Authors:
Dang Van My, Deepa Damodaran, P. Sudha, V. Pradeep, S. Silvia Priscila
Addresses:
Department of Marketing, University of Finance - Marketing, Duc Nhuan Ward, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Department of Commerce, Guru Nanak College (Autonomous), Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. Department of Business Administration, Dhaanish Ahmed College of Engineering, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. Department of Computer Science, Bharath Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
The small-scale food processing units in Kerala are significant to the economic condition of the state as they contribute to employment generation, enhance the hope for revenue generation, and provide a better opportunity for preservation of traditional food culture and patterns of eating. The units, although of significant importance, face distinct supply chain challenges that impact growth, profitability, and sustainability. The present research addresses these issues, specifically focusing on procurement, logistics, distribution, financial concerns, and quality assurance. Data were collected from registered small food units in North, Central, and South Kerala, utilising both primary and secondary data collection sources. Comparing them, it is evident that 78% of small food firms lack supply chain management experts, which reduces efficiency. Issues that have been raised from time to time include high raw material prices, inefficient production, storage problems, and delivery issues. Suggestions made in the research include establishing supply chain management departments, diversifying vendors to minimize risk, increasing production capacity, and investing in improved warehouse facilities. Increasing market space, as well as government-subsidised ones, could create room for new growth and decrease financial burden. They can make the enterprise competitive and bring sustainable growth to Kerala's food processing industry.
Keywords: Supply Chain; Small Food Business Units; Quality Compliance; Food Processing Industry; Sustainable Growth; Enterprise Competitiveness; Labour Utilisation; Processing Issues; Distribution Issues; Lack of Market Facilities.
Received on: 10/08/2024, Revised on: 18/10/2024, Accepted on: 20/12/2024, Published on: 05/03/2025
DOI: 10.69888/FTSTPL.2025.000395
FMDB Transactions on Sustainable Technoprise Letters, 2025 Vol. 3 No. 1, Pages: 10-21