Food Logistics April 2021

TRACK & TRACE

RECALLS & REGULATIONS IN 3PLS

SANITARY TRANSPORT

Providing SAFE Food in an UNSAFE World

Industry experts reveal the secret to reaching food safety excellence.

Issue No. 224 April 2021

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ON THE MENU

April 2021 ISSUE NO. 224 COLUMNS FOR STARTERS

04

Putting Food Safety First. Always.

Maintaining food safety must be a continuous effort that involves all employees of all companies at all times.

DEPARTMENTS

COVER STORY

Providing Safe Food in an Unsafe World Industry experts reveal the secret to reaching food safety excellence.

3PL / COLD CHAIN

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3PL Compliance: If You Fail to Plan, Then Plan to Fail

14

WAREHOUSING

26

Field To Fork

10

Food on the Move

43

Ad Index

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TRANSPORTATION

Rodents: Threatening Supply Chain Integrity From Farm to Fork

Recalls affect all parties in the cold chain, especially 3PLs. Here’s how technology can help.

An exclusion plan is fundamental to protecting supply chain integrity.

SOFTWARE & TECHNOLOGY

PACKAGING

How Track-and-Trace

06

28

Sanitary Cold Food Transport in the Wake of COVID-19

Here’s how to make sure products and drivers stay safe in transport.

FOOD SAFETY

Food Labeling Needs

All Eyes on the Finished

Solve Food 32 Capabilities Logistics Challenges

38 Technology to Drive

40 Product

Digitization will continue for companies to remain competitive.

Label and packaging companies turn to technology.

Old-school methods of inspection and audit remain crucial to efficient operations.

Simplicity

WEB EXCLUSIVES Supply Chain Network

The L.I.N.K. to Global

foodlogistics.com/scn-summit

foodlogistics.com/podcasts

Virtual Summit

Supply Chain Intelligence

Food Editors Stream Live on Social Media foodlogistics.com/videos/link-live

Published and copyrighted 2021 by AC Business Media. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any information storage or retrieval system, without written permission from the publisher.

Food Logistics (USPS 015-667; ISSN 1094-7450 print; ISSN 1930-7527 online) is published 10 times per year in January/February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October and November/December by AC Business Media, 201 N. Main Street, Fort Atkinson, WI 53538. Periodicals postage paid at Fort Atkinson, WI 53538 and additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Food Logistics, P.O. Box 3605, Northbrook, IL 60065-3605. Subscriptions: U.S., one year, $45; two years, $85; Canada & Mexico, one year, $65; two years, $120; international, one year, $95; two years, $180. All subscriptions must be paid in U.S. funds, drawn from a U.S. bank. Printed in the USA.

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FOR STARTERS

FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK

DETAILS

PUTTING

FOOD SAFETY FIRST. O

Marina Mayer Editor-In-Chief

n Feb. 24, President Joe Biden signed an executive order, enforcing a 100-day review on all U.S. supply chains.

This includes identifying risks for certain materials, software and pharmaceuticals. This includes reviewing transportation, production of agriculture commodities and food products.

This includes assessing current domestic manufacturing workforce skills, climate change and critical goods. It also includes caring for the resilience and capacity of U.S. manufacturing supply chains.

This executive order puts our nation’s supply chains at the forefront—where they belong.

Food safety remains a key piece to that puzzle. That’s because at the end of the day, it’s what we don’t know that continues to challenge the supply chain.

This time last year, it was all about ensuring regulatory compliance at a time when most of the nation was on lockdown.

Inventory control was out of

ALWAYS.

whack. The grocery retail channel shifted overnight to a direct-toconsumer model. Consumers stockpiled, factories worked overtime and demand officially overtook supply.

It was crisis management at its best.

But, when disaster strikes, it’s our nation’s food supply that bears the brunt.

Fast forward to today, and while most of the bends have been resolved, the consumers of yesterday are different. They shop online, they buy in bulk and they believe in sustainable food production.

They don’t pay attention to the challenges behind the scenes impacting cold food chains, but they still need to eat, and they need to eat safe, quality food.

That’s why maintaining food safety must be a continuous effort that involves all employees of all companies at all times.

“More resilient supply chains are secure and diverse—facilitating greater domestic production, a range of supply, built-in redundancies, adequate stockpiles, safe and secure digital networks and a worldclass American manufacturing base and workforce,” the executive order states.

Go to foodl.me/ltdrvx to read more about the 100-Day Supply Chain Review.

And, check out page 14 in this issue, where industry experts reveal the secret to providing safe food in an unsafe world.

Published by AC BUSINESS MEDIA 201 N. Main Street, Fort Atkinson, WI 53538 (800) 538-5544 • www.ACBusinessMedia.com

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AC Business Media Chief Executive Officer Barry Lovette Chief Financial Officer JoAnn Breuchel Chief Digital Officer Kris Heineman Chief Revenue Officer Amy Schwandt VP Audience Development Ronda Hughes Director of Digital Operations & IT Nick Raether Director of Digital Strategy Joel Franke Group Content Director Jon Minnick Published and copyrighted 2021 by AC Business Media.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, without written permission from the publisher.

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FIELD TO FORK

NEWS FROM ACROSS THE FOOD SUPPLY CHAIN Daily Updates at FoodLogistics.com

Seegrid

Cannabis Sales Expected to Reach $55.9B by 2026

Seegrid’s New Fleet Geek Data Analytics Software Optimizes Autonomous Mobile Robot Performance Seegrid Corporation introduced Fleet Geek, a cloud-based analytics solution that provides a holistic, data-driven view of material flow and tracks and illustrates material flow trends.

“Seegrid is not only a robotics company, but also a data analytics company,” says Jim Rock, Seegrid’s CEO. “Data-driven businesses are best positioned to keep up with fluctuating demands. Fleet Geek provides our customers with intuitive data visualizations and on-demand reporting to make well informed decisions about their unique workflows to scale their success. We’re committed to continue providing solutions that help our customers maximize the value of automated material flow.”

This announcement comes on the heels of Seegrid introducing the Palion Lift AMR and the newly enhanced Palion Pallet Truck.

Global cannabis sales reached $21.3 billion in 2020, an increase of 48% over 2019 sales, according to BDSA. BDSA expects that the global cannabis sales market will increase to $55.9 billion in 2026, a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of more than 17%.

“The cannabis industry faced numerous challenges in the past few years, none so potentially disruptive as the Coronavirus pandemic in 2020,” says Micah Tapman, CEO, BDSA. “Our previous forecast was conservative based on the expected economic fallout from the pandemic, but the industry not only survived, it thrived, and legal cannabis gained considerable ground, exceeding our expectations in several markets.”

Medical and adult-use markets that launched in 2019 and 2020 contributed $1.6 billion in spending in 2020. Meanwhile, five new U.S. markets legalized medical or adult-use cannabis during the 2020 elections—Arizona, Mississippi, New Jersey, Montana and South Dakota.

Read more: https://foodl.me/rtrhnq

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Tippmann Group to Build Rail-Connected Cold Storage Facility for Blackline Cold Storage Blackline Cold Storage, LLC announced plans to develop, construct and operate a new 298,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art cold storage facility at the Port of Houston.

The 36-acre, rail-connected site features phased expansion up to 650,800 square feet at full buildout.

This new cold storage facility results from the uptick in perishable and frozen goods moving through the Port of Houston. Blackline selected Tippmann Group for the facility design and construction, which will incorporate flexibility for multiple segregated temperature zones (including blast freezing capability), 48-foot ceiling heights, up to 50 truck doors and rail connectivity.

Read more: https://foodl.me/splkpa

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Tippmann Group

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FIELD TO FORK

NEWS FROM ACROSS THE FOOD SUPPLY CHAIN Daily Updates at FoodLogistics.com

Albertsons Debuts New Automated, Contactless Grocery Pick-Up Kiosk

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BluJay Solutions launched the Augmented Global Trade (AGT) platform, a multi-tenant Software-as-aService (SaaS) platform that enhances and automates the end-to-end customs and compliance requirements for international trade.

Developed for logistics service providers, carriers and shippers managing complex customs declarations, as well as shippers that need to assert control over a network of brokers and freight forwarders, BluJay’s AGT platform streamlines workflow, decreases risk and accelerates efficiency for international trade operations.

“Our new Augmented Global Trade platform is designed to augment the user’s input and intelligence, providing actionable customs and compliance workflow with dashboard visibility from a single user experience,” says David Landau, chief product officer at BluJay Solutions. “BluJay’s AGT delivers an advantage for companies looking to digitize and consolidate the typically manual, disconnected processes and multiple systems associated with managing cross-border trade.”

Getty Images

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BluJay Solutions’ New Global Trade Platform Automates International Trade Requirements

Read more: https://foodl.me/46mf35

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Albertsons Companies became what is said to be the first U.S. grocer to pilot an automated and contactless grocery pick-up kiosk.

The automated, temperature-controlled kiosk, created by Cleveron, provides a contactless pickup experience. When customers arrive at the kiosk, they scan a code on their phone and their groceries are robotically delivered to the front of the unit for pickup. The kiosk is located at one of Jewel-Osco’s Chicago stores, with plans to install a second unit at a Bay Area Safeway in the near future.

“We are supercharging our digital and omnichannel offerings to serve customers however they want, whenever they want,” says Chris Rupp, EVP and chief customer and digital officer at Albertsons. “This innovative and contactless pick-up kiosk makes it even easier for customers to shop with us in a way that is convenient for them.”

Read more: https://foodl.me/gw5dau

Longbow Advantage, AutoScheduler Partnership Aims to Predict and Prevent Supply Chain Disruptions Longbow Advantage and AutoScheduler.

AI joined forces to help logistics operators predict and prevent supply chain disruptions before they happen.

AutoScheduler’s AI solution complements Longbow’s Rebus real-time supply chain Getty Images visibility platform to leverage harmonized data and avoid disruptions to on-time fulfillment caused by labor, docking and inventory bottlenecks.

“The partnership with AutoScheduler gives them yet another level of visualization into future disruption risks and enables them to act quickly to minimize impact,” says Alex Wakefield, CEO at Longbow Advantage. “It’s more apparent than ever that supply chains must depend on accurate, real-time data to make informed decisions that protect their customers and benefit consumers. We are thrilled to bring that to market with AutoScheduler.”

“Now more than ever, DCs are faced with increasing pressure to meet demand, with numerous additional objectives to drive efficiency,” adds Keith Moore, chief product officer at AutoScheduler.

AI. “The AutoScheduler and Rebus partnership enables logistics operators to gain real-time visibility, predict future challenges, and prescriptively take action to ensure all site operations are orchestrated to meet business needs.”

Read more: https://foodl.me/qp6ptw

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TOMRA Food’s SmartGrade Food Safety Software Automates Grading Process

TOMRA Food

TOMRA Food’s new SmartGrade food safety software puts the produce packhouse in complete control of grading.

SmartGrade identifies each blemish and defect type and maintains consistent grading performance.

“The advantage is that you can look for different things on each pass, rather than having to bundle them together,” says Kurt Bagby, research and grading team lead, R&D at TOMRA Fresh Food, part of TOMRA Food. “This is very useful when defects occur together or on top of each other. It allows you to get very granular in your grading.”

SmartGrade automizes the grading around each defect of interest without compromises, and requires fewer people on the line for manual grading due to its ability to maintain high accuracy with high variability in incoming fruit batches.

Read more: https://foodl.me/b8aqqw

Close to 47% of survey participants define innovation as “digital transformation,” according to a survey released by Kenco Logistics.

What’s more is, 39% of respondents are willing to invest 10-20% more on innovation.

“What we’re seeing is an industry that is prepared to invest in digital technologies and innovation to meet the challenges of today’s customer demands,” says Kristi Montgomery, VP of innovation and research and development at Kenco. “The pandemic has highlighted the need for innovation at every level of the supply chain and has accelerated many companies’ digital transformation initiatives by several years. It’s only logical then that most of our participants are more than ready to extend their budgets to remain competitive, and it’s up to 3PLs to keep up.”

Supply chain visibility technology, predictive and adaptive analytics and robotics, automation and emerging solutions ranked as high priority.

“These technologies represent the rise of digitization of supply chains, leveraging powerful data and machine learning to optimize safety, efficiency, speed and flexibility,” adds Montgomery. “We can expect them to become fixtures in the industry, and their application will only continue to expand.”

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Kenco Logistics Survey Reveals Supply Chain Professionals Willing to Invest in Innovation

Read more: https://foodl.me/wk4rkj

Living in a Pandemic for One Year Shifts Consumer Grocery Habits, Survey Says

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According to a new report from NCSolutions, U.S. consumers and their shopping habits remain heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

For instance, most (96%) say that they disinfect their home more than ever before, 47% focus on eating healthier and there’s been a 14% jump in grocery spend. Additionally, mental health becomes a factor in even pushing trips to the store, with 42% of survey takers saying they go to the grocery store for a sense of normalcy and to get out of the house. Fresh produce sales are also up 24% from last year.

“The big question on everyone’s minds is—Which of these newly formed behaviors will stick? Looking back at history, we see numerous examples of behaviors changing post-crisis. After the excesses of the Roaring Twenties and the poverty of the Depression, for instance, many people became extremely cautious about money. Some went as far as to save money in their mattresses—behavior that lasted for decades,” says Linda Dupree, CEO, NCSolutions.

Read more: https://foodl.me/53aana

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FOOD ON THE MOVE

LOGISTICS TRENDS IN THE INDUSTRY Daily Updates at FoodLogistics.com

GettyImages

DHL Freight, Volvo Trucks Move to Fossil-Free Road Transport

TT Club Report Indicates Influx in Annual Cargo Theft Thefts of cargo in transit remain highest proportion of total, although the 71% share is a decrease from 2019 (87%), according to the most recent cargo theft report from TT Club and BSI. The most significant trend highlighted was the relative shift in the location of thefts, with in-transit incidents and those involving vehicles showing a decline. The most dominant threat remains theft from storage facilities, vastly different from last year’s report, which focused on specific types of markets being targeted, such as cold food and beverages.

“The effects throughout 2020 of the COVID crisis threatened supply chain security, continuity and resilience. Not only did newly created high-value commodities such as PPE become targets for theft, but bottlenecks in the logistics infrastructure at ports and warehouses brought increased potential risks. Temporary overflow storage facilities added to the dangers in loosening the grip of existing security systems,” says Mike Yarwood, TT Club’s managing director, loss prevention.

DHL Freight and Volvo Trucks joined forces to speed up the introduction of heavy duty electric trucks to be used for regional transport in Europe.

The move to fossil-free road transport will focus on longer distance heavy transports by making the transition to electrification as seamless and efficient as possible.

“Our aim is to reduce all logistics-related emissions to zero. Important milestones have already been achieved in meeting this; compared to 2007, our group’s CO2 efficiency has improved by 35%. However, we need innovative technological solutions and strong partnerships along this journey. I’m confident that our strong cooperation with Volvo Trucks, one of the major truck brands in the world, will support us in achieving our ambitious environmental goals in the road freight sector,” says Uwe Brinks, CEO at DHL Freight.

In March, the truck began operating between two DHL Freight logistics terminals in Sweden, a distance of approximately 150 km. During the trial, Volvo and DHL will gain experience and information regarding the set-up and operation of an adequate charging infrastructure. The collected insights will help to optimize the right balance between operated distance, load weight and charging points in daily road freight operations.

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Thermo King’s All-Electric Refrigeration Unit Represents the Future in Transport Refrigeration Thermo King’s new E-200 fully electric refrigeration unit is an allelectric solution for small to mediumsized electric and engine-powered trucks.

The plug-and-play solution requires no road compressor or drive kit to function, and features a power management system that contributes to lower energy consumption, increased vehicle autonomy and higher efficiency and reliability.

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Read more:https://foodl.me/jdcnzx

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LOGISTICS TRENDS IN THE INDUSTRY

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Daily Updates at FoodLogistics.com

Hapag-Lloyd’s New Kenya Office Aims to Develop Inland Connections Hapag-Lloyd opened a new office in Kenya, designed to mainly transport agricultural goods, such as fruit and other produce, out of Kenya, and import foodstuffs and other items.

“Kenya is the economic hub of East Africa and the most important growth region on the continent,” says Dheeraj Bhatia, senior managing director Region Middle East at Hapag-Lloyd. “By opening our new office in Kenya, we expect to continue our robust growth on the African continent.”

“Our Strategy 2023 focuses not only on becoming the ‘Number One for Quality,’ but also on selected growth markets worldwide. We see an enormous growth potential in Africa and will further invest into our services and selected countries,” says Rolf Habben Jansen, CEO at Hapag-Lloyd.

Hapag-Lloyd also serves landlocked East African countries such as Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi and South Sudan with regular inland connections to and from Mombasa. As part of its growth strategy, the shipping company will aim to develop inland connections to Somalia, Southern Ethiopia and Northern Tanzania.

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Port of Los Angeles Launches New Data Tool for Tracking Cargo

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Hapag-Lloyd

As part of its efforts to digitize the port supply chain and improve cargo efficiency, the Port of Los Angeles introduced a new “Control Tower” data tool that offers real-time views of truck turn times to better help cargo owners, truckers and other supply chain stakeholders better predict and plan cargo flows.

“Data is a critical resource in moving goods across the supply chain and into the hands of consumers,” saiys Scott Holland, VP of Wabtec’s Network and Logistics business. “The Port Optimizer Control Tower is an important step in the journey to connect railroads, chassis providers, truckers, warehouse operators and others across the supply chain, and ensure cargo seamlessly flows in and out of ports. This system’s real-time and historical analytics will help the Port of Los Angeles community optimize their operations, relieve congestion stemming from increased global shipping traffic and get products to people faster.”

Windward Creates All-inOne Maritime Platform for Comprehensive Risk Management

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Windward launched the Seven Levels of Ownership and Management Insights, creating what is said to be the industry’s first all-in-one maritime artificial intelligence (AI) platform that provides comprehensive analysis when evaluating maritime risks such as insights on vessels, cargo, ownership and management.

These insights provide a real-time, customized and 360-degree view of the maritime ecosystem on one platform, including company location, contact information, fleet breakdown, associated companies and areas of operation.

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FOOD ON THE MOVE

LOGISTICS TRENDS IN THE INDUSTRY

Warehouse, Fulfillment Sector to Experience Double-Digit Growth in 5 Years, Thanks to E-Commerce

OmniTRAX to Expand RailReady Sites Program

The influx of e-commerce will continue to drive double-digit growth in the warehouse and fulfillment sector over the next five years, according to an Interact Analysis survey.

“While many industrial and service sectors continue to reel from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, warehousing and fulfillment centers are a real growth area, with staffing set to increase by 50% by 2025,” says Jason dePreaux, principal analyst at Interact Analysis. “There has been a surge in automation projects caused by labor shortages in some markets. Yet 60% of all warehouses are in regions where the cost of labor is under $10 an hour and automation has yet to gain a firm foothold. As developing economies advance, which they inevitably will, we can expect to see major growth in automation in these regions too.”

North America and Europe have a high quantity of warehouses relative to their population. However, the middle class and demand for retail goods in developing countries will mean that by 2025, China, the United States, Japan, India, and Germany will account for more than 50% of the global warehouse building stock of 180,000 units.

Meanwhile, overall fulfillment warehousing space is set to top 6 billion square feet some time in 2025. Read more:

OmniTRAX announced plans to launch additional properties through its Rail-Ready Sites program on the Northern Ohio and Western Railway (NOW), which connects companies looking to maximize supply chain performance with railserved properties.

“The attractiveness of Northwest Ohio for manufacturers and other industries starts with very pro-business state and local governments and continues with a first-rate transportation network. Working with the Sandusky County Economic Development Corporation, we’re confident we will bring new jobs and growth to the region,” says Ean Johnson, VP of industrial development at OmniTRAX. The program started in 2019 at the Winchester & Western Railroad (WW) in West Virginia and New Jersey.

Read more: https://foodl.me/b7mbxw

Lineage Logistics Raises $1.9B to Transform Food Supply Chain

FOOD LOGISTICS | APRIL 2021

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Lineage Logistics, LLC raised $1.9 billion in equity from new and existing strategic partners to fulfill its purpose of transforming the food supply chain to eliminate waste and help feed the world.

“We set out to raise capital to support Lineage’s investments in the world’s most state-of-the-art technology and automation, greenfield developments, facility expansions and continued acquisitions, and we were met with overwhelming demand from some of the most well-respected global institutional investors,” says Greg Lehmkuhl, president and CEO of Lineage. “This is clear validation of our business model and our consistent, successful strategy to optimize our customers’ temperature-controlled supply chains, which is exactly how we intend to deploy the funds—to bolster our customers’ experiences from every angle and prove ourselves as their most valuable partner.”

A significant portion of the $1.9 billion of new capital will be used to double down on new and disruptive technologies to design the temperature-controlled warehouse of the future.

The investment will also fund greenfield development and facility expansion projects in its North American, European and Asian-Pacific operating regions.

Read more: https://foodl.me/cuvs7l

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Daily Updates at FoodLogistics.com

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FARM

SMALL TRUCK OR DELIVERY VAN

HOME

POSITION YOUR BUSINESS FOR SUCCESS IN GROWING HOME DELIVERY MARKET As a result of COVID-19, the adoption of grocery and meal kit delivery services has rapidly increased and the online grocery delivery and pickup market is five times larger than a year ago.

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Whether you want to get your home delivery service off the ground or need to expand, there are four key things to consider:

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• Vehicle selection, insulation, and shelving

• Refrigeration unit selection

• Food safety best practices

• Technology advances

The number of active home delivery customers has grown from

16.1M in 2019 to 37.5M in 2020

*

The number of online grocery delivery & pickup numbers has increased from

16.1M in 2019 to 59.5M in 2020

*

Vehicle Selection, Insulation, and Shelving These selections are vital to your business.

est

1. Vehicle size. Determine weight and volume of products, number of deliveries per day, and ease of parking or maneuvering during delivery.

2. Insulation. Type and thickness should be based on the products being hauled.

3. Shelving. When upfitting your vehicle, consider the importance of storing products properly and ease of loading and unloading.

Refrigeration Unit Selection Not every refrigeration unit will work well for every application. Having the unit with the right capabilities on your delivery vehicle will ensure safe, on-time delivery.

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Food Safety Best Practices When it comes to home delivery, the safe transportation of refrigerated foods is of the highest priority.

Here are some areas where best practices should be followed:

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THIRD PARTY PACKAGING/DISTRIBUTION

TRUCK TRAILER

• Packaging and staging

• Proper airflow

• Pre-cooling the vehicle

• Delivery procedures

Each year,

1 6 in

people in the US get sick from food borne illnesses**

• Telematics for temp monitoring and compliance

Lineage

Home Delivery and the Future As more consumers move toward the adoption of home delivery services, Thermo King has products and services that can help you safely transport products throughout the cold chain.

thermoking.com/homedelivery LONG HAUL Precedent® Series • SLXi Series Temperatures: -30°F+

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TRACEABILITY TracKing® Telematics

DELIVERY T-90 Series • B-Series • V-Series Temperatures: -20°F+

* https://www.brickmeetsclick.com/tracking-online-grocery-s-growth** https://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/index.html

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COVER STORY

BY MARINA MAYER, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Technology tools and solutions will help companies shift focus from one-off checks to continuous monitoring and improved visibility of the whole supply chain.

Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI)

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Providing SAFE Food in an UNSAFE World

F

Industry experts reveal the secret to reaching food safety excellence.

ood safety—a scientific discipline describing handling, preparation and storage of food in ways that prevent foodborne illness, according to FoodSafety.gov.

While that definition remained true some 20-30 years ago, the present-day outlook of the term “food safety” goes beyond just producing safe food. Today, the phrase encompasses everything pertaining to protecting people, the planet and product, upstream and downstream, at the same time.

Factors such as enhanced technologies, improved visibility and instilling a top-down food safety culture are just some of the ways today’s food safety experts are achieving what’s called Food Safety Excellence. The secret is making food safety actionable, measurable and consistent.

Shining the spotlight on food safety In 2018, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed every June 7 as World Food Safety Day (WFSD), recognizing the global burden of foodborne diseases and its impact on people who could consume contaminated food. Fast forward four years later, and the world has since experienced supply chain disruptions of many levels and degrees, including natural disasters, civil unrest, cargo theft, food fraud and the ever-present Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

That’s why the World Health Organization (WHO) coined this year’s WFSD as “Safe food now for a healthy tomorrow,” a call to action for companies to prevent, detect and manage foodborne risks and sustainable development by shining a spotlight on food safety in its entirety.

“Food supply chains are global in nature, and World Food Safety Day recognizes our collective challenge to reduce food loss and make safe, nutritious foods available to all consumers by improving food safety throughout the system,” says Roberta Lauretti-Bernhard, principal and director of programs for Food Enterprise Solutions (FES). “U.S. and international food businesses can take advantage of this increasing global awareness to explore new food sources, as well as new markets for their products.”

Initiatives like WFSD bring attention to what most consumers may periodically take for granted, according to Angela Fernandez, VP, community engagement for GS1 US. “It’s a modern marvel that we have the capability to have blueberries in December or cantaloupes year-round. However, it means we’re increasing the distance between the harvest point and the store shelf, exposing more of a possibility of a weak link in the supply chain,” she adds. “It’s so important now more than ever for supply chain partners to become more collaborative and work to understand what data needs to be collected and exchanged to ensure

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iTradeNetwork

iTradeNetwork

iTradeNetwork launched a Bioengineered Food Disclosure module and a new Advanced Shipping Notification (ASN) compliance solution that allows suppliers to communicate the provenance of any commodity on a purchase order to their buyers from anywhere.

the safe passage of food from Point A to Point B.” And, while the pandemic may have temporarily shifted the food safety focus (think reduction in food safety audits), a lot of work still needs to be done.

“Regardless of your company’s place in the supply chain, ensuring food safety is about documentation, implementation, measurement and improvement. It’s a recursive process that needs to be part of a company’s culture,” says Rene Cardenas, VP, strategic planning for iTradeNetwork.

Achieving food safety excellence For many companies, the company culture is what sets them apart from others still struggling to achieve food safety excellence. That’s because a company’s food safety culture refers to “the attitudes, beliefs, practices and values that determine what is happening when no one is watching,” according to Safe Food Alliance.

Creating and maintaining a successful food safety culture is about safeguarding the health of both employees and consumers. It’s about mitigating risk along the supply chain. As new and emerging supply chain disruptions erupt, it’s about achieving food safety success and “creating a behavior-based food safety management

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iTradeNetwork plans to launch a new traceability solution that will dramatically shorten the alerting and recall management cycles for fresh perishables.

system,” according to Frank Yiannas, deputy commissioner for food policy and response for the Food & Drug Administration (FDA).

“Successful food businesses ensure that food safety is a core value rather than a priority. With focused effort encouraging staff involvement, organizations can secure engagement and empower their workforce to deliver a sustainable food safety culture,” Craig Adams, client director, NSF International, wrote in an expert column.

Case in point: The “secret sauce” to food safety excellence starts with a food safety culture, says Ceci Snyder, marketing director for FoodChain ID. “Food safety culture starts with management’s actions and words. Leaders should reward positive behaviors, maintain clear communication, and empower employees to proactively participate in food safety operations,” adds Snyder.

Smarter food safety is also about empowering the frontline worker with technology that removes red tape and enables workers to get things right, adds Bob Butler, GM, Americas SafetyCulture.

“Look at developing an early warning system with simpler, more effective and modern approaches and processes.

Prevention is always better than cure and companies should focus on utilizing easily integrated technology, from templates to

sensors, to create a 360-degree view of their operations,” he adds.

What’s more is, FDA’s move to promote a more digitally-enabled and traceable food supply chain will act as a catalyst to sustain food safety in the supply chain.

“Create a culture that celebrates food safety and recognizes that it must be the No. 1 priority for any food company,” says Thomas Hayes, food and nutrition analyst for Lux Research.

Any decrease in workforce capacity caused by staff illness should be cause for concern, says Snyder.

“Because of social distancing and ‘bubble’-based work team segregation, there is a need for on-demand training.

And, many organizations are trying to respond to regulatory changes without adding specialized staff,” Snyder says.

To automate food safety workforce training, FoodChain ID introduced FoodChain ID Academy, a portal for e-learning and virtual, live food safety classes.

“We see the future of training as ondemand based on employee schedules,” says Snyder. “Our first courses cover basic courses on food safety, such as SQF fundamentals, internal auditing, FSMA preventive controls and gluten-free production. The ‘secret sauce’ to food

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Sensors like iAuditor provide the visibility needed for employees to spring into action to improve safety or mitigate loss.

SafetyCulture

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Advancing a company’s food safety culture also requires the right education and engagement from young professionals in the industry.

That’s why FES will be launching the Food Safety Mobile Learning App competition, which targets young entrepreneurs in Senegal.

“Educating and engaging youth in creating solutions to food safety challenges, or better yet, empowering young entrepreneurs to lead the charge, are essential for the future of food safety,” says Lauretti-Bernhard. “Our food safety experts have a saying, ‘the three most important food safety investments for companies are training, training and training.’ One of our strategies is to work with companies to show how proper training can benefit their bottom line and also where to access it. Well-trained staff and business owners along with welldefined and implemented SOPs should be second nature and part of their business plans.”

Through its USAID Feed the Future Business Drivers for Food Safety project (BD4FS), FES is working to connect food businesses with technologies, training and investors, so they can implement food safety practices such as loans for off-grid cold storage systems that are appropriate for their region.

Furthermore, one of the biggest food safety challenges in all supply chains is capability building, says Erica Sheward, director of Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI).

“Training needs to be considered a lifelong process [and] should be embedded in people’s careers and roles as the world constantly changes,” she

adds. “Food safety training is often seen as a ‘one off,’ when it needs to be regarded as a continually evolving process.”

As a result, GFSI partnered with Codex Alimentarius, the body responsible for developing and implementing the WHO/FAO food standards program to communicate that food safety is everyone’s business.

“Too often, food safety is only high on the agenda when there is a food crisis, and this needs to change. We need each person involved in every step of the process of getting food from the field to plate to understand their responsibility,” says Sheward. “In today’s interconnected world, multi-stakeholder collaboration is critical.

While many individual companies and organizations share the goal of improving food safety management practices, we work to enable the extensive collaboration that is so critical to safe food—involving food retailers and manufacturers, but also upstream suppliers, the agriculture industry, governments and many others across the world.”

Meanwhile, GS1 US offers a Fresh Food Management Solution for those responsible for food safety in the supply chain.

“A key part of understanding effective traceability is to first understand how supply chain visibility works. The solution, which is a combination of free-to-download resources, an assessment quiz and access to GS1 US’ traceability certificate course, provides a number of examples and educational tools virtually,” says Fernandez.

“Food safety professionals working closely with their supply chain teams can align on traceability plans rooted in global standards to ensure consistent, repeatable procedures for recalls and more.”

For its part, iTradeNetwork launched a Bioengineered Food Disclosure module and a new Advanced Shipping Notification (ASN) compliance solution, which allows suppliers to communicate the provenance of any commodity on a purchase order to their buyers from anywhere. iTradeNetwork is also launching a new traceability solution that will dramatically

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Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI)

safety excellence starts with a food safety culture. Food safety culture starts with management’s actions and words. Leaders should reward positive behaviors, maintain clear communication and empower employees to proactively participate in food safety operations.”

FoodChain ID also introduced TrakCert, an audit and certification online portal that allows for efficient workflow and communication with customers.

“We believe food companies need to consider food safety in a holistic strategy,” Snyder adds. “For example, certification might be mandatory to sell their product, but food safety covers more than the yearly audit. The future of food safety includes supply chain risk assessment of ingredients and suppliers, planning for ongoing staff training and anticipating regulatory compliance, as opposed to reacting to issues.”

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One of the biggest food safety challenges in all supply chains is training employees.

shorten the alerting and recall management cycles for fresh perishables.

“Tracking and supply chain traceability remain opportunities for the supply chain, especially in the present moment to alleviate cost pressures for buying organizations and help the industry as a whole respond more effectively to food safety events,” says Rene Cardenas, VP, strategic planning for iTradeNetwork. “iTrade believes that existing alerting and recall processes for fresh perishables are too long given commodities’ shelf lives and there is ample opportunity for improvement.”

Comprehensive track-and-trace solutions also allow full control and transparency of a product’s journey throughout the cold food chain, according to Florian Muller, global director solution development, supply chain and product assurance, DNV. “It enables secure and continuous temperature control and regulatory compliance, while allowing the consumer to validate claims of food safety before purchasing and validate authenticity or characteristics like environmental footprint, provenance or sustainable sourcing,” Muller adds. “Adjacent are blockchain solutions designed with complex, multinational value chains in

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While this past year has proven that even an advanced supply chain can be substantially disrupted, there is definitely space for brands and logistics companies to improve the reliability of foods that arrive both safe and fresh.

mind. These enable the tamper-proof connection between a product and product-related claims and certifications, for example.”

Automation and data exchange, the Internet of Things (IoT), blockchain, cloud computing and artificial intelligence also play a significant role in the future of food safety.

“Predictive data analytics and models for exposure and intake assessments, microbial growth and stability can help address food safety issues,” says Harini Venkataraman, food and nutrition analyst for Lux Research. “In the post-COVID era, there will be heightened interest in food safety applications, given the pressing need to mitigate the risk associated with foodborne pathogens. This will provide a significant opportunity to improve food pathogen detection and pave the way for wider adoption of next-generation sequencing methods in food safety. We [also] foresee a greater emphasis on the use of traceability tools to manage safety (and quality) throughout the supply chain.”

Temperature-controlled sensors also help companies monitor food temperatures and track food storage conditions.

“Manual routine cold room checks don’t deliver the immediacy required when monitoring and maintaining temperature

Fast Food Safety Facts ·A scientific study conducted by the American Frozen Food Institute (AFFI), in partnership with North Carolina State University researchers, confirmed that there is no evidence for the spread of SARS-CoV-2 through consumption of food or in association with food packaging. · Many organizations are trying to respond to regulatory changes without adding specialized staff, according to Ceci Snyder, marketing director for FoodChain ID. · As of March 3, the term “food safety culture” is now an official part of EU regulation.

levels. Minute fluctuations can have outsize implications within the cold food chain. Instead of physical monitoring of environmental conditions and manually inputting results in a physical or digital form, companies can use sensors to contactlessly monitor conditions in realtime. The technology also allows for the right people to be alerted when things go out of range and respond instantly,” says Butler. “Traceable workflows allow this data to become even more powerful. By syncing sensor data to a digital operations

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platform like iAuditor, teams are provided with greater visibility and the power to spring into action to improve safety or mitigate loss.”

High-pressure processing (HPP) is another method to better improve food safety.

“High-pressure processing is a technology [that] helps cold food processors sustain a safe food supply chain.

It guarantees spoilage and pathogens inactivation. With HPP, refrigerated foods are minimally processed. They keep their freshness, nutritional quality and flavor,” says Carole Tonello Samson, commercial and applications director for Hiperbaric.

And, while the experiences of the past year have proven that even an advanced supply chain can be substantially disrupted, “there is definitely space for brands and logistics companies to improve the reliability of foods that arrive both safe and fresh,” says Tom Woodward, chief commercial officer for Universal Pure.

“Food safety is not an option. It is core to a healthy and prosperous society. Safe food is something everyone deserves.”

The COVID-19 vaccine’s place in the cold food chain When the COVID-19 vaccine began rolling out for distribution earlier this year, it presented an opportunity for the cold food chain to become a part

of the pharmaceutical landscape. That’s because many companies in the cold food space maintain the infrastructure needed to store and distribute the temperaturesensitive vaccine.

While large grocery chains, for example, who are storing and distributing the vaccine via their in-store pharmacies, present little to no risk to food safety, the risk for companies in emerging economies to enter the pharma side of the supply chain is high, says Lauretti-Bernhard.

“They may not have proper storage areas, temperature control and trained staff to safely store and handle the vaccine, and for these same reasons, companies in emerging economies may not be able to ensure that vaccine storage does not introduce food safety issues,” she adds.

“There are many investors looking to invest in critical infrastructure, such as cold supply chain logistics, so now is the time for related food companies to look for opportunities, particularly in Africa, the up-and-coming global food basket.”

Food safety for the future Regardless of what disruptions today’s supply chains face, people need to eat and they need to eat safe, quality food.

Therefore, the cold food supply chain is

required to not only uphold high standards in food safety, but also continue to build and sustain that food safety culture necessary to achieve food safety excellence.

“We won’t make dramatic improvements in improving food safety and reducing foodborne disease until we get much better at influencing and changing human behavior. This happens when you work on creating a safety culture from the ground up, and driving cultural change looks different in today’s distributed workforce,” says Butler. “Put in place ongoing training with microlearning platforms to engage and empower your workforce from a distance. Remove the red tape from safety operations and enable them with intuitive, easy-to-use technology like self-serve sensors and digitized checklists.”

“The top-down safety compliance model is broken—it’s become clear that it’s the people on the frontline of every industry who have the visibility to build a safety culture from the ground up. Give teams the tools to raise visibility and communicate more fluidly, so they’re agile and everready to react,” he adds.

In a world laden with natural disasters, civil unrest, food fraud and global pandemic, food safety excellence must remain a top priority, all day, every day.

Enhanced technologies, improved visibility and instilling a top-down food safety culture will help companies forge ahead and maintain safe food production and distribution despite today’s unsafe landscape.

High-pressure processing (HPP) helps cold food processors sustain a safe food supply chain.

Hiperbaric

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3PL / COLD CHAIN

BY BRIELLE JAEKEL, ASSOCIATE EDITOR

While recall problems typically arise from the source, they directly impact 3PLs in major ways. @pathdoc - adobestock.com

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3PL COMPLIANCE:

IF YOU FAIL TO PLAN, THEN PLAN TO FAIL

@ pathdoc - adobestock.com

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n just this quarter alone, Kraft Heinz, Kenosha Beef International, Mars Foods, Sabra Dipping Co. and Giant Food all experienced recalls, and weren’t the only ones.

Unfortunately, this comes with the territory in selling food, and for the cold chain and perishable goods, it only heightens recalls and monitoring.

“Temperature-controlled products are prime categories for potential recalls, often attributable to ‘lotspecific issues’ from the manufacturer/grower or expiration dates compliance while in storage,” says Brien L. Downie, president of Holman Logistics.

While recall problems typically arise from the source, they directly impact third-party logistics (3PLs) companies in major ways, as 3PLs must immediately deal with the repercussions.

Throughout the past few years, recalls became even more complicated as politics and the pandemic dramatically shifted food production and transportation, causing incredible shifts in processes as well as demand.

“Two major challenges over the past two years have been geopolitical politics and COVID-19,” says Jim Hardeman, chief product officer and director of marketing at CMX. “Both have been incredibly disruptive to supply chains. With tariffs, shifts in manufacturing, many cycles of closing and reopening of businesses, shifts in consumer demands, increased e-commerce and manufacturing facilities opening and

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closing or scaling back for worker safety or shortages, 3PLs have had to flex to accommodate all these changes. With increased complexity comes increased risk.

“While 2020 saw a dip in FDA inspections, citations and recalls due to COVID-19, the trends over the last 10 years show an increase in recalls,” he continues. “And, while there is much debate about whether that is because there is more risky food out there, or there are better detection methods, or there is more public awareness and pressure on brands to voluntarily withdraw products faster or face the reputational damage, the need for better traceability and tools to manage recalls has never been greater.

“When it comes to the food supply chain, 3PLs play an important role between the supplier and the end retail food establishment. Because they are regulated facilities by the FDA due to holding product/or have product in transit, they need to be able to quickly identify, isolate and remove/ dispose of product per manufacturer’s instructions before quality and food safety issues become widespread crises,” says Hardeman.

Technology can help Recalls are imperative for health and safety, but also dramatically impact multiple companies’ bottom lines.

Despite gross fluctuations in the industry, 3PLs need to focus on preparedness as well as the ability to be flexible.

Having procedures in place, as well as tapping into tracking and data are just a few best practices to help keep a stable

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3PL / COLD CHAIN continued The major disruption right now might help for long-term resiliency. zimmytws

more complicated,” Hardeman continues.

“This is further compounded by the lack of data standards and system interoperability among trading partners.

“The FDA’s New Era of bottom line and reduce outbreaks or safety Smarter Food Safety Blueprint aims to hazards. address these challenges, but will require “Recalls and regulatory compliance in cooperation in data standards and any area require discipline procedures, innovative technology-driven solutions product/lot-code tracking and for compliance. As a result, we’ll see an communication systems that ensure accelerated movement toward creating any product at risk can be identified and data standards for exchanging critical handled in the most time-sensitive manner,” tracking events and key data elements, Downie continues. “Having an existing which are required for record-keeping, preparedness plan for traceability and executing handling recalls and recalls.” regulatory compliance However, the concept is fundamental—if you of Implementation technology in the 3PL fail to plan, then you’re world and regarding planning to fail.” and adherence to recalls is more than data Hardeman explains and tracking. The 3PL that in addition to rigorous COVID and supply chain industry tracking, data and other has its own set of specific technology needs to be protocols are not technologies. included so that 3PLs “In our world, we can take definitive action have three critical optional. and act quickly. technologies—warehouse “As products have management systems become more complex and supply chains (WMS), electronic data interchange (EDI) have grown longer, the ability to track and Internet of Things (IoT) sensors, all of and trace and monitor the journey of the which help us maintain tight control over ingredients in our food has become what goes in and out of our facilities and keep customer product within specified

“

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customer conditions,” Downie adds.

“Having a solid WMS that is capable of lot-code or expiry date tracking is essential in the modern logistics game, as is a WMS that can export that data in a usable format that can be easily ingested into Excel, Tableau or some other analysis tool.

Fortunately, Holman recently invested in a highly capable WMS, ensuring that not only are we able to properly rotate product according to customer specifications, but also that we can export the data in a user-friendly format, helping us live up to our promise of extraordinary service. It’s one thing to have the data locked away in SQL tables of the WMS; it’s another to have it ready to go at a moment’s notice, as responding to a recall request is an incredibly time-sensitive issue.

“EDI capabilities are critical to enabling the supply chain participants to better view products throughout the supply chain, ensuring that communication is efficient and direct, and not prone to human error,” he says. “The more information is ‘touched’ (e.g. ‘and-keyed’ into a system from an email or phone call), the more opportunity for corruption of that information. EDI offers direct, system-to-system communication to reduce human error opportunities.

“There’s no substitute for living Gemba (i.e. going to the work and seeing it firsthand), but a close second can be IoT sensors that allow for 24/7/365 monitoring of a situation. Holman has custom built several digitally calibrated temperature sensors that are connected to our information management system. These IoT sensors automatically alert our team to potential issues, ensuring quick response times when temperatures approach specified thresholds.”

In a recent study, Quantzig found that smart sensors and predictive analytics, similar to what Hardeman explained, can track temperatures of food throughout the entire transportation process, beyond the in-house warehouse. Sensors will be able to tell when food enters a dangerous temperature on the road and possibly be contaminated. Sensors notifiy the transportation company or processor, so they can check for any damaged goods and prevent a recall from happening before reaching consumers. Predictive analytics

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may be also able to tell when food is about to go bad.

COVID-19 could lead to a better future Recalls and food safety are always an important issue in 3PLs, but last year, safety and hygiene heightened dramatically after the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak began. Once the disease became widespread and shutdowns occurred, new protocols were put into place to help stop the spread in every industry, especially in the food and cold chain sectors. While the FDA took a step back in on-site auditing, companies had to ensure they were transporting food safely yet still socially distance for themselves.

“Implementation and adherence to rigorous COVID protocols are not optional,” Downie says. “It is critical to the ongoing operation of any storage or warehousing facility handling with or without a product recall event. However, people make the difference in successfully managing a recall or regulatory response issue. Keeping our people and the facilities we operate ‘COVID free’ will continue to be a ‘best practice’ requirement.

“Holman has thrived in the COVID environment, with our masking, distancing and cleanliness initiatives working well thus far,” he adds. “In many ways, it’s been business-as-usual with a whole lot of hand sanitizer. The most critical aspect to ensuring our facilities remain ‘COVID free’ is engaging directly with our people, helping them to believe in the program so they want to follow along; not just do it as a result of being forced.”

Beyond regulations though, COVID-19 continues to disrupt the supply chain, which

puts massive pressure on 3PLs dealing with recalls, and can even cause more recalls due to changes in demand. But, this major disruption might help for long-term resiliency.

“COVID has shown that supply chains can be easily disrupted and that we have an over-reliance on people and manual processes to keep them functioning properly (especially for food),” Hardeman says. “We’ve also seen that in many ways, we have too much information and data and not enough of the right information and data in a format that provides trading partners the visibility and interoperability across channels and systems.

“President Biden signed an executive order that calls for a 100-day review to assess vulnerabilities and areas of improvement in four major supply chain areas,” he adds. “The order also called for the review of six broader supply chains, including transportation and food production. And, while the primary goal may be to reduce our dependence on foreign suppliers and avoid shortages, it is also aimed at minimizing disruptions. This coupled with FSMA and the FDA’s New Era of Smarter Food Safety all lead to increased regulations and the need for advances in data, technology and collaboration to overcome these challenges.”

Hopefully the safety challenges brought about throughout the pandemic will help build a future more resilient for recalls.

Despite gross fluctuations in the industry, 3PLs need to focus on preparedness and the ability to be flexible.

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SECTOR REPORT

WAREHOUSING

RODENTS: THREATENING SUPPLY

CHAIN INTEGRITY FROM FARM TO FORK

F

ood safety regulations and audit requirements are abundantly clear on the topic of pest control—it must be managed preventatively and with the utmost diligence. Exclusion is fundamental to maintaining food safety standards and supply chain integrity.

Most professionals would agree that rodents are not only some of the most notorious pests threatening the food industry, but also the most tenacious. Given the fact rodents eat or contaminate at least 20% of the world’s food supply each year, it’s clear that even the smallest level of identified rodent activity presents a risk of contamination to food products. In one year, a single rat can shed more than half a million body hairs, and a mouse can produce up to 18,000 fecal droppings. Once they’re inside, it is already too late.

And, they most certainly are trying to get inside. Rats have been known to gnaw through plastic, wood, aluminum, brick, cement and even lead in search of food and shelter. They can climb wires and rough surfaces, swim considerable distances and tread water for several days. They are not easily deterred, and keeping them out through the use of comprehensive exclusion methods is critical to maintaining food safety standards. Rats cost the world’s economy billions of dollars every year, and are a primary cause of health inspection and third-party audit failures for good reason.

Rodents can squeeze through an opening as small as one-fourth inch, which makes access points easy for to find. Cracks or holes in a building’s foundation and openings where plumbing, gas and electric wiring enters the building are all key targets.

Each of these areas should be safeguarded with proper exclusion materials. Caulk, mortar and spray foam offer little to no

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protection against gnawing rodents. Steel wool will rust and degrade over time. The best exclusion materials are made of stainless steel or other permanent elements that won’t degrade over time.

It’s also important that windows, screens and window panes be kept in good repair.

All trees and branches should be trimmed back, so they don’t provide easy access to the building. Roof lines should be inspected regularly for gaps, and all shingles, ventilators, chimney and vent screens must be in place and undamaged.

Floor joints create vulnerability to rodents as well. Over time, shrinkage while curing, foundation settling and temperature shifts can cause the gaps at joints in concrete to expand. These bigger gaps are often exploited by rodents and other pests for burrowing into and throughout a building. These expanded gaps must be identified and sealed with proper materials.

Exterior personnel doors, garage doors and the many openings surrounding a loading dock are some of the most common rodent targets. Rodent-proof door sweeps are probably the single most important pest management tool for the food industry.

The tiny gap beneath an unprotected door is like a red carpet rolled out to welcome in rodents, not to mention outdoor elements and other potential contaminants.

Specialized rodent-proof door sweeps are paramount to protecting food facilities across every facet of the supply chain.

Garage doors are also highly vulnerable and must be safeguarded with rodent-proof seals. A combination brush seal/rodent-proof seal offers the strongest solution to meeting audit standards. The rodent-proof seal will effectively keep out rodents while the brush seal will help ensure no light passes through.

Loading docks are often ground zero for

rodent pressure. The moving parts, tiny gaps, heavy foot traffic and equipment wear and tear make them notorious for rodent activity. Effective pest exclusion involves meticulously sealing every single gap surrounding the many working parts. The only proper solution is one that involves sealing every single opening with specialized rodent-proof seals. It’s also important that loading docks are well-maintained.

Once comprehensive exclusion tools are in place, facilities should be inspected daily for rodent activity. The rate at which rodents contaminate food and the rate at which they multiply is astounding. In one year, rats and mice destroy enough food to feed 200 million people. Employees should be trained to notice signs of pest activity and commended for reporting it.

Supply chain integrity is challenged at every step by relentless rodents. A comprehensive, diligent exclusion plan is fundamental to protecting supply chain integrity and meeting food safety audit standards.

To read more, visit https://foodl.me/s8x3ka.

V Using comprehensive exclusion methods to keep rats out is critical to maintaining food safety standards.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR DAVE COLBERT VP Xcluder Rodent & Pest Defense

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SECTOR REPORT

TRANSPORTATION

SANITARY

A D en in

COLD FOOD TRANSPORT

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IN THE WAKE OF COVID-19

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The growing shortage of drivers The COVID-19 situation has only exacerbated the driver shortage already in place pre-pandemic. Outside of the pandemic, the driver pool is aging, and few candidates are coming in to replace those leaving the workforce. To compound that shortage, after the virus made its way to the United States, the logistics industry lost thousands of drivers. According the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 92,000 truck drivers lost their jobs between February

and April 2020, and only 42,500 of those jobs have been restored. And, that doesn’t account for absences due to contracting the virus or exposure to it.

As the pandemic continues, the driver shortage will no doubt remain a barrier to moving products across the country and have implications for sanitary transport.

For the cold food transport supply chain, this is particularly concerning, as access to fresh and frozen food—and COVID-19 vaccines—depends on the availability of drivers and trucks to get them to and from

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Birko Corp.

he logistics industry has experienced no shortage of challenges throughout the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic—from navigating the skyrocketing demand for medical supplies, personal protective equipment (PPE), sanitation supplies and household essentials in the early stages to responding to the increase in e-commerce orders we’re still seeing today. The food industry has also faced monumental challenges, largely in maintaining the food supply despite supply chain backups and changing consumer demands (from novelty items to frozen or ready-to-eat products, for example).

Now, with the start of distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine and an ever-increasing interest in fresh and healthy foods, the cold food supply chain in particular is in a difficult position. It must balance previously existing industry-wide concerns and Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) regulations with pandemic-imposed changes to processes, driver availability, inspections and sanitation.

Here’s what’s changed and how to make sure products and drivers stay safe in transport.

Fo di in Se D ex ov ad Fa In Co In

Access to fresh and frozen food—and COVID-19 vaccines—depends on the availability of drivers and trucks to get them to and from their destination, all while preserving product integrity.

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Yo A se to or ca Se be Li A

COURT-APPROVED LEGAL NOTICE COURT-APPROVED LEGAL NOTICE

If you purchased any Pork product directly from a Pork producer If you purchased any Pork product directly from a Pork producer

for use or delivery in the United States from January 1, 2009, through January 12, 2021, for use or delivery in the United States from January 1, 2009, through January 12, 2021, a class action settlement may affect your rights. a class action settlement may affect your rights.

Para una notificacion in español, llame gratis al 1-866-797-0864 Para una notificacion in español, llame gratis al 1-866-797-0864 o visite nuestro website www.PorkAntitrustLitigation.com. o visite nuestro website www.PorkAntitrustLitigation.com.

A settlement has been reached in a class action antitrust lawsuit filed on behalf of Direct Purchaser Plaintiffs with A settlement has been reached in a class action antitrust lawsuit filed on behalf of Direct Purchaser Plaintiffs with Defendants JBS USA Food Company, JBS USA Food Company Holdings, Swift Pork Company, and related or affiliated Defendants JBS USA Food Company, JBS USA Food Company Holdings, Swift Pork Company, and related or affiliated entities (“JBS” or “Settling Defendant”). This Court-ordered notice may affect your rights. Please review and follow the entities (“JBS” or “Settling Defendant”). This Court-ordered notice may affect your rights. Please review and follow the instructions carefully. instructions carefully.

The authorized this this notice. notice. Before Beforeany anymoney moneyisispaid, paid,the theCourt Court TheUnited UnitedStates StatesDistrict DistrictCourt Courtfor forthe theDistrict District of of Minnesota Minnesota authorized will hold a hearing to decide whether to approve the Settlement. will hold a hearing to decide whether to approve the Settlement.

WHO WHO IS IS INCLUDED? INCLUDED? For defined as as all all persons personswho whopurchased purchasedany anyPork Porkproducts products Forsettlement settlementpurposes, purposes,members membersof ofthe the Settlement Settlement Class Class are are defined directly their respective respective subsidiaries subsidiariesor oraffiliates affiliatesfor foruse useorordelivery delivery directlyfrom fromany anyof ofthe theDefendants Defendantsor orany any co-conspirator, co-conspirator, or or their ininthe until January January 12, 12, 2021.

2021. Specifically Specificallyexcluded excludedfrom fromthe the theUnited UnitedStates Statesfrom from at at least least as as early early as as January January 1, 1, 2009, 2009, until Settlement or employees employees of of any any Defendant; Defendant;any anyentity entityininwhich whichany any SettlementClass Classare arethe theDefendants; Defendants; the the officers, officers, directors, directors, or Defendant representative, heir, heir, or or assign assign of of any anyDefendant.

Defendant.Also Also Defendanthas hasaacontrolling controlling interest; interest; and and any any affiliate, affiliate, legal legal representative, excluded local governmental governmental entities, entities,any anyjudicial judicialofficer officerpresiding presiding excludedfrom fromthis thisSettlement SettlementClass Class are are any any federal, federal, state, state, or or local over and judicial judicial staff, staff, and andany anyjuror jurorassigned assignedtotothis thisaction. action.InIn overthis thisaction actionand andthe themembers membersof ofhis/her his/her immediate immediate family family and addition notice include includeClemens ClemensFood FoodGroup, Group,LLC, LLC,The TheClemens Clemens additiontotoJBS, JBS,the theDefendants Defendantsin inthis thislawsuit lawsuit for for purposes purposes of this notice Family Corporation, Seaboard Seaboard Foods FoodsLLC, LLC,Smithfield SmithfieldFoods, Foods, FamilyCorporation, Corporation,Hormel Hormel Foods Foods Corporation, Corporation, Indiana Indiana Packers Corporation, Inc., Inc., Tyson Tyson Fresh FreshMeats, Meats,Inc., Inc.,and andAgri AgriStats, Stats,Inc. Inc.(The (The Inc.,Triumph TriumphFoods, Foods,LLC, LLC,Tyson TysonFoods, Foods,Inc., Inc., Tyson Tyson Prepared Prepared Foods, Inc., Court prejudice, but but ifif you youpurchased purchasedPork Porkdirectly directlyfrom from Courtdismissed dismissedIndiana IndianaPackers PackersCorporation Corporation from from this lawsuit with prejudice, Indiana are aa member memberof ofthe theSettlement SettlementClass.)

Class.)

IndianaPackers Packersbetween betweenJanuary January1, 1,2009, 2009, and and January January 12, 2021, you are

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IfIf you information, including including aa detailed detailed notice, notice, atat you are are not not sure sure you you are are included, included, you you can get more information, www.PorkAntitrustLitigation.comor or by by calling calling toll-free toll-free 1-866-797-0864.

1-866-797-0864. www.PorkAntitrustLitigation.com

WHAT IS IS THIS LAWSUIT ABOUT? WHAT ABOUT?

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DirectPurchaser Purchaser Plaintiffs Plaintiffs allege allege that that Defendants Defendants and their co-conspirators Direct co-conspirators conspired conspired and and combined combinedtotofix, fix,raise, raise, maintain,and andstabilize stabilizethe theprice priceof ofPork, Pork,beginning beginning at at least as early as January maintain, January 1, 1,2009, 2009,with withthe theintent intentand andexpected expectedresult result increasingprices pricesof ofPork Porkin inthe theUnited United States, States, in in violation of federal ofofincreasing federal antitrust antitrust laws. laws.JBS JBSdenies deniesititdid didanything anythingwrong. wrong.

TheCourt Courtdid didnot notdecide decidewhich whichside side was was right, right, but but both sides agreed The agreed to to the the Settlement SettlementAgreement Agreementto toresolve resolvethe thecase case andget getbenefits benefitsto tothe theClass.

Class. The The case case is is still still proceeding proceeding on and on behalf behalf of of the the Direct Direct Purchaser PurchaserPlaintiffs Plaintiffsagainst againstother other Defendantswho whomay maybe besubject subjectto toseparate separate settlements, settlements, judgments, judgments, or Defendants or class class certification certificationorders. orders.

WHAT DOES DOES THE THE SETTLEMENT SETTLEMENT PROVIDE? WHAT PROVIDE?

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Underthe theterms termsofofthe theSettlement SettlementAgreement, Agreement, JBS JBS will will pay pay $24,500,000 $24,500,000 to Under to resolve resolveall allSettlement SettlementClass Classclaims claimsagainst againstititinin thislitigation litigationagainst againstJBS. JBS. In Inaddition addition to to this this monetary monetary benefit, benefit, JBS this JBS has has also also agreed agreed to toprovide providespecified specifiedcooperation cooperationinin theDirect DirectPurchaser Purchaser Plaintiffs’ Plaintiffs’ continued continued prosecution prosecution of of the the the litigation. litigation. Class Class Counsel Counsel are are not not seeking seekingtotorecover recover attorneys’fees feesand anddo donot notplan planfor fordistribution distribution of of settlement settlement proceeds attorneys’ proceeds to to the the Class ClassMembers Membersat atthis thistime, time,but butmay maydo dososo at a future date subject to further notice. at a future date subject to further notice.

WHAT ARE ARE YOUR YOUR RIGHTS RIGHTS AND WHAT AND OPTIONS? OPTIONS?

Birko Corp.

You do not need to take any action to remain a member of the Settlement Class and be bound by the Settlement You do not need to take any action to remain a member of the Settlement Class and be bound by the Settlement Agreement. As a Settlement Class Member, you may be able to participate in (or exclude yourself from) any future Agreement. As a Settlement Class Member, you may be able to participate in (or exclude yourself from) any future settlement or judgment obtained by Direct Purchaser Plaintiffs against other Defendants in the case. If you don’t want settlement or judgment obtained by Direct Purchaser Plaintiffs against other Defendants in the case. If you don’t want to be legally bound by the Settlement Agreement, you must exclude yourself by May 28, 2021, or you won’t be able to sue toorbecontinue legally bound the Agreement, you must exclude yourself byAgreement).

May 28, 2021, or you won’t yourself, be able toyou sue to sueby JBS forSettlement the Released Claims (as defined in the Settlement If you exclude orcan’t continue to sue JBS the for Settlement. the ReleasedIf Claims (asexclude definedyourself in the Settlement Agreement). youmay exclude yourself, you get money from you don’t from the Settlement Class,If you still object to the can’t get money from the If you exclude yourself from Settlement Class, mayDetails still object the Settlement Agreement bySettlement.

May 28, 2021.

Thedon’t detailed notice explains howthe to exclude yourself oryou object. mayto also Settlement Agreement Mayof 28, 2021.

The detailed notice explains howhold to exclude yourself object.

Details may also be found on the FAQsby page the Settlement website.

The Court will a hearing in thisorcase (In re Pork Antitrust be found on the No. FAQs page of the Settlement Court a hearing in this case (In the re Pork Antitrust Litigation, Case 0:18-cv-01776) on July 26,website.

2021, at The 11:00 a.m.,will to hold consider whether to approve Settlement Litigation, Case No. 0:18-cv-01776) onthe July 26, 2021, at 11:00 a.m.,to. to consider whether to approve the Settlement Agreement.

You may ask to speak at hearing, but you don’t have Agreement. You may ask to speak at the hearing, but you don’t have to.

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This notice is only a summary. You can find more details about the Settlement at This notice is only a summary. You can find details about the Settlement at www.PorkAntitrustLitigation.com or bymore calling toll-free 1-866-797-0864. www.PorkAntitrustLitigation.com or by calling toll-free 1-866-797-0864.

Please do not contact the Court.

Please do not contact the Court.

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SR: TRANSPORTATION continued

for

Birko Corp.

The definition of sanitary transportation now includes measures taken to preserve the integrity of the food, inhibit spoilage and growth of pathogenic organisms and meet FSMA regulations.

their destination, all while preserving product integrity.

Ramped up sanitation The driver shortage, along with the risk of exposure to COVID-19 to shippers, receivers and inspectors alike, has expanded the definition of “sanitary transportation.” Sanitary transportation usually refers to a set of conditions that optimize the protection of a food product during transport—the packaging, temperature requirements, truck design and steps for preventing cross contamination between raw and readyto-eat food products, or contamination by non-food products or allergens.

Now, the definition has expanded from measures taken to preserve the integrity of the food, inhibit spoilage and growth of pathogenic organisms and meet FSMA regulations. “Sanitary transport” in the era of COVID-19 includes these measures along with steps for reducing the risk of COVID-19 spread, including sanitizing the cab of the truck between drivers, remaining in the cab while picking up loads, wearing masks when interacting with others

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and more. In other words, drivers (and shippers and receivers) are now tasked with protecting both their health and the products they’re moving.

Changes in pickup, drop-off and inspections Beyond sanitation of the cab and truck, two of the biggest changes in sanitary transport of cold food items are in loading/unloading and inspections. In the past, drivers have been able to observe the loading and unloading of a product to ensure the right conditions for sanitary transport. Now, there has to be a greater level of trust that those conditions are being met as drivers are frequently required to remain in their cabs during loading and unloading.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), for example, has had to maintain a greater level of trust during the pandemic.

Rather than conducting spontaneous inspections, the FDA has implemented more pre-planned inspections to ensure the protection of its employees and coordinate with shippers and receivers to reduce risk of exposure to the virus.

It has also conducted virtual inspections

and focused more on auditing records and documentation than on-site inspections to reduce in-person interactions.

Ye ast cha nu are me Tra Ne

The Sanitary Transport Rule and why it matters even more now As vaccinations are more widely distributed and the pandemic eases, we can however expect the FDA to resume normal inspections, and there will be increased enforcement of FSMA regulations.

As implemented, FSMA’s Sanitary Transport Rule places the primary responsibility for sanitary transport on the shoulders of the shipper. Shippers are responsible for making sure the food product is packaged appropriately, ensuring the truck is in sanitary condition prior to loading, that the temperature of the load is correct and set to be maintained at the specified temperature. Carriers are responsible for maintaining that temperature (and often, cleaning the truck), and receivers are responsible for ensuring they have documentation verifying that all appropriate steps were taken.

The Sanitary Transport Rule helps establish a system in which a problem or food safety risk can be caught before it reaches retailers or the consumer.

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Birko Corp.

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industry, it’s going to become all the more important to learn the ins and outs of the rule and how to implement it—not just for passing inspections, but also for protecting the food chain.

Where do we go from here?

While the logistics industry has had to adapt as a result of the FSMA’s Sanitary Transport Rule places the primary responsibility COVID-19 pandemic, we for sanitary transport on the shoulders of the shipper. now have key insights Yet, with the pandemic presenting an about where we can improve, and the astronomical number of challenges and industry has shown its ability to rise to changes to the industry, it’s likely that a challenges never anticipated. number of food processors and shippers Moving forward, that ability to adapt are still in the process of learning how to and implement new processes is going to meet the requirements of the Sanitary be critical in ensuring sanitary transport, Transport Rule. As we begin to return to “a protecting the health of drivers and New Normal” or adjust to changes in the providing access to the vaccine.

Having the right systems in place, reviewing procedures, conducting employee trainings and creating efficiencies throughout the shipping and receiving process are starting points.

Addressing the driver shortage will still be a priority, but also making sure to plan ahead, have people available who are trained in using the right products and equipment to clean a truck, utilizing visual inspections and temperature-logging devices and ensuring documentation are all actions shippers and receivers can take immediately. We need to continue to make sanitary transport—in all of its definitions—a top priority. Our food chain— and our health—depends on it.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR ELIS OWENS director of technical services, Birko

A Fully-Connected Cold Chain

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In our latest webinar, Burris Logistics and Trinity Logistics discussed the intricacies in keeping your Cold Chain connected. This conversation centers around how Burris connects our well-known warehouses and dedicated fleet to Trinity’s freight brokerage expertise. Frozen and Refrigerated food requires special care, and our experts weigh in on how we help deliver quality food to American homes.

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Scan to watch the webinar or visit: burrislogistics.com/ cold-chain

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SECTOR REPORT

SOFTWARE & TECHNOLOGY

BY GIGI WOOD, STAFF WRITER

A

HOW

TRACK-AND-TRACE

CAPABILITIES

SOLVE FOOD LOGISTICS CHALLENGES

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With track-and-trace technology, products and shipments can be located throughout the shipping journey with real-time updates. The ability to find shipments became critically important in 2020, when the pandemic created unexpected delays and shipping interruptions.

“The purpose of track-and-trace software is to help improve reliability by giving shippers advance warning of delays,” says Thomas Bagge, CEO and statutory director of Digital Container Shipping Association (DCSA).

When it comes to food shipments, those kinds of delays can be catastrophic.

“Increasing reliability has a positive impact on business performance, as the timely arrival of goods, particularly perishable goods, is vital to maintaining quality and supply levels,” he says.

To reduce waste, manage product recall and trace shipments in general, visibility is necessary. The time for calls and emails to various vendors and shipping partners is over, says Ryan Camacho, director of Axele.

“The trend is moving away from constant check-calls toward using technology to provide visibility to the end customer is growing every day,” Camacho says. “The

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The rise of IoT

The IoT is an  Axele’s TMS connects to load boards, electronic logging devices, integral component market rates and accounting systems to automate mundane tasks and reduce deadheads. of track-and-trace technology. Not only such as the temperature in the container, does it help locate shipments, but it is also remotely. Shippers could receive warnings indispensable to quality control. about unsafe environmental conditions at “Using digital standards, integrated any point along the container journey via IoT technology can stream high-quality, a smartphone or any connected device. real-time data from connected devices, providing end-to-end visibility into both the The problem could then be diagnosed and mitigated via the same application. Being whereabouts of containers and the status able to provide this level of data to crossof their contents,” Bagge says. border authorities may also potentially Data generated by track-and-trace systems can be used in the decision-making reduce the number of inspections and resulting delay.” process throughout the supply chain, he The IoT plays an important role in says. logistics as the number of shipments and “Applications can use this data to warn deliveries increase, says Alistair Fulton, VP if certain thresholds are violated at any and general manager, wireless and sensing point along the container journey,” Bagge products group at Semtech. says. “Shippers would not only be able “Logistics companies are certainly to make informed, data-driven decisions experiencing a greater volume in shipments about the status of their shipments, [but] due to the number of people staying home they [also] would also have the power to and buying online,” Fulton says. “And, it’s adjust environmental and other controls,

Axele

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Improving shipment reliability

carrier has had the ability to see where his trucks are for quite some time, but being able to share that information on demand to the customer is growing in popularity.”

Axele

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A

fter a year of uncertainty and disarray, manufacturers, shippers and end customers are increasingly using advanced technology to improve predictability and consistency in food logistics. Players throughout the food supply chain are turning to artificial intelligence, Internet of Things (IoT), sensor improvements, telematics, GPS and a host of other options to increase visibility of shipments and communication with clients.

That shift to digitalization is only expected to escalate during the next decade.

One of the fastest-growing technology segments in food logistics is the use of track-and- trace technologies. Use of trackand-trace solutions is expected to grow by 10.5% through 2027, and is forecasted to become a $6.1 billion market, according to a Report Ocean analysis. The pace of adoption will quicken, experts say, as companies turn to digital solutions to track and trace shipments.

 With track-and-trace technology, products and shipments can be located throughout the shipping journey in real-time.

APRIL 2021 | FOOD LOGISTICS

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SR: SOFTWARE & TECHNOLOGY continued not just your regular clothes or toy purchase. People are relying on delivery services for their groceries, medications and bigger price-tag items. Installing long-range, lowpower consumption IoT sensors to track packages is an affordable way for logistics companies to cover their bases, from loading items into the truck to dropping a package off at someone’s doorstep.”

Axele

the obvious benefits of helping understand where your drivers, assets and loads are at all times,” Camacho says.

“In addition, it helps carriers see the big picture of what the workload and driver schedule look like, so they can better understand where opportunities exist to take on new deliveries and reduce outof-route miles.”

Track and trace in ELDs and telematics help trucking create accurate estimated times of arrival (ETA).

Effective track-and-trace strategies “Extending track-and-trace involve more than visibility, visibility to your customer especially in trucking, Camacho takes it to the next level and says. Axele’s transportation reduces the number of ‘where management system (TMS) is are you’ driver interruption designed for truckload carriers. calls, endless calls back and Axele connects to load boards, forth between the carrier and electronic logging devices (ELDs), customer, etc.,” he says. “With market rates and accounting  Track and trace allows users to identify route adaptations and today’s more advanced and systems to automate mundane opportunities. connected TMS solutions, tasks and reduce deadheads. the carrier has the ability to “Electronic logging devices and receive feeds from third-party telematics devices deliver GPSloading time, delays and more to provide ELD and telematics solutions, based tracking, but increasingly, we’re the most accurate ETAs. Just knowing plus the driver’s mobile app, to provide seeing solutions that also rely on location where the truck is does not accurately the most accurate ETAs possible, and tracking using mobile applications running predict when it will arrive.” share that same information back with the on the driver’s phone or tablet,” he says.

Not only can customers see where their customer via a live tracking link.”

“The best types of solutions are those that shipments are at all times, but track and factor in both types of technologies and trace also allows users to identify route also ‘see’ the driver’s adaptations and opportunities. schedule because “For carriers, track and trace has they consider

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Navigating a pandemic

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The effects of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic on logistics and shipping are many, including an increased demand for visibility.

“The COVID pandemic has increased the sense of urgency and commitment from ocean carriers and other industry stakeholders to collaborate on solutions that will increase visibility of transport services across the end-to-end supply chain,” Camacho says.

The standardization of data will help companies meet those needs going forward.

“This includes digitalizing shipping data for track-and-trace purposes. But, digitalization alone isn’t enough,” Bagge says. “Creating end-to-end visibility requires a common data language and framework for processes and applications that allows high-quality data to be communicated in a way that is understandable and useable for everyone.

For track and trace to provide its intended

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benefits to all stakeholders, digital standards must be in place to enable the interoperability that will allow any trackand-trace solution to offer end-to-end visibility.”

Once standardized data becomes available, carriers would need to provide a standard application programming interface (API) for users to access the data, Bagge says.

“The quality, consistency and interoperability of data across carriers is crucial to delivering useful information on, for example, the arrival time of cargo at port or changes to the temperature of the goods shipped,” he says. “If a smart reefer container from a carrier is loaded onto a ship of another carrier, it will not be able to communicate with the systems on the ship if the carriers do not have a standardized approach for data exchange.”

And, the reliance on digital tools will only increase as the technology improves.

“In some cases, the technologies that were rushed to market to accommodate

the pandemic will get refined as the carriers who are benefiting from them come to rely on them as a way of doing business,” says Camacho.

The pandemic triggered an accelerated pace of digital transformation throughout the industry. But, the need for digitization will continue.

“We expect, over the coming five years, logistics providers that fast-track their track-and-trace digitalization efforts based on industry standards will gain significant competitive advantage over the digital laggards, similar to what’s happened in retail and other industries in their journeys to digitalization,” Bagge says. “By adopting standards, these companies will futureproof their platforms, enabling them to free up resources currently spent on maintaining legacy solutions to invest in innovation. This, in turn, will enable them to offer better cargo visibility, real-time responsiveness, and as a result, greater reliability and a better customer experience.”

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A partnership of trust At Syfan, our commitment to shippers remains steadfast and true. The demands of COVID have created a shortage of carriers and tight capacity that have strained partnerships with some shippers – but not Syfan Logistics. Throughout the challenges of the past year, Syfan has not wavered from standing by its customers and continuing to provide drama-free service.

Because when we make a promise, we deliver.

SyfanLogistics.com | Gainesville, GA | 855.287.8485 | 770.287.8485

www.foodlogistics.com

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SECTOR REPORT

SOFTWARE & TECHNOLOGY

ORCHESTRATING

SUCCESS

THROUGH COLD CHAIN MONITORING TECHNOLOGY ADVANCEMENTS

I

n collaborating with thought leaders throughout the foodservice and logistics industries, a paradox emerged, giving us pause. Collectively, the world produces enough food to feed the entire planet one and a half times over. Yet somehow, despite this excess, hunger still exists and our global food distribution network proves to be inefficient. This is perhaps the greatest motivator for more efficient and interconnected supply chains.

These solemn facts do not deter, but instead encourage the foodservice industry to collaborate and utilize “SMART” technology (self-monitoring, analysis and reporting technology) to break down the barriers to safely feed the planet.

Synchronizing the supply chain to fine-tune solutions A few years ago, Golden State Foods (GSF) adopted the mantra, “Think Big...

Start Small,” which led to GSF taking bold steps in its digital supply chain journey.

We converged emerging technologies like Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence

(AI) to maximize potential. By leveraging a data-rich environment, we created meaningful connections with suppliers, service providers and customers, and enabled the visibility of near real-time product movement, building trust in every transaction.

Trust was built because transactions were captured and validated digitally, eliminating human intervention and the potential for error. We quickly compiled a backlog of additional use cases resulting from ideating with our supply chain partners.

The melody from a single violin is unique, but when you combine it with other sounds from an orchestra, the result is a symphony.

The violin’s melody is still audible, but it’s also synchronized with every other instrument. This delivers a sound that is far richer than a single violin could ever produce. This is analogous to what you can create Technology brings together new entities within the supply chain and enables them to listen and connect seamlessly.

when collaborators from across the supply chain come together and work off of the same sheet of music. Common goals promote a harmonious environment, while collaborating to monitor food and get it to where it is needed, at the right time and in the right quantity.

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Orchestrating success beyond traditional reach Digital technology advancements allow businesses to transcend beyond a brickand-mortar mentality and potentially create new operating models that connect every player regardless of their size and geography. In the future, businesses will continue to evolve their operating models into digitally connected business networks whose collaboration creates shared value.

The rapid advancement and accessibility of IoT solutions allows monitoring systems to act as accelerators. Companies are employing these

Golden State Foods

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technologies to be increasingly attuned to their customers’ preferences, while reaping the benefits of increasing yield, extending product shelf life and optimizing resources.

Fine-tuning and harmonizing solutions that also supports sustainability leads to greater growth and stability.

As GSF advanced on its journey to track, trace and monitor product freshness along its supply chain, it unmasked the benefits of utilizing IoT and monitoring devices to reduce process variability and ensure product freshness from the manufacturer to the kitchen table.

Monitoring temperature throughout the supply chain ensures product quality, effectively eliminating manual check points as product changes custody. Unintended inventory management benefits from tracking the product movement included increased visibility into shelf-life optimization, agility to pivot in response to consumer demand and improve effectiveness of production schedules, thus providing an opportunity to prevent waste in near real-time.

The sound of sustainability Throughout the global food supply chain, the primary vision is to fine-tune the performance of every player to create a circular economy where everyone wins at reducing waste and optimizing resources.

Making the in-demand amount of product, turning the inventory over faster and shipping it to the correct in-need location reduces the use of energy and power, thereby supporting sustainability.

The power of this circular economy view is that we can avoid over-production, thereby reducing our carbon footprint and excess consumption of resources such as energy, water and materials.

Technology is bringing together new entities within the supply chain and enabling them to listen and connect seamlessly, so they can fully participate in an orchestra conducted by a digitally savvy consumer. Companies that prefer to work alone or to be siloed create new tunes that only increase the static in the world.

However, if we leverage SMART technology to connect and synchronize, we can make

music out of the noise. Only then can we build strength in our interconnectedness to reach the masses and serve an even greater purpose, providing sustainable supply chains to those who need them most.

When you think of SMART technology, think of an orchestra and a conductor.

Technology is the instrument played by the many diverse, talented players in an ecosystem and conducted by the end consumer’s purchasing behavior.

Using advanced monitoring technology to fine-tune efficiencies in production and match consumption trends will accelerate efforts to create more sustainable food systems and life-saving distribution networks.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR GUILDA JAVAHERI chief technology officer, Golden State Foods.

FES believes that food safety is not just about public health - it is also a good business investment. There is growing consumer demand for safe and nutritious foods globally. Food businesses throughout emerging economies are adapting to meet this demand, creating fertile market opportunities for cold chain logistics companies and investors.

With decades of experience in food supply chain logistics in Africa, Asia and Latin America - FES offers expertise and services for operating effectively and profitably in this space. By adopting food safety practices and technologies, businesses can: • • •

Expand market access Improve product appeal Increase efficiency

Contact FES President, Russ Webster, to learn more.

Partner with FES to expand your presence in emerging markets.

Food Enterprise Solutions, LLC • www.foodsolutions.global • Russ.Webster@foodsolutions.global

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SECTOR REPORT

PACKAGING

BY BRIELLE JAEKEL, ASSOCIATE EDITOR

FOOD LABELING NEEDS

TECHNOLOGY TO DRIVE

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SIMPLICITY Labels and technology go hand-in-hand

labeling itself today? According to Jay Johnson, senior manager of Labelmaster Services at Labelmaster, simplicity is one of the top themes in food labeling.

“The trend right now is simplicity and using labels that don’t require lots of training to explain the urgency of maintaining the correct conditions for a product to stay viable,” he says. “Previous attempts at labeling such as the IATA ‘time and temperature sensitive’ label left workers confused as to how they were supposed to handle boxes. Does the label indicate that the inside needs to me kept as 2-8° or does the entire package need to be kept at 2-8°?”

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ood packaging labeling is an important part of the cold chain.

There are not only labels that help consumers decide what products to buy, what ingredients are inside and how to store the product, but labeling is also an important part of the food handling process. Everyone involved in the process of handling that food product must know how to store it along with other necessary information.

Throughout the tumultuous year of 2020, many trends shifted, yet labeling remained an important part of the process.

In a recent expert column on FoodLogistics. com, Ken Moir, VP of marketing at NiceLabel, said “2020 was a wild year for food manufacturers and supply chains worldwide, and at the epicenter of many of this year’s challenges was one unassuming yet vital element to streamlining operations and ensuring success—the label.”

But, what trends are happening with

Consumers are becoming more concerned with their foods’ labeling.

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To help drive simplicity and user-friendly experiences, label and packaging companies turn to technology.

“Within the cold chain, companies are increasingly using devices to track shipments and monitor time and temperature,” adds Johnson. “Chemical strip indicators have become increasingly popular because they are simple to use, inexpensive and do not use hazardous materials (such as lithium batteries), which may require additional packaging and labeling.”

These growing trends and reliance on technology became more impactful throughout the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the global cold chain, and for some organizations, brought a new set of challenges,” says Johnson. “For example, businesses that have gotten into home delivery due to the pandemic are now having to navigate the challenges associated with last-mile delivery of food (and other goods) to residences from stores and distribution sites that normally do not ship temperature-controlled items.

Delivering perishable materials that are out of their original packaging and control can bring a myriad of problems.

“Your local grocery store is offering to deliver your ice cream to your door, but do they have all the packaging, staff and plans

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to keep it frozen or will it show up melted,” he continues. “Now take the same scenario and apply it to your local pharmacy with life-saving drugs that must be kept within a certain range. Will they still work if not maintained?”

Moir explains that other technology in addition to tracking and chemical strips helps the cold chain navigate the “New Normal” and beyond. Integrating solutions such as centralized label management systems help interact with a wide range of technology devices and platforms in addition to handling numerous functions. Label

management systems will grow and help companies tap into data at a greater level, getting as specific as determining how well printers are performing.

Other technological trends include cloud migrations for better remote and multilocation access, vision inspection tech for quality assurance and other technology that allows for a socially distant work environment that keeps the cold chain safe.

Additionally, regulation becomes a significant part of the labeling process, as food labels are under strict scrutinity from the FDA. The organization requires all prepared foods, such as breads, cereals, canned and frozen foods,

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Clean labels are in demand.

snacks, desserts, drinks, etc. to be labeled, while fresh produce is optional. Throughout the year, the FDA will often make coninual updates as new information becomes available and new trends take hold.

However, the FDA offers a compliance date often years in advanced to give manufacturers time to change labels to comply with the new regulations.

Consumers themselves have become scrupilous when it comes to food labeling, as wellness is top of mind. This mindset reinforces the simplicity factor, as the clean label often evokes trustworthiness.

In addition to clean eating and general wellness, allergies add a heightened layer of importance to food labeling and regulation.

With consumers seeking food from closer sources with cleaner labeling, grwoth in the reefer transportation segment, the need for greater handling instructions and continually changing regulations, the food labeling industry will be in constant flux as so many other sectors in the cold chain.

Throughout the rest of the COVID-19 pandemic, this industry will continue to shift.

@ FelizDiseno-adobestock.com

www.foodlogistics.com

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SECTOR REPORT

FOOD SAFETY

ALL EYES ON THE

FINISHED PRODUCT

F

ebruary marked the 30th Anniversary of the start of the ground campaign for Operation Desert Storm.

While a Gulf War milestone may not seem directly connected to the food processing and logistics industry, it did bring me back to when I was a 19-year-old Veterinary Food Inspector (91R) in the Army during the Gulf War. The early 1990s was an amazing period of time, with the world on the cusp of a new era in technology. In the Army, we were just getting into the digital age, using highspeed (2,400 baud) modems. We could place an order “online” and it would show up at its destination, hopefully meeting specification.

With more than 30,000 soldiers in the system, the daily feeding supply line was tenuous at best. I was the last inspection point prior to troops eating. We received rations from logistics bases (later in the deployment) or the port, who received them by ship, or in rare cases, air transport.

The “technology” at my disposal was a dial thermometer, a wrench to calibrate, two inspection stamps and a notebook.

Yet, the process was anything but simple.

The Department of Defense via Army Food Inspectors performed inspections at each step in the process on the home front or required proof of inspections.

We were still using World War II/Cold War-era strategies and executing against those guidelines. We believed it was better to stop something defective while it was still on U.S. soil before going through the trouble of shipping it to Saudi Arabia.

Fast-forward to the present civilian food supply chain. The concepts behind the movement of food to market, in its basic form, hasn’t changed. Nor has the concept of production of food products.

What has changed though is the science and technology, from the variety of ways companies can monitor in the field to electronic vision inspection, x-ray, automated probes, etc. The amount of data

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All members of the food supply chain must become more proactive in understanding how their supply chain works.

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that can be pulled together about a product at any point in the supply chain today is pretty amazing, yet overwhelming.

Food processors and logistics providers have the ability to track product from ingredient to end user. On the meat industry side, they can track every cow from the time it was born to the steak on the plate. The real question though is, are companies really taking advantage of food safety technology?

In most cases, the answer is “sort of.” You can ask a supplier about the safety of its raw materials, and that supplier will often provide documentation or mention its “program,” “HACCP” or how they processed it, etc. But, does the supplier really know?

Again, the real answer is often, no, they do not know. Most will say the audit assures food safety. But, the trouble with audits are that they occur semi-annually at best. What happens when the auditor isn’t there? The auditors don’t follow every shipment; they only check a statistical percentage.

The thing is, even with all the technology available, you have to include the tried-andtrue inspection methods of the past. You must have eyes on the entire process. In the Army, 30 years ago, we fed over 1 million men and women with very few issues concerning food safety. Since those days, we have discovered that even if we inspect product every step of the way, bad product still gets through, and even if we audit companies on a routine basis, we often get the same negative result. Imagine if there were no eyes on the product.

Do you know your farmer, your preprocessor, etc.? While it sounds kitschy to some and maybe preposterous to others, having this relationship and knowledge assures your products are safe. You don’t have to spend enormous amounts on audits, nor your limited human resources on second-party reviews. Each of those

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DELIVERING YOUR FACILITY SAFE, CLEAN, AND AUDIT-READY

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We understand that warehouse and distribution centers face special cleaning needs. We manage everything related to the sanitation process, including scheduling, verifying non-daily cleaning tasks, and audit preparation. This allows your team to place their primary focus on your customers and brand.

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PSSI™ and the PSSI logo are trademarks of PACKERS SANITATION SERVICES, INC., LTD. All rights reserved.

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BE HONORED FOR YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS! Each year, Food Logistics showcases individual and corporate leaders in the food and beverage industry. Plan now to enter your company — or a cutting-edge client or vendor — in one of these industry-leading recognition programs:

ROCKSTARS OF THE SUPPLY CHAIN

2022

2021 TOP PROVIDERS

ROCK STARS OF THE SUPPLY CHAIN

TOP GREEN PROVIDERS

Recognizes influential individuals in the industry whose achievements, hard work and vision have shaped the global cold food supply chain.

Recognizes companies whose products, services or exemplary leadership enhances sustainability within the cold food and beverage industry.

Nomination deadline: Closed, enter next year!

Winners announced in March 2022 issue

Nomination deadline: Closed, enter next year!

Winners announced in June 2021 issue

ste en rec get U mu “un ha T Ap an cha on the the rea usi sup to T no com an in a T

TOP TOP 3PL & COLD STORAGE PROVIDERS

TOP SOFTWARE & TECHNOLOGY PROVIDERS

Recognizes leading third-party logistics and cold storage providers in the cold food and beverage industry.

Honors software and technology providers that ensure a safe, efficient and reliable global cold food and beverage supply chain.

Nomination deadline: May 21, 2021 Winners announced in August 2021 issue

Nomination deadline: September 24, 2021 Winners announced in November/December 2021 issue

ONLINE NOMINATIONS OPEN APPROXIMATELY TWELVE WEEKS BEFORE THE DEADLINES LISTED ABOVE. AWARD RESULTS, INFORMATION AND NOMINATIONS POSTED ON:

FOODLOGISTICS.COM/AWARDS Global Supply Chain Solutions for the Food and Beverage Industry

Nomination dates and issues may change. Consult the call-for-entries email and nomination survey for confirmation

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steps in the current chain collect more than enough data to verify safety of the products received. The key is creating secure ways to get access to that data.

Unfortunately, there appears to be too much emphasis nowadays on what happens “under my roof,” and not enough on what is happening beyond the walls.

Take, for example, certificates of analysis.

A product is harvested, tests are performed and the results go up one step of the food chain at best. They simply don’t get passed on from there. If your suppliers only send their own test results, do you really have the entire picture? How can you tell what is really going on with the raw material you’re using if you have 5-6 of the steps in the supply chain vs. all the steps from beginning to end?

Technology is great, but there is no standard for how these machines communicate with each other, link together and provide all information to the end user in a secure manner.

Thirty years ago, communication is what

made the Army’s supply chain work. If there was an issue, I sent it via the Division to the Corps to Theatre Army HQ, who then sent an answer via reversed chain in a day (depending on how important it was). That gave me the ability to recommend feeding or bypass the product in an efficient manner. I had 30,000 other soldiers counting on me, and we got it right.

Can you get answers to your questions in a day? Would you know if someone changed a process several steps back on the chain, materially affecting the product?

Cold food processors need this oldschool approach of knowing about each step, but still use modern-day technology to help resolve the challenges of receiving and analyzing that information.

The “eyes-on” approach will allow you, during quiet times, to achieve a forwarddeployed mode in the supply chain.

Then, when a major supply chain disruption happens, such as the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), a trade war or any other disruption to the chain,

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you will be ready to power up the supply line.

Leveraging technology helps you and your company prepare for both. But, you must know and understand the entire supply chain to make that work.

All members of the food supply chain must become more proactive in these efforts. That doesn’t mean giving up trade secrets; it means setting standards that are universal and applying them to the new technology available today.

All this wrapped up in the ability to rapidly see product data both upstream and downstream allows all links in the supply chain to have eyes on the finished product.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR ANDREW LORENZ president We R Food Safety!

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