How to set up a supply chain?

First of all Identify what you are to supply, then, where do you sit/will sit in the flow.

e.g.

For a supermarket it could be something like this....

5.Customers

4.Retailers

3.Distributors/Wholesalers

2.Manufacturers

1.Component/Raw material suppliers

To identify YOUR supply chain first Identify where in the above you fall. This will simplify for you the overall process. Even at stage 1 you may have someone/something supplying the raw material. Where does a potatoe come from - The ground - who owns the ground , who plants the seed potatoe - Even if its YOUR company then someone in the cycle will supply the raw materials even if they are internal customer/suppliers they will follow the basic model above. To set up such a chain you must know; what is the product, how is it made, how does it or its parts get to you where then do they go

Also remember that in a supply chain there must be a chain for return as well. Damaged, low quality - wrong product - it needs to go? where? and at what stage(s)