2017Issue2_Alabama

THE

DOTS

CONNECTING

C O N N E C T I N G T H E D O T S

BY LEN LEWIS

For years, phrases like customer-centric, best practices, CPFR, supply chain

collaboration have been buzzwords throughout the retail industry. As competition

for the consumer dollar increases among brick and mortar and online stores, these

factors and relationships between independents, manufacturers and brokers have

never been more urgent.

But are the benefits of collaboration being explored to their fullest?

Alabama Grocer

asked three industry leaders –

Chris Coborn

, chairman and

CEO, Coborn’s, Inc.;

Denny Belcastro

, vice president, customer and industry

collaboration, Kimberly-Clark Corp.; and

Mark McLean

, division manager,

CROSSMARK, Inc. – to give their views on the state of industry collaboration

and how it can move forward.

| ALABAMA GROCER