Supply chain management: a case study of a dedicated supply chain for bananas in the UK grocery market

Looks at the concept of supply chain management, discussing the theory and its relevance to the distribution and marketing of fresh produce. Vertical co‐ordination has seen an accelerated introduction in the context of UK food retailing and the major food retailers are increasingly demanding dedicated supply as their influence grows. Looks at three main players: J Sainsbury, the second largest UK grocery retailer; Mack Multiples, an operating division of M & W Mack, the UK’s largest privately‐owned importer and distributor of fresh produce; and Noboa, a major family‐owned plantation business in Ecuador.