6 days ago
Blue Yonder Expands APAC Footprint, Highlights AI's Role In Tackling Supply Chain Challenges For New Zealand Businesses
Blue Yonder, a global leader in end-to-end digital supply chain transformation, has reported a strong second quarter for 2025, with rapid customer growth, major platform enhancements and fresh insights into how AI is reshaping supply chains in New Zealand and beyond.
The update comes as businesses across Aotearoa grapple with persistent inflation, global trade tensions and shifting consumer expectations - conditions that are placing greater pressure on supply chain efficiency, resilience and sustainability.
Strong Growth Across APAC
Blue Yonder added 31 new customer logos globally in Q2, including several in the APAC/EMEA region - Morrisons, Royal Mail, Sainsbury's and The Shoprite Group - and recorded an average of five customer go-lives per business day during the first half of 2025.
For New Zealand business leaders, the company's recently released Global Consumer Sentiment on Grocery Inflation Survey provides a telling snapshot of local sentiment. The survey polled over 6,000 consumers across Australia and New Zealand, alongside global markets, and found that:
85% of ANZ respondents are concerned about the impact of inflation on grocery prices.
Almost half (49%) believe newly introduced global tariffs are a leading factor in those price rises.
These findings underline the urgency for retailers and suppliers to build agility into their supply chains to respond quickly to both local and global disruptions.
AI and Sustainability Front and Centre
Two strategic acquisitions in Q2 have bolstered Blue Yonder's capabilities:
Inmar Post-Purchase Solutions (IPPS): Enhances post-purchase efficiency via FedEx Easy Returns, offering customers a low-cost, package- and label-free returns process.
Pledge Earth Technologies Ltd.: Brings globally accredited COe emissions reporting into Blue Yonder's platform, enabling customers and their partners to track and reduce supply chain emissions—a growing priority for New Zealand exporters facing carbon compliance in overseas markets.
The company also rolled out enhancements to its Transportation Management solutions, powered by predictive, generative and agentic AI. These upgrades enable network-enabled data management, real-time emissions tracking, and AI-driven operational insights to help supply chains operate with greater speed and precision.
Key Insights for New Zealand Businesses
Blue Yonder's Q3 2025 industry outlook identifies four key trends with direct relevance to New Zealand's economy:
Retail Inflation Pressures – AI-driven forecasting can cut errors by 20–50% and reduce inventory levels by up to 30%, helping retailers remain competitive while maintaining availability.
Grocery & CPG – AI can help retailers and suppliers optimise inventory, reduce waste, and tailor promotions to cost-conscious shoppers.
Manufacturing Tariffs – Advanced risk modelling can help exporters and manufacturers mitigate the impact of tariff changes by diversifying supplier bases.
Logistics Transformation – Intelligent networks and digitally integrated infrastructure, including bonded warehouses, are enabling faster, more cost-efficient movement of goods—a strategic advantage for NZ exporters.
Industry Recognition
Blue Yonder's innovation is gaining global attention, with recent wins including the 'AI Visionary' Award in Hakkoda's Data Innovation Awards and '2025 Retail & Consumer Goods Data Cloud Product Partner of the Year' in the Snowflake Partner of the Year Awards.
CEO's View
'In today's dynamic economic landscape, businesses are facing unprecedented challenges, from inflationary pressures to global tariffs to geopolitical shifts,' said Duncan Angove, CEO of Blue Yonder. 'We are committed to empowering our customers with AI-driven solutions that deliver machine-speed precision, enabling them to mitigate risks, adapt to market conditions, and seize opportunities for growth.'
