The world of business has been evolving since the various digital solutions and platforms crop up at every turn. Any company that wishes for success in the next decade has to continue implementing digitization efforts within the business for remaining effective, focused, and relevant.
The complexity of the food supply chain is indicative of traceability continuing to be a significant factor in the industry. Today, food manufacturers and processors are feeling increased pressure to ensure the successful tracing of their products for food safety and quality. But the most critical point is what should most decision-makers in the food and beverage industry prioritize first.
What Is Food Traceability Software
There are numerous solutions that can guarantee food safety and the most vital of them is traceability. Food traceability software refers to the system module that allows tracking of ingredients within the supply chain. With the right software for food traceability, a business can have a holistic overview of the source of raw materials, the products in which raw materials are used, and most importantly, the process in which raw materials are processed within the production process.
In simpler words, a software for food traceability is a well-crafted inventory management system that makes it possible for tracking as well as tracing how various ingredients work in the supply chain. In many companies, the job of tracking and tracing the raw materials and conducting quality inspections is still done manually using paper and spreadsheets.
Manual processing can fast become a time and labor-intensive affair while increasing the chances of errors for the manufacturers. After all, any gaps in the whole process may lead to devastating consequences for the business.
How Can Food Traceability Software Help Your Food Business
Traceability is becoming increasingly crucial for meeting industry standards and ensuring that the consumers’ trust level can be kept up. In recent times, food health issues and sub-standard ingredient sourcing have remained at the top of public consciousness.
To become a trusted manufacturer, you must always be aware of where your products are coming from, how they are processed, and where they are reaching. There are numerous benefits of having food traceability apps and some of the most significant ones are discussed here:
Improved Efficiency
With an intuitive traceability system, your business will always have efficiency through fast identification and spot resolving of various food safety issues before they crop into critical problems. But an electric solution will be able to go deeper into the problem. Besides bringing down the time for recording as well as reporting traceability information, the information gained on the supply chain process will help a food manufacturing business to streamline the procedure and spot the areas for cost reduction.
Compliance With Regulatory Requirements
The regulatory authorities at various places apply their respective sets of food safety standards to the different stakeholders working in the national markets. Every country comes with its regulations but most of them have the minimum requirements for tracing. Therefore, having a reliable traceability system ensures that businesses can access the desired international markets as well.
Decreased Risks
To reduce the overall effect and losses incurred in the production process, it’s very important to access critical data fast and efficiently in cases of a product recall. This will not only bring down the risks to public health when there is any unforeseen contamination but also decrease the chances of litigation and expensive manufacturing shutdowns.
All these can be the worst imagined scenario for food manufacturers. Besides, traceability may also help in solving daily problems like disputes with consumers and suppliers by helping everyone on board to access up-to-date and detailed supply-chain data. Moreover, when a company is able to showcase that it is endowed with an outstanding traceability system, it can also plunge manufacturing insurance premiums owing to the mitigation of risk factors.
Reduced Costs With Lesser Waste
Traceability software can help in assisting the food business with inventory management. With this data, it’s possible to have inventory visibility across the business which includes locations, stocks, and even freshness. The manufacturing unit can curtail waste management and lessen shrinkage. This will also make space for more efficient use of the resources for production. Since inventory can make up to 50 percent of the manufacturer’s capital, the prospects for savings in efficiency are massive.
Also, reporting and analytics are critical in making decision-making easier for all parts of business operations. Financial management is a critical aspect of any business, particularly food since profits are based on how precise and efficient the systems are. Having a proficient solution that can offer accounting reports such as accounts receivable, accounts payable, fixed asset management, tax, and risk management are some of the most sought-after features.
Build Customer Trust and Company Reputation
For food manufacturers, transparency is more critical than other aspects. Apart from essential data such as the use of additives and advice pertaining to allergies, today’s consumers now wish to know where the ingredients are sourced from, the quality of the ingredients, and whether they are sourced ethically. The information obtained from tracing will aid the business in making informed decisions about the various stakeholders. Also, the business can feed this data back to the consumers and this, in turn, can help in constructing the brand reputation.
Takeaway
It is particularly significant to be equipped with a food traceability system to ensure food safety, and since the problem can take place at any point in the supply chain. It can have devastating outcomes for the manufacturers. Therefore, the traceability of food products from the beginning of the supply chain back to the consumers is highly important.
Regardless of whether a business is equipped with traceability software or not, the ultimate goal of a food business doesn’t change according to the situation. Every unit requires to deliver top-notch and safe products every single time. The chances are quite high, especially when modern customers have updates every minute. In this scenario, it is obvious that having a food traceability solution is the most viable solution.
