Pierre Mule is the VP of Group Planning and Customer Service Excellence at global beer brewer Carlsberg. A series of acquisitions led to a complex supply chain that Mule seeks to simplify while still meeting consumer preferences for particular beer brands. Mule's role is to implement a new strategy for an integrated supply chain that incorporates a two-way flow of products and customer information. He aims to balance the long-term vision of an agile, integrated supply chain with day-to-day execution to continuously improve operations. The main challenges are reducing complexity while increasing consumer choice, and ensuring the right information flows within the supply chain.

1. By helen Armstrong
A series of acquisitions inevitably led to a complex supply
chain for global beer brewer, Carlsberg. for Pierre Mule, VP
Group Planning & Customer Service Excellence, this was an
opportunity to unleash its untapped value. His task — together
with his colleagues from procurement, production and logis
tics - is to simplify the global supply chain while acknowledg
ing that consumers are often very emotionally attached to a
particular beer brand. “Consumers have strong rooted prefer
ences when it comes to beer. We have to continue to meet their
needs while simplifying the parts of the chain which don’t add
value.” A new strategy is evolving which incorporates a two-
way flow Products in one direction and information back from
customers in the other. Mille is in his element: “I love the ten
sion between the long term vision and doing the job every day,
at every level”.
What is your responsibilityregarding the supply chain?
“I joined Carlsberg three years ago to help implement a new
strategy for an integrated supply chain. My job is to ensure
that supply meets demand in the most efficient way. The job
description is more complicated but it all comes down to sat
isfying our customers. Within the 16 countries in Western
Europe I have a very operational role. Here it involves capac
ity planning, S&OP and knowing individual volumes. In our
other main markets in Asia and Russia ifs about building
capability, positioning skilled people and putting systems and
processes in place to enable us to provide excellent customer
service.”
What is the strategy ofthe supply chain: Operational Excellence,
Product Leadership or CustomerIntimacy?
“The overall strategy is to build an integrated supply chain
with flow of goods in one-way direction and flow of informa
tion the other way. We believe that operational excellence starts
at the shelf, and we are at the moment evolving towards a
more customer centric supply chain.
As a supply chain we are integrating on-shelf availability, dis
tribution, warehousing, logistics, production, procurement
and communication with our suppliers, yet leave intact the
intimacy within the individual markets regarding sales.
Some leading edge customers want to work in a very inte
grated way and do provide us with data to analyse and they
Whatare the main business challenges that drive supply
chain projects at the moment?
“The main challenge is to reduce complexity while at
the same time increase the choice for the consumer.
Since Carlsberg has grown through acquisitions, we
have today a portfolio of businesses with many differ
ent products: Different beer brands, bottle sizes, dif
ferent pack size, type of carton, shrink wrap, etc. We
have plenty of programmes that are driving complexity
reduction but at the same time we have an obligation
to increase the consumers’ choice. Our job is to stand- >D
lñI Supply [hain Agenda
“We are evolving towards a more
customer centric supply chain”
Pierre Mule, VP Group Planning & Customer Service Excellence, Carlsberg Group
welcome our engagement in promotional forecasting.
Sometimes they even provide category information.
Globally speaking, we still have customers who believe
that information is power and don’t want to share it. We
realise that no one size fits all and so we have to under
stand the rhythm of our customers and which metrics
matter to them.”
49

2. fr “The power of a road map is unbelievable; it lets everyone
see where we are and how we can move to the next level.”
Which supply chain challenges keep you awake at night?
“The need to balance the vision of an integrated, agile supply
chain that can deliver more value and simultaneously meet con
sumer demand is a challenge. The supply chain strategy boils
down to execution — ifs about getting the job done right, and
making the Hght decisions so that we can make small improve
ments every day. There’s a certain tension between enabling the
bigger long-term vision in terms of process systems, skills and
organisation and delivering the day-to-day business. Thafs what
makes it so cool — delivering today and shaping the future for
tomorrow.
Another concern is whether information has been captured and
sent to the right people. Always someone, somewhere will know
about something but they don’t always realise that the informa
tion is critical to the rest of the supply chain. We need to ensure
that information travels into the supply chain as well as to other
functions.”
What do you do about these challenges?
“Firstly we have a road map which is central to our business. The
power of a road map is unbelievable; it lets everyone see where
we are and how we can move to the next level. In this way we
communicate our supply chain strategy, which is also aligned
with the business strategy.
We keep the vision alive through pragmatic, simple projects.
For example, we are working on improving forecast accuracy by
translating it into something that means something to the cus
tomer, such as stock fill or service level. The more effectively we
work on service reviews on a weekly basis in every single mar
ket and by talking to customers and understanding the issues, we
can foresee and provide an answen Ifs about communication.
We often go back to basics because the bigger vision of the supply
chain working at a regional or global level only works by under
standing the demand signals at a local level. The bridge has to
be crossed in both directions regularly.”Who do like to meet for
exchange of knowledge?
‘After 17 years in the supply chain I have a network of peers in
non-competitive industries who I can call on. I also take a lot of
inspiration from meeting the customers: the retailers, and the
entree business (pubs and bars etc.) who deliver beer by the glass.
Unfortunately I don’t find enough forums, like the ECR, where
suppliers and customers can meet to talk about neutral topics
so that suppliers can satisfy consumer needs betteL It is compli
cated and we need more of these discussions so in the meantime
I do a lot of one-to-one. At the same time we need to look at the
best practitioners and learn how we can bring the top level of
excellence to all of our markets.”
Which book has inspfredyou the most and why?
“I am nearly 50 and the book that has inspired me the most is,
The Road Less Travelled by Dt M. Scott Peck, which I read nearly
25 years ago. It talks about the power of love. In the end every
thing we do is about the other people. We carft do it alone. The
book, which I’ve read about ten times and ifs always refresh
ing, helps me find a common ground with the other people I’m
engaged with. Often we talk about systems or processes but it all
comes down to the people using them.”
What do you expect to doingprofessionallyin five yeats time?
“I think I will be doing the same as today. I work hard during the
week and snowboard at the weekend. I am very happy!” C
ardise the back-end of the supply chain and at the same time
increase innovation. These two opposites have to meet. By low
ering the total amount of variation in our product portfolio but
making it available across borders we can offer more for less.”