Skip to content

Resources | Customer Stories

99% Service Levels While Keeping Stockouts Under 3%

Buddha Brands used StockIQ to automate demand planning and maintain high service levels while managing a fast-growing SKU portfolio across retail and e-commerce channels — all without relying on manual spreadsheets.

About the Company

Buddha Brands is a North American food and beverage company specializing in plant-based snacks and beverages made with clean ingredients and low or no added sugar. Founded in 2012, the company supplies major retail and natural food channels while sourcing ingredients globally. As their product line expanded, maintaining precise inventory planning became essential.

The Results

High Service, Low Stockouts, Strong Turns

  • With StockIQ, the team achieved measurable improvements across their planning operations, including:

    • 99% service levels
    • Stockouts under 3%
    • Excess inventory under 15%
    • Inventory maintained under 7% of annual revenue
  • They could now:

    • Anticipate stockouts early
    • Adjust quickly to global supply disruptions
    • Place orders confidently without inflating inventory
    • Maintain strong service while keeping excess low

The Challenge

Maintaining Service Through Extreme Supply Chain Disruption

From 2021 through 2024, Buddha Brands faced severe supply chain volatility, including COVID disruptions, container shortages, and raw material constraints. Demand across retail and e-commerce channels remained unpredictable, while planning relied heavily on spreadsheets and NetSuite’s limited supply chain tools. Their lean operations team needed an automated, reliable way to forecast, avoid stockouts, and maintain high service while navigating market shocks.They faced:

  • Demand volatility across retail, natural, and online channels

  • Irregular sales patterns tied to promotions and velocity swings

  • Compounded complexity from new products and raw material variability

  • Limited visibility and spreadsheet-heavy workflows

The StockIQ Solution

A Clear Line of Sight Into Forecasts, Inventory, and Constraints

With StockIQ, Buddha Brands automated core planning workflows and gained real visibility into their global supply position. Forecasting tools, safety-stock recommendations, and intuitive dashboards helped the team stay ahead of uncertainty. Key capabilities used:

  • Automated service-level forecasting and alerts

  • Inventory stratification to focus on critical SKUs

  • Stockout risk monitoring with early warning signals

  • Supplier and lead-time planning to manage container constraints

Testimonials

“This was maybe some of the most difficult three years in our existence. StockIQ was a key part of getting us through this; it would have been way harder, if not impossible, with spreadsheets or NetSuite’s built-in supply chain tools.”

Technology + Team Fit

Built for Planners, Ready for Change

StockIQ’s ease of use and expert-led onboarding made adoption straightforward for Buddha Brands’ operations team. Throughout the COVID-era container shortages and raw-material constraints, StockIQ provided the visibility and support the team needed to adjust quickly.

  • “Our focus now is broader use of StockIQ across the organization. We know we’re only scratching the surface of what we can do, and the ROI is already obvious.”

See How StockIQ Can Help You Optimize Inventory and Forecast Smarter

Whether you’re managing thousands of SKUs or scaling a lean team, StockIQ helps you plan with clarity and deliver results.

Get a Demo Today