The Kudler Fine Foods is transforming its produce to carry organically grown produce. In the company's mission statement: "We will provide this service because we ‘shop the world' for our products; purchase only the finest of products…and will go to extensive lengths to assure that Kudler's is the purveyor of choice for customers aspiring to purchase the finest epicurean delights (Kudler Fine Foods, 2006). Kathy Kudler and her administrative team have decided to contract with local vendors to bring organic produce to the stores. By carrying organic produce, this reinforces the company's desire to respond to the public desire to have fruits and vegetables grown without synthetic chemicals (Organic Consumers Association, 2006) (Hansen, 2004). However, in contracting with local farmers to use organic produce the company will need to go through some organizational changes. The affects of the supply chain from this decision may also have their impact on Kudler's. The company will also need to enact new quality control standards to maintain the company's commitment to supplying quality foodstuffs at an affordable price.
Business process that could be affected
The decision to contract with local vendors will change the company's process of obtaining produce for their stores. As Kudler's Fine Foods converts to the local vendors, the company will need to be aware of the vendors ordering and shipping process. What will be the deadlines for ordering in order for the product to make it to a particular store or stores? What times will the products arrive and will they arrive in a manner to cause the lease amount of disruption to the customer? What will happen if a customer has a specialty order? The company will need to be careful as to how the contracts are made with the vendors to ensure product delivery.
The stores produce department managers are no longer free to search the market to acquire their produce. Previous to this decision the department managers were...