Country Foods scores win at SBR Management Excellence Awards 2024 for AI integration

The technology it provides enables the delivery of comprehensive smart capabilities that enhance efficiency and resilience across the supply chain.

Country Foods, one of Singapore’s largest protein importer, distributor, and food manufacturer, has been lauded as the Innovator of the Year - Food Manufacturing Solutions at the prestigious SBR Management Excellence Awards 2024 for its strategic initiative that integrates artificial intelligence (AI) technology into its protein supply chain risk management.

The AI-powered initiative, which has been adapted in collaboration with supply chain mapping and risk analytics leader Everstream Analytics, aims to provide real-time monitoring capability of the supply chain, helping to anticipate and mitigate global supply issues and safeguard the supply and production of protein products through data-driven decision-making. Integrating this supply chain intelligence system with its recently operationalised Vessel Tracking System, Business Intelligence Platform and PowerBI-enabled dashboarding, Country Foods has enhanced its capability to anticipate, track, and execute end-to-end supply chain, to ensure business continuity and better serve its customers.

It also leverages predictive analytics, machine learning, and human intelligence to identify emerging incidents such as natural disasters, man-made crises, strikes, data breaches, animal diseases, geopolitics tensions, and import/export issues. By plotting these events on a global map and updating in real-time, the company is alerted to potential disruptions, enabling proactive measures to adjust plans or implement alternation options to ensure business continuity, optimise inventory, sustain production, and deliver cost efficiency.

For Country Foods, the technology is part of a broader strategy to create a digitally enabled business ecosystem that offers end-to-end supply chain visibility and food security. With Everstream's insights integrated with other technologies, it has already taken steps to mitigate freight and shipment disruptions, ensuring the timely delivery of protein products to clients.

Going forward, the company is also working with A*Star to jointly develop an AI-enabled distribution system to be implemented by early next year.

This collaboration marks a significant advancement in the protein industry's use of AI and technology for supply chain resilience. By managing risks proactively across the end-to-end supply chain, Country Foods aims to fulfil its commitments to clients and value-add to its customers and partners.

“As the world trade and its supply chains get increasingly intertwined yet fragmented, the integration of technology and AI will become increasingly crucial. This forward-thinking and ecosystem approach, people-centric focus, leveraging data and AI, and exploiting partnerships and collaborations, underscores the protein industry's dedication to leveraging advanced technologies for sustainable food supply, production and distribution,” the company said.

SBR Management Excellence Awards honours those who have successfully propelled their companies to new heights of success whilst fostering a nurturing environment that positively influences their employees.

The SBR Management Excellence Awards is presented by Singapore Business Review Magazine. To view the full list of winners, click here. If you want to join the 2025 awards programme and be acclaimed for your company's employee engagements and management initiatives, please contact Julie Anne Nuñez at [email protected].