Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company (CMBC) is raising a glass to operational efficiency after implementing a cutting-edge supply chain transformation, thanks to a collaboration with Britvic and digital partner Zaptic. The initiative, now live across CMBC’s Burton-on-Trent site, delivers powerful insights into frontline operations and marks a pivotal step in the brewery’s digital maturity journey.
A Strategic Alliance with Britvic and Zaptic
The collaboration originated from Britvic’s own supply chain transformation, where the Zaptic platform helped standardise frontline workflows and unlock data insights. Recognising its potential, CMBC joined Britvic’s ‘digital learning partnership’ to pilot and implement the same platform in its operations. What began as knowledge-sharing quickly evolved into a full rollout at CMBC’s largest UK brewery.
Zaptic’s connected worker platform digitises routine tasks, integrates operational data from multiple sources, and provides real-time feedback to frontline teams. For CMBC, the implementation created digital visibility of performance losses in areas like packaging and utilities. The result: greater responsiveness, increased uptime, and reduced waste.
Building a Future-Ready Brewery
One of CMBC’s standout outcomes has been the empowerment of shop floor teams. By digitising operational routines and combining them with live data, workers are now more engaged in continuous improvement processes. This people-first approach to tech adoption is in line with broader trends in smart manufacturing.
The move also supports sustainability objectives, helping CMBC monitor energy usage and reduce emissions—critical metrics for an industry facing rising environmental and regulatory pressures.
Supply Chain Lessons for the Wider Industry
This collaboration demonstrates the value of strategic partnerships in achieving supply chain innovation. Rather than building bespoke internal systems, CMBC leveraged Britvic’s existing experience with Zaptic to accelerate deployment and mitigate risk. For procurement and supply chain professionals, this is a reminder that transformation doesn’t always require reinvention—sometimes, it’s about tapping into proven models and trusted peers.
Closing Insights
CMBC’s partnership with Britvic and Zaptic is a clear example of how data, digital tools, and collaboration can transform legacy operations into agile, insight-led supply chains. As industries continue to adapt to digitalisation, those that invest in both people and platforms will be best placed to lead the next wave of supply chain excellence.
About CMBC and Britvic
Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company (CMBC) is one of the UK’s largest brewers, formed as a joint venture between Carlsberg UK and Marston’s PLC. It operates major brewing sites including Burton-on-Trent.
Britvic is a leading soft drinks company with a strong reputation for digital innovation in its supply chain. It is known for brands such as Robinsons, Tango, and J2O.
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