In a year of unprecedented supply chain turmoil, Walmart leaned on its massive scale to keep its shelves stocked for the all-important fourth quarter.
As the holiday shopping season kicked off last year, the retailer, along with its largest competitors, sought to reassure customers that they would be able to handle freight bottlenecks and other disruptions.
At the time, Joe Metzger, executive vice president of supply chain operations at Walmart U.S., pointed out that the retailer was chartering ships, rerouting ocean and inland shipments, boosting wages, hiring new truck drivers and supply chain staff, and adding storage capacity — all to ensure its shelves were well-stocked.
