Food and beverage giant Kraft Heinz plans to use the metaverse to solve its supply chain problems. The idea is to get Lunchables, Velveeta and ketchup onto the shelves faster and, in turn, into the hands of customers.
That’s why the U.S.-based company partnered with Microsoft last month to use its cloud platform to help the company virtually replicate its supply lines.
“We’re really committed to supporting our customers in what we call the industrial metaverse,” Lorraine Bardeen, CTO of Microsoft Industry Solutions told CNN. “This means Kraft Heinz will be able to get its products … into the hands of consumers faster.”
How will Kraft Heinz’s metaverse plans work?
According to Carlos Abrams-Rivera, president of Kraft Heinz in North America, some of the firm’s products were “trapped” in its logistics system during the pandemic-induced shutdowns.
To combat this, the company has created a “digital twin” model of its supply chain in the metaverse.
To explain, the digital model will help the company solve its problems digitally. In this way, Kraft Heinz will be able to anticipate and avoid any problems similar to a shutdown in the future.
In addition, it will be able to automate and streamline the process during a surge in demand.
So how exactly will Kraft Heinz achieve this? The digital twins will allow the company to “map the entire factory to see the best flow.” A single Kraft factory manufactures a range of products, from ketchup to vinegar, among others.
A virtual map of a manufacturing facility will allow the company to better identify any faults.
What’s more, the model could even help the company catch errors early. All in all, what Kraft Heinz is doing is another incredible example of what metaverses, in addition to gaming and NFT, can offer.
