May 28, 2026
Hung, Kyle Xavier
DSIOPMA - C02
Reading List No. 02
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The first notable discovery or takeaway from the research was the focus on the food and
beverage industry during COVID-19, more specifically a cascade of short-term operational crises. A
product that experienced the biggest shock were the expiry products (unsold goods stocked up for peak
season) while severe working capital shortages were happening as cash inflows dried up, and mass
shutdowns for distribution or distributors. All three problems presented were related as low sales
turned into cash shortfall thus resulting in the inability to pay suppliers or open letters of credit.
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Resilience always comes to mind whenever the pandemic is mentioned. The study outlined
strategies operating on two specific levels: FEFO or First Expiry First Out method, a product rotation
across stores and short-term distributor incentives to survive the immediate crisis. And the urgency to
build an omni-channel and online sales infrastructure, something food and beverages firms in
developing economies such as Bangladesh had long neglected compared to their counterparts in much
more developed markets.
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It was also noted that medium-to-long-term impacts threatened the structural integrity of
supply chains, as the study found that reduced ROI: potential job cuts, weakened trade relationships,
and a declining contribution to the GDP were all considered downstream consequences. Many
distributors risked permanent closure which meant that companies would be required to rebuild
supply chain relationships or partnerships all from scratch in the post-pandemic period which could
still be on-going right now.