Welcome to Procurement News, part of our ongoing aggregate news series covering recent supply management headlines and trends pertinent to Chief Procurement Officers and other procurement leaders! Contact us with your news story here.
Procurement Executive News
Elias Aoukar Joins Catalina Snacks as CSCO
INDIANAPOLIS — Catalina Snacks, a leading innovator in better-for-you snacks and cereals, announced the appointment of Elias Aoukar as Chief Supply Chain Officer (CSCO). In this role, Aoukar will oversee all aspects of the company’s supply chain operations, ensuring efficiency, scalability, and excellence as Catalina Crunch® continues its aggressive growth trajectory.
According to Doug Behrens, CEO of Catalina Snacks, “We are thrilled to welcome Elias to the Catalina Crunch leadership team,” he said.
“His deep expertise in supply chain management, operational strategy, food quality and safety, and logistics optimization will be critical in fueling our next phase of expansion. With Elias at the helm of our supply chain, we are well-positioned to drive even greater efficiencies and innovation across our business.”
Read the full announcement here.
3M Taps Torsten Pilz to Lead Supply Chain Operations
With the initiative to link supply and demand across its end-to-end supply chain, 3M named Torsten Pilz as Group President of Enterprise Supply Chain, replacing Peter Gibbons who is retiring, to lead its supply chain operations, according to 3M CEO Bill Brown during a recent investor day conference, as reported in Supply Chain Dive.
During the investors conference, Gibbons, noted, “It’s clear there are fantastic opportunities to rewire our supply chain, product platforming, delving into tier two, tier three suppliers, looking at AI-powered planning and quality systems, all kinds of fabulous things we can do,” he told analysts.
Supply Management News
ISM Expands to End-to-End Supply Chain
TEMPE, Ariz. — The Institute for Supply Management® (ISM®) announced its strategic expansion from supply management to covering end-to-end supply chain management for its global community. This significant move represents another innovative step in its 110-year organizational history, which aligns with the movement of the profession, and the evolving roles of practitioners.
This expansion goes beyond ISM’s core procurement focus, introducing an updated mission and vision that aligns with the changing roles and responsibilities of supply chain management professionals.
The association stated that its new mission is to advance the strategy and practice of integrated, end-to-end supply chain management through leading edge data-driven resources, community, and education to empower individuals, create organizational value and drive competitive advantage. And its vision is to foster a prosperous, sustainable world.
According to Thomas W. Derry, ISM Chief Executive Officer, “Our expansion marks a pivotal moment in our organization’s history. We are excited to lead the profession into a new era and provide the comprehensive support supply chain organizations need in today’s complex supply chain environment,” he said.
“This move underscores our commitment to continued innovation and excellence.”
Read the full announcement here.
Tariff Alert: 25% Tariffs on Foreign-Made Cars in Effect
Effective today (April 2), President Donald Trump put into effect an executive order placing 25% tariffs on all automotive vehicles made outside of the U.S., as reported in Supply Chain Dive.
According to a White House fact sheet, the tariff applies to imported sedans, SUVs, crossovers, minivans, cargo vans and light trucks, as well as some automobile parts, including engines, transmissions, powertrain parts, and electrical components.
“If parts are made in America and a car isn’t, those parts are not going to be taxed or tariffed, and we will have very strong policing,” Trump said.
Food Supply Chain Traceability Rule Delayed
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is delaying a food traceability rule by 30 months for companies and grocery stores that is meant to quickly trace contaminated food in their supply chains. The original requirement was set to go into effect in January 2026, as reported in Supply Chain Dive.
While the National Grocers Association applauded the delay saying that implementation for smaller grocers was unrealistic, the Center for Science in the Public Interest stated the ruling will “only serve to keep the public in the dark.”
According to Sarah Sorscher, CSPI’s director of regulatory affairs, “In the year 2025, the United States has access to some of the best technology in the world for keeping track of products moving through the food system, yet we still have a hard time figuring out where a bag of lettuce came from and getting contaminated peanut butter off the shelves.”
“This rule, when fully implemented, will shed new light on the inner workings of our food system.”
