MANAGING SUPPLY CHAIN DISRUPTIONS IN GHANA: A LESSON IN AGILITY

I’ll never forget the day our main supplier of fresh fruit juices informed us that he wouldn’t be able to deliver our weekly order. It was a critical moment for our restaurant, as we relied heavily on his varied juices in gallons to maintain our menu offerings.

Panic set in as we scrambled to find alternative suppliers. But, as it often does, Ghana’s unpredictable supply chain had other plans. The alternative suppliers we contacted were either out of stock, unable to deliver on time or the quality was below our standard.

It was then that I realized the importance of having a diversified supply chain. We had put all our eggs in one basket, and it had left us vulnerable to disruptions.

So, we quickly adapted. In the short term, we were able to identify two suppliers and negotiated direct bulk purchases, while in the medium term we invested in backward integration where we established a separate business enterprise which produced various fruit juices. This drastically reduced our reliance on third-party logistics.

It wasn’t easy, but we managed to navigate the disruption and maintain our menu offerings. And, in the process, we learned a valuable lesson about the importance of agility and diversification in managing supply chain disruptions in Ghana.

Lessons Learned: in Ghana’s unpredictable supply chain environment, agility and diversification are key to managing disruptions. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket – diversify your suppliers and logistics to reduce your risk exposure.

Actionable Tips:

1. Diversify your suppliers to reduce your reliance on any one supplier.
2. Invest in local partnerships to build relationships with local farmers and suppliers.
3. Develop a contingency plan to prepare for potential disruptions and minimize their impact.