2020 brought an unprecedented level of challenge and opportunity to the business community in North America and the world. Red Collar Pet Foods was no different. Whether it was sourcing raw materials, managing supply solutions, prioritizing associate safety, we had to, and continue to pivot and adjust our sails and find innovative and creative solutions. Our customers, and our furry friends, continue to depend on us to be a trusted partner who will keep them in stock and serviced throughout the pandemic.
That trusted partnership is a point of pride for us. We’ve had our challenges like everybody else, but we are setting the standard in the industry for finding solutions to thrive through this very tough time.
How have we tackled the challenges? By taking a highly proactive approach and implementing these 4 Pillars of a Disruption Proof Pet Food Business.
In this post, we’ll take a look at the first 2 Pillars.
Plan for the unplannable.
The best thing that we did when we started Red Collar was plan for the unplannable by creating a crisis manual. This manual included practices and protocols so if the unthinkable happened, everybody would know what to do, when, and how to manage the crisis. We had no idea what we were facing going into 2020, but that pre-prep, pre-practice, and pre-planning made all the difference.
The Red Collar Crisis Management Team began daily meetings, starting in the second week of March. While we have pared down the frequency, they still continue to this day. Twice a day, our coast-to-coast operations meet to talk about the crisis, and how we're managing it. With new information and new inputs, we can make the best decisions in real-time for our customers, our associates, and our business.
Adhere to the highest standards.
When it comes to food safety and audit readiness - we are always prepared. We are one of the only FSSC 22000 certified manufacturers of pet food in the United States. This certification has the strictest requirements regarding quality and food safety and is used by many human food companies. We live by our motto, “Do the right things, the right way, every day.”
When a supply chain is unexpectedly disrupted, you have to be ready to pivot and quickly qualify other suppliers to minimize disruption in service levels, while also ensuring the best in class quality. Having a Supplier Quality Assurance Program already in place is crucial to be able to smoothly transition suppliers and ensure top quality.
As we qualify new suppliers, new transportation lanes, new business practices, and protocols, the one thing we are not going to compromise is the quality of the ingredients that goes into the bag for our valuable products and our valuable customers.
This commitment has made all the difference for us in managing this pandemic.