Forecasting and Demand Planning with Alex Duong

While your marketing and sales plans are important steps to building your brand, you need to back them up with solid forecasting and demand planning if you want to grow your food business in a profitable way. Everything from efficient ordering and production planning to making sure you can properly serve your customers hinges on the work you do in this area.

Today on the Real Food Brands Podcast, host and Brand Strategist Katie Mleziva talks with Alex Duong, Founder – Ancient Provisions. In this episode, we talk about how to balance your sales projections with the lead time you need to hit those goals, and how to plan for growth.

In This Episode:

• The difference between forecasting and demand planning, and the pillars of each. 
• Why forecasting and demand planning are essential when you’re planning for growth in your food business.
• The different factors that come into play when you’re forecasting.
• How to avoid analysis paralysis.
• Striking the right balance between risk and potential for growth.
• Why communication with your co-packers about lead time is essential.
• How to identify what’s driving your lead times.

Resources:

• Ancient Provisions
• Connect with Alex on LinkedIn
• Connect with Katie on LinkedIn
• Real Food Brands Brand Checkup Scorecard
• Real Food Brands Marketing Roundtable Facebook Group
• Real Food Brands website