昀椀cant variation in distribution channel capabilities
to enable this approach in a universal way.” At the same time,
he underscores the growing role of tracking and optimisation
systems, as he points to the fact, “There is a pressing need for
greater use of the same by all players in the value chain right
from the sourcing to the last-mile delivery, with adoption levels
expected to rise substantially over the next few years.”
Supporting this multi-layer transition strategy, Manivannan
briefly walks through how organisations are strengthening
resilience through network and route optimisation supported
by AI-led enhancements underway, strong regional expertise,
and SOP-driven execution supported by trained teams, ensuring
implementation practicality across India’s diverse distribution
landscape. Additionally, to build on solution-led distribution
engineering, he notes how ProConnect itself is increasingly
strengthening execution alignment through “close collaboration
with customers, supported by strong solutioning teams, to design
best-in-class warehousing and network models.”
For organisations pursuing agile distribution transformation
strategies, the advantage of bypassing intermediate layers extends
beyond cost e昀케ciencies into faster learning cycles and improved
execution control. As Agarwal explains, “Bypassing traditional
distribution layers isn’t just a cost play anymore, it’s a speed,
control, and market-access advantage. For instance, faster launches
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