As M&M/Mars well knows, the candy business, by nature, is highly promotional—holiday seasons account for two-thirds of annual candy purchases—and extremely competitive. M&M/Mars and other candy companies constantly compete in the grocery store for position and space.

M&M/Mars also knows that one of the most effective ways to achieve store sales is to develop floor displays that are attractive and convenient for consumers and easy for the store to place and maintain. When they wanted to build those displays in a timely and efficient manner, they turned to their logistics partner, DSC Logistics.

Collaborating with the M&M/Mars team to manage the administrative aspects of the project, DSC created an adaptable work area, developed processes and managed a flexible labor force. On a daily basis, we managed the appropriate work force and executed the projects as needed to meet the demand of M&M/Mars customers. We kept accurate inventories of the raw materials and the finished goods to assure M&M/Mars could effectively plan promotions and manufacturing.

The volume of display building was considerable and the effort was critical to the success of M&M/Mars’ business. Yes, it was challenging—high volatility in daily/weekly/monthly volumes and short lead times. However, our effective management of the flexible labor force, diligent management of product availability and efficient processes allowed us to manage the challenges. At DSC, we want to see our customers win in the marketplace and we want to play a role in their success.

When M&M/Mars wanted to sell more candy by exploiting the limited opportunity and timing of promotional sales, they knew DSC would come through for them. We understand the pressures on our customers and we deliver in their marketplace