Case Study: Leading Global Fast-Food Chain achieves 25% shorter supply distances and €3.2M annual savings with GEP

Global Fast-Food Chain Develops Supply Risk Mitigation Strategy With GEP

A leading global quick-service restaurant chain engaged GEP to mitigate supply risk after Brexit threatened its sauce supply for continental Europe. The client faced overdependency on two suppliers—one based in the U.K.—long lead times into Iberia and the Nordics, limited transparency and cost inefficiencies, and a need to avoid major investment while maintaining U.K. supply stability.

GEP performed demand and supplier capability assessments, center-of-gravity and network-optimization modeling, and validated scenarios with directional freight data to identify continental alternatives and expandable supplier facilities. The plan reduces average product travel distance by 25% (653 km to 488 km), shifts supply points closer to the Nordics and Iberia, lowers top-two supplier share from 81% to 70%, and delivers estimated product and freight savings of €3.2 million annually with minimal client investment.