55 food service companies work with GS1 to improve supply chain management
09 October, 2009
category: RFID
55 food service manufacturers, distributors and operators have launched the Food Service GS1 US Standards Initiative, adopting a common time line for voluntary implementation of GS1 Global standards for item tracking across their supply chains.
GS1 US, a non-profit organization that sets standards in supply management, hopes that by getting the major players in the food industry to adopt bar codes or EPC Gen II RFID in their supply chain management systems, waste in the food service supply chain will be eliminated, product information to customers will be more readily available, and food safety and traceability will be improved.
So far the initiative has the support of 55 major food corporations, including Heinz North America, PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, Hormel Foods, Kellogg Co., Kraft, Land O’Lakes, Sara Lee, Tyson Foods Inc., General Mills Inc. and Nestlé Professional, among others.
The Initiative is striving for 75 percent adoption of GS1 standards throughout the food service industry, measured in terms of revenue, by 2015, and is endorsed by the International Food Service Manufacturers Association (IFMA), the International Food Service Distributors Association (IFDA), the National Restaurant Association, and GS1 Canada Food Service.
Trading partners choosing to adopt and implement GS1 standards will access standard product information through the GS1 Global Data Synchronization Network (GDSN), an open platform that ensures continuous real-time exchange of consistent, accurate product information among supply chain partners.