A Novel Problem for a Vintage Technique: Using Mixed-Integer Programming to Match Wineries and Distributors

Susan Cholette ()
Additional contact information
Susan Cholette: Decision Sciences Department, San Francisco State University, 1600 Holloway Avenue, San Francisco, California 94132

Interfaces, 2007, vol. 37, issue 3, 231-239

Abstract: Wineries must find distributors to represent their wines, and distributors seek interesting wines to sell to clients. Wineries and distributors often form partnerships at trade shows. I created a system to qualify potential partnerships for one such trade show, the World Wine Market, by formulating a mixed-integer program that is an embellished transportation model. I based its parameters on answers to a questionnaire I obtained from a subset of trade-show attendees who were seeking partners. Of 675 possible matches between wineries and distributors, the program recommended 31 as the optimal set of matches. This resulted in an allocation of just over 50,000 cases of wine. Participants provided positive feedback. In addition, the program introduced at least one winery and a corresponding distributor who have formed a profitable, long-term partnership.

Keywords: programming; integer; applications; transportation; network; marketing; channels of distribution; industries; agriculture; food (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2007
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

Downloads: (external link)
http://dx.doi.org/10.1287/inte.1060.0263 (application/pdf)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:inm:orinte:v:37:y:2007:i:3:p:231-239

Access Statistics for this article

More articles in Interfaces from INFORMS Contact information at EDIRC.
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Chris Asher ().