The resilience of the SABECO supply chain is due to COVID-19 containment, superior supply chain assets, harnessing the power of technology, a competent and motivated team, and efficient and effective processes, SABECO general director, Bennett Neo said. — Photo tapchicongthuong.vn

HÀ NỘI — Despite facing difficulties due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Saigon Beer - Alcohol - Beverage Corporation (SABECO) has always striven to ensure production, safety and health for employees while maintaining supply chain.

Speaking at the conference on maintaining a connected supply chain of Vietnamese goods in response to the campaign "Vietnamese people use Vietnamese goods" organised by the Ministry of Industry and Trade recently, SABECO general director, Bennett Neo said the resilience of the SABECO supply chain was contributed by COVID-19 containment, superior supply chain assets, harnessing the power of technology, a competent and motivated team, and efficient and effective process.

He said the company held daily meetings on COVID-19 updates to ensure the safety and mental health of its 13,000 employees. Thus far, 72 per cent of their workers have been fully vaccinated and about 82 per cent have received their first injection.

“During the pandemic, SABECO maintained employment for all employees without cutting salary or bonuses. The brewery has tried to maintain production and preventing disruptions to the supply chain while ensuring COVID-19 prevention,” he said.

SABECO has established a network of breweries and warehouses at strategic locations, including a total of 26 strategically located breweries across Việt Nam. — Photo courtesy of the firm

SABECO has established a network of breweries and warehouses at strategic locations, including a total of 26 strategically located breweries across Việt Nam and more than 60 warehouses supported by fleets of professionally run trucks. Moreover, the corporation also used trains and ships for transport.

The diversity of the system of factories and warehouses has helped SABECO minimise the risks of supply chain disruption during the pandemic.

In the effort to recover the supply chain after the COVID-19 pandemic, the application of technology and comprehensive digital transformation plays an important role. The SABECO 4.0 digitisation programme has been implemented since 2020, aiming to standardise and centralise the corporation's sales process, including logistics system, transport tracking systems and warehouse management. Through these systems, SABECO's supply chain always ensures real-time visibility of deliveries.

SABECO also conducts weekly meetings on sales, operations, and plans the production and delivery of beer, and proactively manage inventories to ensure the freshness of beer.

Human resources are also one of the main concerns of the company. SABECO has recruited and trained a team of experienced, dynamic, and enthusiastic employees.

At the pandemic’s outbreak, its breweries implemented the “three on site” production model while office-based employees worked from home. COVID-19 updates were communicated with daily to ensure the safety, health, and the wellbeing of all 13,000 employees.

No employees were retrenched during this period, no salaries were cut and bonuses were paid-out.

These factors will all help SABECO overcome the challenging time. — VNS