Mondelez India bets on agile, tech-driven supply chain to power 2026 growth

Mondelez India is fast-tracking its transition from scale-centric supply chains to nimble, technology-enabled operations as it gears up for the next leg of growth, with digital, AI and data positioned as key pillars of its 2026 strategy, Venkat Venepally, VP – Supply Chain, Mondelez India, told ETRetail.

“Earlier, supply chains were designed primarily for scale. Today, the focus is on agility and being consumer-led. It’s not just about adding capacity anymore, but about staying lean, flexible, well connected, and closer to demand hubs,” he said.

The FMCG major has been stepping up investments to build a strong data backbone and cloud-driven architecture that links its entire end-to-end value chain.

“We always had data, but the emphasis now is on clean, actionable data that supports quicker decisions. Data sits at the core, with technology layered over it,” he explained.

This integrated ecosystem allows the company to carry out granular demand forecasting across cities, channels and consumption occasions.

“Aggregate-level forecasting is no longer effective. Leveraging technology, we’ve improved predictability by high-teens percentages across omnichannel over the past 12 to 18 months,” he said.

“IoT and digital twins have become integral to factory operations, with digital twins alone delivering 15 to 20 per cent gains in efficiency and loss reduction. Planning twins are also enabling factories to adjust production in response to demand fluctuations,” he added.

On the logistics front, Mondelez is developing an AI-enabled control tower to optimise routing, fleet efficiency and delivery schedules.

“We anticipate high single-digit cost savings in logistics once the control tower is fully scaled. Service timelines for omnichannel partners have already reduced from seven days to three days and are expected to move closer to one day over the next year,” he said.

Technology-driven integration with suppliers and customers has also sharply cut response times.

“What earlier took seven to eight days now takes roughly a day. Decision-making timelines have reduced by nearly 80 per cent,” Venepally noted.

Looking ahead, the company’s Rs 1,000-crore-plus investment at its Sri City facility in Andhra Pradesh is set to anchor future expansion.

“Data, logistics innovation and connected capacities will shape our 2026 roadmap,” he concluded.