The food and fiber supply chain is large, broad, and complicated. Understanding the supply chain will help you better understand the various markets and how marketing efforts must adapt to reflect specific areas within the chain. In this assignment, you can learn more about a specific area of the supply chain that interests you.
Research a segment of the food and fiber supply chain that interests you. It may be an area you see yourself working in someday or an area you want to learn more about. There are many possibilities. Some of these include (as they apply to food and fiber):
Fertilizer manufacturers
Fertilizer retailers
Chemical manufacturers (pesticides)
Financial institutions
USDA
Farmers and ranchers
Meat processors
Fruit and vegetable processors
Warehouse and transportation
Foodservice
Restaurants
Grocery stores / retail outlets
Consumer advocacy groups
Business Analytics
Accounting / Legal
As you learn more about the segment, summarize its key aspects about it. You might include:
Segment size, e.g., how many companies work in the segment, how many people are employed in the segment, how much money is generated in the segment
Key “players” in the segment. What are the names of companies I might recognize operating in this segment? Which companies in the segment are seen as “innovators?” What are some of the “up-and-coming” companies represented in this segment?
Factors that are influencing the segment. What factors have caused the segment to change or may make it change moving forward? Are there examples you can provide that illustrate these forces?
Your summary should be two pages long (double-spaced if you want). I’m looking for evidence that you did a good job exploring more than the length of the report.
