The distorted information implies that
the processors work on unreliable amplified demand data which have serious cost
implications (Ouyang and Daganzo 2008). Food products have limited shelf life,
and it is not easy to recover any material whenever expiry date is due (Minegish and
Thiel 2000). Losses can be minimized through coordination between partners
within the supply chain including customers by forming alliances or sharing
information and knowledge to create a collaborative competitive and cost-effective
supply chain (Wee and Yang 2004; Ketikidis et al. 2008).