Building a Stronger Supply Chain

Three months have flown by since I joined Blendsmiths as Procurement & Supply Chain Manager. Stepping into the world of speciality drinks was a completely new challenge, but one I've thoroughly enjoyed from day one.

A New Industry, A New Opportunity

When I joined, I knew I was stepping into a completely new industry. While I have experience in supply chain, the world of speciality drinks was unfamiliar territory. However, after speaking with Chris and Ryan, it was clear that Blendsmiths is a business with exciting ambitions, and I wanted to be part of that journey.

One of the most enjoyable aspects of the role has been learning about the products and seeing the creativity that goes into developing unique drinks and customer experiences.

Building the Foundations

Alongside learning a new industry, I've focused on building processes and tools that support the continued growth of the business. This has included developing demand forecasting tools, improving customer onboarding processes and identifying opportunities to make day-to-day activities more efficient.

As Blendsmiths continues to grow, customers are increasingly looking for information around sustainability, ethical sourcing and supply chain transparency. I've enjoyed building on the foundations and documentation needed to support these requirements, ensuring we're well positioned to meet both current and future customer expectations.

Strengthening Supplier Relationships

A key part of my role has been strengthening relationships across our supply chain. I've had the opportunity to visit existing suppliers, gaining a better understanding of their operations and exploring how we can work together to support future growth.

These visits have reinforced something I've always believed: strong supplier relationships create better outcomes for everyone and are an important part of building a resilient supply chain.

Settling Into the Team

Everyone at Blendsmiths has been incredibly welcoming and supportive, making it easy to settle into the business while also allowing me to contribute ideas and provide guidance from a supply chain perspective.

One of the highlights of my first few months was attending the London Coffee Festival.

As a first-time visitor, it was a fantastic opportunity to immerse myself in the industry and meet current and potential suppliers face to face. The event highlighted the passion and creativity that exists across the sector and gave me a greater appreciation of the industry I'm now part of.

Supporting What's Next

The past three months have been a steep learning curve, but they've also been incredibly rewarding.

I'm excited to continue strengthening our supply chain, building lasting supplier partnerships and helping create the foundations that will support Blendsmiths as it grows. The first three months have been a fantastic introduction, and I can't wait to see what's next.