Tosca Transforms Supply Chain Efficiency for Bravo in the Dominican Republic
Tosca’s collaboration with the supermarket chain Bravo in the Dominican Republic exemplifies successful partnership, creating sustainable and innovative solutions tailored specifically to the needs of this ambitious supermarket chain.
Who is Bravo?
Bravo is a leading Dominican Republic supermarket chain with 23 stores across the nation, with ambitious plans to double its footprint in five years. However, faced with in-store space constraints due to rigid plastic crates and logistical inefficiencies, Bravo sought Tosca’s expertise for a sustainable solution.
Through collaboration with Tosca, Bravo transitioned to reusable, flexible and sustainable packaging. The solution from Tosca optimised space in-store and streamlined operations throughout the supply chain, strengthening Bravo’s commitment to innovation and sustainability in the retail sector.
The challenge
Bravo faced operational challenges with the use of non-foldable, rigid plastic crates in their growing number of stores. The crates’ lack of collapsibility resulted in inefficient use of space, impacting in-store operations and hindering product display. As the store chain expanded, this inefficient use of space became a significant obstacle.
Partnering with Tosca
Bravo approached Tosca to find the solution, specifically choosing to partner with Tosca due to the extensive range of reusable plastic packaging in Tosca’s portfolio. The decision was significantly influenced by the convenience of the ½ display bin 77, which proved to be an ideal and practical solution for enhancing in-store displays, aligning perfectly with Bravo’s operational needs.
Tosca used its expertise in packaging to provide an innovative solution – foldable, reusable plastic packaging which addressed spatial challenges while improving overall efficiency across the supermarket’s stores.
How Tosca’s Innovative Packaging Transformed Bravo’s Operations
Following the success of the ½ display bin 77, Bravo also adopted several other adaptable Tosca packaging products across their supermarket chain. These included 6416 active lock crates in various colours for secure storage, the ½ dolly for streamlined logistics, and aesthetically pleasing wood look crates.
In addition, colour-coded crates were used for easier circuit identification and collaboration with suppliers.
Impressive results
Bravo’s logistics data highlights the significant difference between traditional crates and Tosca’s innovative reusable plastic packaging. Initially, transporting 12 pallets with 55 full crates each (totalling 660 crates) per truck was the norm.
However, with Tosca’s foldable crates, in reverse logistics or storage, 250 folded crates can fit on a single pallet. This remarkable shift has enabled Bravo to eliminate 10 out of the 12 pallets in reverse logistics, translating to an impressive 80% reduction in pallet usage.
Future Collaboration
As Bravo anticipates challenges in 2024, Tosca is actively involved in developing further retail-ready products for logistical efficiency and in-store display, tailored specifically to meet Bravo’s evolving needs. This extends to a trial of Tosca’s hybrid crates with crystal-clear sides, aiding quick identification of contents. This initiative, moving around 30k crates of fruits and vegetables daily, has the potential to significantly streamline logistics and in-store operations.
Conclusion
The partnership has seen Tosca providing consultative support, adapting to Bravo’s requirements, and consistently challenging its R&D department to enhance product quality and service.
Key benefits of Tosca’s collaboration
• Innovative Packaging Solutions: Tosca’s flexible crates, including the ½ display bin 77, transformed Bravo’s operations by optimising space and meeting diverse packaging needs.
• Operational Streamlining for Sustainability: Switching to Tosca’s foldable crates resulted in an 80% reduction in reverse logistics pallets, leading to substantial cost savings and increased sustainability.
• Consultation and Collaboration: Tosca was a forward-thinking partner through consultative support and R&D, addressing Bravo’s evolving requirements and future challenges.
