In 2025, retailers and e-commerce businesses of all sizes faced a surge in cyberattacks targeting supply chains, often causing significant operational disruption and reputational risk.

One high-profile example was Adidas, which experienced a breach through a third-party customer service provider. While no financial information was stolen, contact details for customers were exposed, highlighting a crucial lesson: even strong internal systems cannot fully protect a company if external partners are vulnerable. For logistics and supply chain directors, incidents like this have accelerated a shift from reactive problem-solving to proactive risk management. Instead of waiting for problems to occur, industry leaders are increasingly adopting tools and strategies that anticipate threats and strengthen resilience before they escalate.

Adidas Moves Ahead

Adidas’s recent partnership with project44 illustrates this forward-thinking approach. The brand is using project44’s AI-powered decision intelligence platform to transform supply chain operations for the next decade. As Jett McCandless, Founder and CEO of project44, explained, Adidas impressed with their ability to manage high-pressure situations while staying focused on long term innovation.

This is part of a wider trend across retail. Brands are prioritising visibility, predictive analytics, and data-driven decision making to prevent disruptions. AI is no longer just a technological experiment; it is becoming central to building resilient, agile supply chains.

Industry-Wide Implications

Adidas is not alone. Across retail, executives are recognising that supply chains face serious disruptions. Leaders are now seeking solutions that:

• Monitor third-party risk in real time
• Translate operational data into actionable intelligence
• Support decision-making during crises
• Build resilience at every stage of the supply chain

The shift from reacting to problems towards preventing them is changing how supply chain performance is measured. Today, reliability matters just as much as speed. Intelligence guides better decision-making, and effective risk management can be the difference between smooth operations and costly disruption.

Why Retail Supply Chain and Logistics Expo Matters

Retail Supply Chain and Logistics Expo brings together buyers and decision-makers focused on real operational challenges. Unlike other events that focus on innovation showcases or networking, Retail Supply Chain and Logistics Expo is strictly buyer-focused: all attendees have purchasing authority and are actively seeking solutions that address pressing business problems.

For brands like Adidas and many others, this environment provides the perfect opportunity to explore solutions that strengthen supply chains and reduce risk while overall enhancing resilience. Exhibiting at Retail Supply Chain and Logistics Expo is an obviously ideal way to get in front of these decision makers and showcase offerings that help retailers stay ahead of operational and cyber challenges.

Looking Ahead

The shift toward proactive supply chain management is clear. Retailers are investing in visibility, AI, and decision intelligence to stay ahead of disruption. Events like Retail Supply Chain and Logistics Expo give brands the insight and access they need to future-proof operations. In the coming years, the ability to anticipate challenges and prevent disruption will without a doubt determine which brands succeed.