RCL FOODS is a consumer$-$driven company which recognises that consumers are much more than just people at the end of the supply chain. The company believes that the customer is at the heart of their business and that, without them, there would be no business. RCL FOODS seeks to deliver meaningful innovation and keep building a sustainable and profitable business by understanding their customers and consumers.

Groceries is one of the business divisions of RCL FOODS, which consists of Beverages, Pies and Culinary. Groceries has identified the need for incremental product growth in their Pies Business. Pies has been losing profitability because of an inability to meet market demands. The demand for pies has been affected by several factors such as a growing work$-$from$-$home trend, continuous load$-$ shedding, skills shortages, unplanned absenteeism$,$ and water interruptions. Additionally, South Africa is experiencing sharp price increases in transport, food, and non$-$alcoholic beverages.

Your Task

Your task is to analyse the information in this document and make recommendations on how the Pies business can address the factors that have impacted their ability to meet market demand. To this end, tap into any insights, knowledge, skills, or experience gained in your area of expertise$/$study field $($Internal Audit, Logistics, Finance, Human Resources, Engineering, Sales & Marketing, Research and Development, Sourcing, Information Technology etc.$)$ to help you formulate an approach.

On the pages that follow you will find information about the company and the Pies Business specifically. This information is not exhaustive and is intentionally brief. Not all the information is equally relevant to your task. You may make assumptions, but make sure that you clearly explain the rationale for those assumptions.

Complete a SWOT Analysis: Highlight the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats that may present themselves to the Pies Business

$2.$ Compile an Implementation Plan: Identify one critical initiative relevant to the discipline that you are being interviewed for that you would focus on to address the Pie Business$$ challenges and develop an implementation plan on how to roll out your recommendations including key stakeholders that might be involved. You are encouraged to utilise relevant knowledge$/$methodologies$/$theories from your area of studies but also may include ideas you have for other aspects of the business.

$3.$ Advantages and Disadvantages: Critically evaluate your proposed initiative and consider relevant local, international, environmental, governmental, macro and micro industry factors.