SIM Supply Chain

Having been into the mapping and visualizing of consumer goods supply chains for over ten years, Holland-based firm, SIM Supply Chain is at the forefront of offering highly motivated expertise and software solutions that help Food & Beverage (F&B) organizations obtain data they can trust, report and act upon. Founded by Marjan de Bock – Smit in 2008, SIM Supply chain has been relentlessly focused on mapping the entire supply chain from the retail store until the primary production.

As the global business world continues to shift rapidly, F&B industry is under immense pressure to adapt to a plethora of changes, including rising competition, stringent regulations, and higher commodity prices. Besides, ensuring product quality is another important aspect that businesses need to engage in. To achieve these feats and sharpen their competitive edge, organizations have to manage all the information accurately, such as recipe and formulations development, the management of raw ingredients, manufacturing and process control, or post-market feedback. To consistently comply with these regulations and ensure the efficiency of day-to-day processes and operations across the food supply chain, companies in the F&B industry need a robust information management system.

SIM Supply Chain offers customizable cloud-based IT solutions that enable companies to store all of their supply chain data in one place and keep it up to date. As a part of their modular solution, SIM supply chain offers a multi-lingual database for supplier management that allows supply chain mapping, starting from the first tier. “We not only collect all relevant data around supply chains but also around the products, and all kinds of claims that can be made and risk that can occur,” says Leontien Hasselman-Plugge, CEO of SIM. The product specification encompasses relevant information around food products like ingredients, nutrients, mandatory labeling, and packaging data. Empowered by Business Intelligence (BI), the company’s database also comprises ‘required evidence’ for risk mitigation, for instance food safety certificates, audit reports on product integrity, social compliance, animal welfare and climate impacts. As the company is successfully able to obtain the details on where products come from and how they have been created, now they are aiming to address data silos issues. “We have been experimenting with blockchain technology to democratize the collection of data, and also use the data hidden in the supply chains but often not shared,” asserts Hasselman-Plugge. SIM envisions that their blockchain-supported “Powerchain” will be one of the go-to tools for specific products to increase visibility and transparency in global supply chains.

SIM Supply chain also has supply chain analysts based in Alkmaar that speak 17 languages and are in constant touch with suppliers all over the world. The objective of the team is to make a positive impact on the lives of people like suppliers, factory workers, and farmers in emerging economies and also on the environment with retailers’ buying power.

With such database and blockchain offerings, the future of SIM supply chain looks bright. SIM’s solutions have revolutionized the way supply chains were usually managed by providing deeper visibility into the entire chain. For the road ahead, the company intends to expand geographically by establishing offices in Germany and Scandinavia. They also have plans to extend their footprint to large food manufacturing countries like Brazil, China, and India. In conclusion, Leontien says, “We intend to continue the innovation spree to meet the customer demands in the supply chain industry. Our aim is to double next year, reach different parts of the world, and impact the production countries.”