After two years of solid growth, Co-op Partners Warehouse in St. Paul, Minn., is going through some big changes, said James Collins, senior director of supply chain.
“We are now looking at streamlining our processes,” he said.
The co-op is implementing a new operating system that will include warehouse management, online ordering for customers and demand-planning forecasting to help on the procurement side, he said.
The new system should be up and running by spring.
“Replenishment-type investments” also are underway that will include new forklifts, racking systems and related efficiencies, he said.
The co-op also is building out new partnerships and programs.
“We’re looking to build out a local program to support local farms and help reduce transportation costs by creating more diversity of product and a regional distribution network,” Collins said.
“We are also building out a national independent distributor network, where we can support other distributors in other regions and vice versa by diversifying where products are grown, what products are grown and be able to sell back and forth.”
On the personnel side, Co-op Partners Warehouse has hired Dan Webber, most recently with Minneapolis-based Metro Produce Distributors Inc., as food safety and quality assurance manager; and Matthew Schlimme, most recently with Indianapolis-based Indianapolis Fruit Co. Inc., as senior supply chain manager.
