This paper presents a hybrid discrete-event and agent-based simulation model of the chocolate production process, developed in AnyLogic to analyze the relationships between production dynamics, inventory management, and demand planning. The model reproduces the entire production flow, from raw material storage to packaging, covering both dark and milk chocolate lines and including the parallel management of cocoa husk by-products. Two demand scenarios, representing different market conditions, were simulated to evaluate the system’s responsiveness to variations in capacity and procurement policies. The analysis highlights how the balance between production planning, reorder policies, and demand levels strongly affects operational performance, particularly in terms of inventory rotation, service level, and daily productivity. The proposed model proves to be an effective decision-support tool for understanding the interdependencies between planning, production, and logistics within the chocolate industry. It provides a comprehensive and flexible framework for evaluating how operational and managerial choices influence overall system efficiency.
Baratta et al. (Thu,) studied this question.