Setting Up for Scale: Structuring Wholesale Operations

We supported a global consumer company in structuring its wholesale operation in Brazil, bringing visibility, efficiency, and scalability to its supply chain.

Client

A global leader in the premium consumer goods segment, with over 100 years of heritage and presence in more than 100 countries.

In Brazil, the company operates a nationwide retail network with dozens of stores across major cities and regions.

Challenge

The Brazilian operation needed to establish a robust wholesale operation to sustain its ambition of becoming one of the fastest-growing markets globally.

Key issues included lack of structured processes, fragmented demand planning, and limited visibility and alignment across sales, operations, and supply chain.

Our Work

• Defined and structured the wholesale go-to-market strategy, including process mapping, competitive bidding (BID), and implementation with stabilization follow-up.

• Led the S&OP cycle considering critical factors such as stock replenishment needs, risk of under/over coverage by SKU, copacking, warehouse utilization, and forecasted demand.

Results

• Conducted a study with multiple logistics network scenarios, identifying a configuration that resulted in a USD 5MM/year reduction (36%) in total logistics costs.

• Established a clear and scalable structure for wholesale operations aligned with the company’s premium positioning.

• Improved forecast accuracy and reduced stockouts through integrated S&OP practices.

• Enhanced supply chain planning capabilities, enabling proactive inventory management and better promotional readiness.