SUPPLY CHAIN
its digital transformation project through to completion , and according to plan , then people want to know how this was achieved .
One such success story is Heineken Europe , which recently completed the transformation of its supply chain across the region , and now uses 52 % fewer unique bottles , has cut by 50 % the amount of secondary packaging it uses , and has gone from having 25 supply and operations planning teams to just one .
Heading up that mammoth project was Thibaut Boidin , now CEO of Heineken in Romania , but formerly Chief Transformation Officer for Heineken in France .
Europe is a huge region for Heineken , where it runs 25 operating companies . Boidon reveals that in transforming its European supply chain it targeted four areas :
• Simplifying the complexity of its product and packaging
• Leveraging its network of operating companies
• Improving and harmonising its way of working
• Designing low-carbon footprint operations
Speaking to Boston Consulting Group , Boidon reveals that Heineken did not have to wait long before the transformation began to bear fruit .
“ It ’ s quite amazing ,” he says , “ because even in the first year of our transformation we already saw some significant results .”
The transformation helped Heineken achieve a 52 % reduction in the volume of unique bottles used by the company , and also cut by 50 % the amount of secondary packaging used . It has also cut carbon emissions in production by 24 % compared
“With big transformations you have to address the questions in people ’ s heads ”
THIBAUT BOIDIN , CEO , HEINEKEN ROMANIA
to 2018 levels . But most crucially , it went from having 25 supply and operations planning teams to just one .
Boidon led Heineken ’ s Transformation Management Office ( TMO ), and says the TMO was vital for the success of this transformation .
“ It was absolutely critical because while you drive a transformation you have also , at the same time , got to drive your day-to-day business ,” he says .
He adds : “ So if you don ’ t have a ‘ ninja ’ that helps you drive the transformation while the rest of the organisation is focusing on the day-to-day business , it ’ s quite a challenge to run it .
60 March 2024