Ghana’s Voltic – informal market success with decentralised bottling
In the early 2000s, Voltic Ghana’s leading bottled water bottler faced a common problem encountered by many beverage companies in
Author: Tielman Nieuwoudt
Tielman Nieuwoudt is a consultant focused supply chain, last-mile logistics, and informal retail service models in emerging markets. He has more than two decades of personal and professional experience — working, living and travelling across more than a hundred countries, primarily in emerging economies in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East.
Tajikistan – moving goods in a post Silk Road age
Making your way slowly along the rugged Pamir highway in Tajikistan, you sometimes have to remind yourself that the route
Spicing things up in Ethiopia’s infrastructure and retail landscape
If former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak ever returns to Bole Road in Addis Ababa, the scene of the assassination attempt
Supply chain challenges in Africa – the fragmented retail challenge
As an expatriate based in Ethiopia in the late nineties, just-in-time (JIT) delivery seemed like a Nollywood (Nigerian film industry)
Burundi – more than black coffee and banana beer
Arriving in Bujumbura’s undescriptive small airport, you could be mistaken for thinking you have arrived in a district town, not
Distribution in Africa – what you need to know
When Africa supply chain management is the topic of discussion, frequently used words include inefficiency, bottlenecks, bureaucracy, corruption, poor infrastructure,
Complexities in Africa’s pharmaceutical market
It is Saturday afternoon, and I find myself in the heart of Lomé, the capital of Togo, at Akodessewa Fetish
How to enter the Ethiopian market – Key distribution issues to consider
Ethiopia is the second-most populous country in Africa (after Nigeria) and one of the fastest-growing economies, with an average GDP
Distributor management skills in emerging markets
Implementing a 3rd party distribution system in emerging markets can be a challenging undertaking. Often distributors don’t have the required skills and
Walking in another man’s shoes – Kenya’s second-hand clothes trade
It is 10 am, and Timothy Kimani has already had a full day. His day usually starts with a trip
The Supply Chain Lab 