White Sulphur Springs, W.Va., June 14, 2004 – The Grocery Manufacturers of America’s Associate Member Council (AMC) presented the first AMC CPG Award, which honors innovation through creativity, product innovation and industry collaboration, to Kraft Foods during GMA’s Executive Conference held at the Greenbrier.

Kraft and Safeway formed a cross functional team to improve Safeway’s retail stock position. The project sought to improve the level of collaboration and alignment between Kraft and Safeway to build a more effective and efficient supply chain, drive increased sales and reduce expenses.

As a result, Kraft experienced a 162 percent sales increase in one featured category by improving supply chain processes. According to Ron Volpe, supply chain director for Kraft, "a true partnership" with Safeway was created through the adoption of new tools for collaboration and innovation.

"The cross-training that has occurred between companies has raised the level of awareness of the business implications of decisions,” Volpe said. “What started as a way to approach supply chain issues has rapidly become a ‘best practice’ throughout and across both organizations."

Kraft Foods was chosen from among seven finalists (in alphabetical order, with nominated project category): Bird’s Eye Foods (trade promotion management), Campbell Soup (data synchronization), E&J Gallo Winery (category business intelligence), Heinz (trade promotion management), PepsiCo (global manufacturing and logistics capital procurement), and Welch’s (trade promotion management).

"All of the finalists’ submissions demonstrated the innovative ways in which GMA members continue to move the CPG industry forward," said John C. Scott, AMC member and director, consumer goods and retail industries, Unisys Corporation.

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