Reducing risk from source to shelf is easier than you think.
“Eat your vegetables!” It’s a familiar phrase in households everywhere as well-meaning parents agonize over how to get their families to eat healthy. Struggling to get kids to consume vegetables is one battle. Getting quality vegetables from source to shelf without compromising quality is another.
Perishables by nature have a limited window of opportunity. Therefore, running a supply chain is much more complex when you’re talking about fresh produce. Profit margins are razor thin. Food safety and regulations are mounting issues. And the amount of waste in fresh food supply chains can be massive.
Sounds like getting vegetables from source to shelf is an insurmountable challenge, doesn’t it? In fact, when done right, it’s easier than you might think. For farmers, growers, distributors and food retailers looking to get quality vegetables to market, use this checklist to ensure a successful journey through the food supply chain:
- Ensure accountability every step of the way.
For food growers, harvest begins in late June and ends in the middle of October. Make sure to track the progress of vegetables through the supply chain – from harvesting, processing and packaging to transporting them from source to shelf. - Make sure facilities meet or exceed food-handling standards:
Typically, vegetables are harvested and then transported to a packaging facility where they’re cleaned, graded and sorted, blanched in hot water, quick-frozen and stored. Whether you’re packaging products yourself or outsourcing to a trusted partner, make sure the facility meets or exceeds food-handling standards set forth by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other regulatory bodies. - Make safety part of the process:
After freezing and storage, vegetables are packaged using high-speed equipment to bag or blend them into meals. Packages come in all shapes and sizes, including bags and cartons, ranging from small (three ounces) to large (five pounds). Packaged products are palletized manually or using robots and stretch-wrapped for shipment. To meet safety standards, have safety specialists present and completing inspections at every stage prior to shipment. This includes a facility with SQF Certification Level 2 or 3. - Line up the right cold-storage/refrigerated transportation:
Given the stringent requirements of recent Food Safety Modernization legislation, transportation plays a critical role in safely getting vegetables to market. Foods should be delivered on time, in temperature-controlled trucks to avoid spoilage. - Choose the right transportation/logistics partner(s):
Don’t have the resources in-house to process, package, warehouse and transport chilled quality vegetables to grocery and food distributor warehouses? When evaluating potential supply chain partners, be astute. Choose one with experience in manufacturing, packaging, and moving perishable products. And preferably look for a partner with safety specialists on staff and a fleet of refrigerated vehicles maintained by certified refrigeration technicians.
Dwight Sevaldson is Director of Business Development for Ryder System, Inc. In his current role, Dwight is responsible for helping food manufacturers find ways to optimize their contract packing and supply chain operations. Dwight brings over 30 years of experience in the food manufacturing space. Prior to Ryder, Dwight worked in a variety of plant management and corporate roles while with Quaker Oats. After Quaker, Dwight held a variety of contract manufacturing management roles at General Mills, Wrigley Gum, Coca-Cola, Minute Maid and Quaker/Gatorade.