First Expired, First Out Prioritized Inventory by TraceGains Impacts Perishable Shrink

Released on: October 2, 2008, 6:00 am

Press Release Author: Thomas R. Cutler

Industry: Software

Press Release Summary: First Expired, First Out Prioritized Inventory by TraceGains
Impacts Perishable Shrink

Press Release Body: Perishable shrink costs retailers a tremendous amount of money.
Vulnerable items such as meat, dairy, fruit, vegetables, and flowers can expire
prematurely due to incorrect temperature handling in the supply chain.
Transportation and interim storage at the distribution center all affect the final
quality of the saleable product. Consumers are quick to judge based on appearance
and remember when a product does not meet their expectations.

Gary Nowacki, CEO of TraceGains, suggested, “There are technology solutions
available to overcoming the high cost of perishable shrink and they must prioritize
inventory and shipments based on FEFO: First Expired, First Out.” The FEFO concept
is based on the following core ideas:

1) Temperature control must be monitored.
2) Temperature varies greatly inside a storage room, container or truck.
3) Even slight temperature variation affects the remaining shelf life of produce and
temperature exposure has a cumulative effect.
4) Identifying the temperature exposure of individual pallets or cases of produce
allows prioritization on the basis of remaining shelf life, instead of simple
transit and storage times.


To determine how different temperatures cumulatively affect the remaining life of
the product, one must measure the exact temperature accumulations in small
granularity within each area of the truck or storage facility in conjunction with
shelf-life modeling. Solutions must automatically calculate expiration dates of
perishables when received at the dock as well as document trip-level temperature
data at item, carton or pallet for a more successful conflict and dispute
resolution.

Assuring freshness for the entire refrigerated food supply chain requires much more
than just a cold chain and cold storage solution. A complete end-to-end temperature
traceability is needed for all temperature-sensitive products as well as predicting
the remaining shelf-life when products arrive. Traceability programs must be
converted from a cost-center to a profit center by using appropriate data collection
devices to tie logistical information with temperature data collected at regular
intervals throughout transportation and storage on the item, carton or pallet level
across any part of the supply chain.
TraceGains, Inc. (www.TraceGains.com) was founded in 1998 with a 100% focus on
Positively Assured Traceability™. The company has a patented delivery system—14
patents granted and growing—and also is an authorized Issuer of United States
Department of Agriculture Process Verification Program (PVP) Label.
By providing real-time, bi-directional Positively Assured Traceability for food,
beverage, and CPG supply chains, TraceGains reduces risks to the corporation and its
executives, who may become personally liable in case of a recall, if unable to
comply with the FDA’s 24-hour traceability requirement.
TraceGains is not just about reducing risk; these unique technology solutions help
companies turn disparate data into actionable business and value chain intelligence;
it turns traceability from a cost center into a profit center. TraceGains customers
typically experience a better than 300% return on investment (ROI), and an average
profitability increase between 3-5%. Independent, peer-reviewed university studies
confirm these findings.
Only TraceGains provides bi-directional unit-level (item, carton, pallet) Positively
Assured Traceability to consolidate multiple legacy data sources and reduce
corporate recall risk, while simultaneously providing the tools to boost
profitability and cost-effectively improve operational excellence.

TraceGains Inc.
www.tracegains.com
Marc Simony, Director of Marketing
traceability@tracegains.com
(303)682-9898


Web Site: http://www.tracegains.com

Contact Details: TraceGains Inc.
1860 Lefthand Circle, Suite G
Longmont, CO 80501
(303)682-9898

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