Moving Fresh Produce Quickly Through the Supply Chain

Supply chain management when distributing fresh produce

A scientific supply chain management most likely contributes to the success of the produce industry. From planting the most ideal varieties to harvesting the fresh produce at its peak of ripeness, to packing them in custom-made storage for preserved shelf life and even to transporting the fresh goods thousands of miles – everything should be well choreographed or planned. But of course, a careful and detailedsupply chain management distributing goods communication and coordination among shippers, growers, and produce retailers should also be on the list.

And while better supply chain management contributes to the success of many different industries in the UK, fresh produce supply chain is diverse and very challenging. Take into consideration the fresh produce’s limited shelf life. Moving fresh produce quickly through the supply chain and on-time is highly important as any delay can result in spoilage and lost revenue.

 The logistics of distributing your goods

Another factor to consider is the distance of travel. It’s common knowledge that not all nearby rural towns produce fruits, vegetables, dairy products, and other necessities that can cope with the demand. Some fresh producers may take days to deliver the goods to the market.freight forwarding for your goods

Being aware that the fresh produce industry has a product with an extremely short shelf life and finding means to keeping it fresh within four hours from the time they were harvested, is a must. The logistics of delivering the produce on time is highly needed. And for that reason, some suppliers outsource carriers to get the fresh produce to the retailers fast, so that they have the time to market the product and sell it to the consumers. Factoring the traveled miles and the freshness will give you very little margin for error but this is one great way not to lose potential revenues.

However, the list changes and strategies also improve as time goes on and retail produce executives consider system wide issues that are most important. So far, the five major issues of importance to retailers include quality specification, cold chain maintenance, food safety, inventory turns, and maintenance of margins.

These five major concerns make the responsibility for many functions appear within the supply chain. It is entirely being shifted upstream as retailers are asking growers or shippers to share responsibility for more tasks than ever before.

This calls for developing documented standard operating procedures. When carriers or logistics companies know the basic rules at the warehouse storage facility, it lessens detention charges, slip-ups in handling rejected freight, and loading and unloading fees.

Also, it is ideal to go with a warehousing and distribution company that you can rely on when moving fresh produce since ensuring the smooth running of this area of the supply chain is vital to guarantee timed deliveries and that the goods are stored correctly.

Above all, coming up with faster distribution of fresh produce through well planned supply chain management is the first step but tracing it back shouldn’t be disregarded. After all, the last thing every grower or shipper wants to face is the recall. This means, preparing in advance with the technology to promptly trace the product back to the farm, and even the lot, saves time, effort, and money.

photo by:


Comments Closed

Comments are closed.

Copyright © Which Warehouse Blog