ReposiTrak, operating the world’s largest food supply chain network of nearly 30,000 suppliers, is now providing its Repositrak Traceability Network service to a 300-store retail grocery chain in the U.S. Midwest. The use of ReposiTrak’s Traceability Netweork supports the major retailer in its three-step approach toward compliance with the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) Traceability Final Rule under Section 204 of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).

The first step of the approach creates end-to-end traceability for the retailer’s commissary business by completing the connection from commissary suppliers through to the retail stores. The second step brings the same structured process to distribution centers, and the third and final step connects its Direct Store Delivery (DSD) vendors at the store-level. Other retailers are expected to follow the same approach to make full, end-to-end food traceability an integral part of everyday operations.

The Traceability Final Rule requires companies that manufacture, process, pack, or hold foods on the Food Traceability List (FTL) to establish and maintain Key Data Element (KDE) records for specific Critical Tracking Events (CTEs) in a product’s journey through the supply chain. As that product changes hands or form, a compounding string of data must be transferred between trading partners to provide full, end-to-end traceability. For a retailer or wholesaler, that means potentially additional labor at the distribution center, commissary, and retail store levels.

Every food retailer in the country will need to change the way they manage shipments and delivery records within their supply chain. Although the impact on any given retailer is millions of additional records and touches, the ReposiTrak Traceability Network offers the flexibility to take on traceability one step at a time. ReposiTrak has structured the plan to be extraordinarily low cost and simple to adopt.

The ReposiTrak Traceability Network is the only solution that is scalable for the total food supply chain, without the need for new hardware, software, or labeling systems. It is built upon the largest, already-connected network of more than 110,000 individual supplier facilities, making the onboarding process fast and easy for retailers.

In addition, ReposiTrak’s team of experts is prepared to personally connect with retailers to understand each company’s unique challenges and determine the best approach. Suppliers can connect to an unlimited number of trading partners and begin sharing data for a low, flat fee, at no cost to retailers. Food supply chain operators interested in the ReposiTrak Traceability Network should contact representative Derek Hannum at DHannum@repositrak.com.

ReposiTrak: www.repositrak.com