By Shefali Kapadia
When pandemic-driven lockdowns sent consumers home, Frito-Lay adjusted its inventory to meet increasing demand for its products.
The snack brand temporarily culled about 21% of its SKU portfolio to keep its supply chain as efficient as possible and deliver its most in-demand products, said Laura Maxwell, senior vice president of supply chain for PepsiCo Foods North America. By last summer, SKU counts had returned close to pre-pandemic levels.
“I’ll be the first to admit, last year, when we simplified the portfolio, from a supply chain perspective, we love that,” Maxwell said in an interview. “That gave us a lot of efficiency and velocity throughout the supply chain”
SHEFALI KAPADIA 