DESCRIBE AND ANYLIZE THE SUPPLY CHAIN FOR CHOCOLATE - Essay Example

A supply chain refers to the stages a product goes through beginning from its manufacturing until it reaches the targeted consumer in the market (Kotler, & Armstrong, 2004). As such, this paper seeks to describe and analyse the supply chain for chocolate. The paper will also highlight some of the issues that may be found in the supply chain of this particular product as well as the solutions that can be implemented to deal them. The supply chain for chocolates involves quite a number of actors.

It begins with the suppliers of the raw materials that are used in manufacturing this particular product. In this case, it can be noted that cocoa is the major raw material that is used in the production of chocolates. These raw materials are sourced from the farmers who produce this product. However, the major issue related to sourcing cocoa from the producers is that bad practices are often witnessed in procuring this product where it can be seen that the producers are relegated to low prices by the suppliers of this product.

This is likely to draw the ire of the targeted consumers if they realise that the suppliers of cocoa are engaging in unethical business practices. Therefore, organisations involved in sourcing cocoa for chocolate production should practice ethical sourcing such that they do not violate the interests of the people involved in different stages of the supply chain of this product. When chocolate is manufactured from cocoa by different manufacturers, it is then distributed to different places where it will be sold to various consumers.

The concept of branding is very important in the supply of chocolate in different places. The manufacturers ought to have a brand name that makes the product different from similar products offered in the market. From the manufacturer, the product is often distributed to various wholesales in bulk quantities. Wholesales are stockists of various products and they can store different commodities in large quantities. From the wholesales, chocolate is then distributed to different retail outlets so that it can be sold to the final consumers.

Chocolate can be sold in supermarkets or small stores. It is the duty of the producer of the product to carefully manage the supply system of the product to be in a better position to achieve the desired objective of generating profits from the sale of the product. Bowfield (2004) suggests that the producer of a product being part of the supply chain should be responsible for protecting the interests of different people who may be directly or indirectly impacted by its operations. It is also important for the producer of chocolate to have a clearly defined supply chain so that the consumers know the exact place to obtain the product should they need it.

this also helps the product to gain knowledge about the consumers’ perceptions about the product offered in the market. This is important since it helps the marketers of the product to make informed decisions in their operations. References Blowfield, M 2004, Ethical Supply Chains in the Cocoa,Coffee and Tea Industries, Center for Corporate Citizenship, Greenwich Publishing, USA, Viewed 13 February, 2011, from: . Kotler, P. & Armstrong G. 2004. Principles of Marketing. Pearson Education International: NJ.