Penn State CSCR: Unpacked: Insights (formerly Penn State Supply Chain Podcast)
Inside PepsiCo’s Supply Chain Command Center with Brad Rogers, Supply Chain Planning Director at PepsiCo
Why It Matters
Understanding how a major consumer‑goods company builds a proactive command center offers actionable lessons for any organization seeking greater supply‑chain resilience. The discussion on AI agents and readiness scoring signals where firms should invest now to stay competitive, while the focus on human factors and mentorship underscores the skills needed to power future supply‑chain innovations.
Key Takeaways
- •Command center blends tech with cross‑functional human insights.
- •Predictive analytics saved hundreds of thousands of cases during peak.
- •Proactive, forward‑looking KPIs prevent reactive supply chain firefighting.
- •AI agents enable autonomous, real‑time supply chain decisions.
- •Networking skills outweigh resume bullet points for new supply‑chain talent.
Pulse Analysis
PepsiCo’s Northeast beverage command center shows how supply chains turn dashboards into decision hubs. Rather than relying on blinking lights, the center was built through a collaborative process that united planners, ware‑housing experts, and network strategists. This cross‑functional input defined key performance indicators, keeping them forward‑looking instead of reactive. By enforcing guardrails that filter rear‑ward data, the team maintains a proactive risk‑mitigation focus. The technology stack provides real‑time visibility while the human element interprets signals, turning raw data into coordinated action across the network.
During the Super Bowl peak, predictive analytics identified a forecast lift that threatened safety‑stock levels. By comparing the projected demand spike with existing production schedules and historical variance, the command center quantified a gap and pre‑positioned inventory to cover it. The post‑season audit credited the approach with saving several hundred thousand cases, translating into millions of dollars of avoided stock‑outs. Rogers also highlighted how the organization bridges five‑year network strategy with day‑to‑day firefighting of the command center. Distinct planning horizons—strategic, medium‑term, and immediate—operate in parallel, linked by continuous feedback loops that keep long‑term resilience aligned with short‑term execution.
Looking ahead, Rogers’ doctoral research positions autonomous AI agents as the next frontier in supply‑chain planning. Unlike static rule‑based automation, an AI agent learns, adapts, and makes decisions across dynamic environments, accelerating response times and improving accuracy. A readiness‑score matrix shows demand forecasting, sourcing, and logistics as “shovel‑ready” for such agents, while legal compliance and supplier evaluation lag behind due to ambiguity. Rogers also stresses the technology acceptance model: perceived usefulness and ease of use drive adoption more than hardware reliability. Finally, he advises emerging talent to treat networking as a strategic skill, a catalyst that often outweighs résumé check‑boxes in career advancement.
Episode Description
In this episode, Donna and Tom sit down with Brad Rogers, Supply Chain Planning Director at PepsiCo, to discuss his leadership of the Supply Chain Command Center, the transformative role of AI in supply chain operations, and his passion for mentoring the next generation of supply chain professionals. Brad shares insights from his 17+ years at PepsiCo, explaining how predictive risk assessment tools proactively mitigate disruptions and safeguard service levels. He emphasizes the importance of networking as a strategic skill and offers wisdom on career development, encouraging students to focus on becoming the best version of themselves rather than just listing achievements.
Takeaways:
The role of PepsiCo's Supply Chain Command Center in crisis management and network visibility
How AI and predictive analytics are revolutionizing supply chain planning
Brad's doctoral research on Agentic AI and how autonomous agents could revolutionize supply chain decision-making
Networking as a strategic toolkit for students and recent graduates
Stay connected with CSCR on LinkedIn (Center for Supply Chain Research) and Instagram (@pennstatesupplychain), and be sure to follow us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you are tuning into Unpacked: Insights hosted by the Penn State Smeal Center for Supply Chain Research™. Thank you for joining us!
Visit our website: https://www.smeal.psu.edu/cscr
Guest Bio:
Brad Rogers is a supply chain executive with over 17 years of Fortune 50 experience, specializing in network strategy, risk management, and business continuity. Currently serving as a Supply Chain Planning Director at PepsiCo, Brad leads the Supply Chain Command Center for PBNA North Division. The department oversees end-to-end network visibility and orchestrated crisis management for PepsiCo Beverages North America. In this role, he pioneered the use of predictive risk assessment tools to proactively mitigate supply disruptions and safeguard service levels during peak demand periods.
Previously, Brad served as Senior Manager of Network Strategy, where he steered a multibillion-dollar supply chain redesign initiative aimed at consolidating nodes and increasing resilience across the U.S. network. His strategic approach is grounded in deep operational experience; he has successfully turned around underperforming distribution centers, managed complex manufacturing co-op partnerships, and led Lean Six Sigma initiatives that drove double-digit improvements in efficiency and cost savings.
A proud member of the Nittany Lion community, Brad holds an MBA in Supply Chain Management from Penn State and actively mentors incoming students in the program. He is currently bridging the gap between industry and academia as a DBA candidate at Fairfield University. His doctoral research focuses on the emergence of "Agentic AI", investigating how autonomous AI agents can be implemented to enhance supply chain planning and decision-making resilience.
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