Consulting Services for Consumer Goods

The consumer goods market is currently undergoing a multitude of fundamental changes that are creating new challenges that should not be underestimated. Subdued consumer spending, as well as weak global export demand and import restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic continue to impact consumer goods business entities. The coronavirus crisis leaves lasting marks that force manufacturers to change their thinking in order to be successful on the market in the future. Key aspects include:

• Driving digitalisation – implementing IT solutions to create added value with data
• Structurally adapting distribution models and breaking down previous distribution structures
• Reviewing product portfolios and product placements
• Communicating closely with distributors and retailers to enable innovation along the entire supply chain
• Creating transparency in the supply chain – the consumer wants to know the ESG footprint of the product
• Analysing changing consumer behaviour and understanding the customer needs derived from it
• Putting the customer at the centre of all activities along the entire customer journey
• Interacting with the customer to build genuine customer loyalty and trust

Consumers who are becoming more demanding and a predicted increase in price sensitivity are forcing manufacturers to deal even more intensively with the topic of customer loyalty in the future. In order to build genuine customer loyalty and trust, a target group-oriented approach is more important than ever. A sophisticated direct-to-consumer concept with its own distribution structures enables manufacturers to contact consumers directly in order to win them as customers without competing with retailers. By going direct and using customer-oriented processes, business entities can increase their economic success, get to know their customers even better and thus respond more quickly to their needs, which is especially critical for success in unpredictable times like these. We would be happy to support you in developing your individual direct-to-customer concept.

In times of almost unlimited possibilities through digitalisation and technology, it is the task of our industry experts to proactively support you. The digital and mobile world not only shortens information paths, but also offers additional touchpoints to the customer. The resulting transparency can be used as a decisive competitive advantage. For example, shopping basket analyses in conjunction with artificial intelligence can be used to analyse and anticipate purchasing behaviour. Pricing needs to be reconfigured, and price control is shifted - with the help of analytics and data technology - to another level, from national control approaches to distribution channels, location groups, locations and product range components. The focus of customers on regionality and sustainability has long been a reality. In addition, you can also fulfil the customer’s desire for a “transparent” supply chain for transregional and international products. Along with industry expertise and market knowledge, we offer extensive offerings of new proprietary partner technologies and digital solutions. Together with our colleagues from KPMG Lighthouse, we offer you tailor-made solutions for your business entity.

Trade tariffs, geopolitical influences, natural disasters and other unpredictable events create tension in the global supply chain. Especially as a retailer, you face the daily challenge of ensuring the availability of your goods. Most importantly, you are also increasingly faced with the challenge of explaining to your customer what ingredients a product has, where and under what conditions it was manufactured, or why you still carry it in view of its negative sustainability footprint. Products and supply chain thus have an impact on the consumer’s perception and positioning of your business entity.

Compliance, due to the Supply Chain Act likely to come in 2021, and the desire for less fragile, simpler supply chains requires a strategic realignment of your supply chain. To be able to react quickly to changes without suffering economic damage, it is essential to have an adaptable and flexible supply chain. In addition, your production and procurement costs can be reduced by optimising value creation networks. The same applies to the optimisation of customs duties, transfer prices and value added tax in your supply chain. By integrating new technologies into your supply chain, we also enable the automation of relevant sections of your supply chain and protect against productivity losses. For example, implementing real-time tracking creates increased transparency and, most importantly, a reduction in working capital within your organisation.

To optimise and compare your production and distribution sites, an increase in transparency within the finance organisation is indispensable. Many organically grown producers face the challenge of heterogeneous processes and systems. Through our industry and financial expertise, we support you in harmonising your financial organisation. Through custom-fit steering concepts, we take into account the needs of your business entity and increase the agility and efficiency of your organisation. An integrated finance department with harmonised finance and controlling processes enables you to design production and sales processes in a cost-efficient manner. By using the right technologies, we enable you to better understand your business entity and manage it according to the situation.