Sälud China: When Frozen Yogurt Faced a Jam

Description

Sälud China: When Frozen Yogurt Faced a Jam: Abstract

In late March 2021, a blockage in the Suez Canal disrupted the next delivery of imported ingredients for Sälud China (Sälud), a frozen yogurt retail chain. In a context in which both the length of the blockage and the time to recover from the backlog were uncertain, Hang Su, the business development manager at Sälud, would have to act quickly to mitigate the negative impact of possible shortages of key ingredients. According to historical sales data, China’s demand for frozen yogurt increased in April, and the company had to keep its supply chain running smoothly despite supply shortages in Europe. Su knew that, in addition to solving the immediate problem, Sälud would have to develop a more long-term approach to reducing the possibility of future disruptions.

Teaching objectives

• Understand how supply chain disruptions affect business operations and performance.
• Be able to develop a contingency plan for specific contexts and operational strategies.
• Be able to think critically about ways to increase supply chain resilience over the long term.

Additional information

Also available in French.

Teachers’ notes are available for university teachers only. Please contact the HEC Montréal Case Centre.