• Flood, fire and other natural events. There is a need to be aware of how a whole range of disasters impact on the supply chain of raw materials. This can be an outbreak of disease, natural weather disasters or any other problems, including drought, labour shortages and transportation problems
• Imported lines. As we become more and more part of the global village, the opportunity to use products previously unavailable grows on an almost daily basis, and examples abound of items in common use today that were unobtainable even two or three years ago
• Pre-prepared items. Convenience foods are improving and gaining growing acceptance. Many premises that shunned them are today prepared to either use them, or at least consider them due to the increases in quality and the definite cost savings they represent.