<p>Demand is increasing for FoodLink’s produce traceability solutions – the company has recently signed on a number of new customers including, Hirakata Farms, Pandol Associates Marketing and Roberson Onion Company.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>More in depth information is now required by retail grocers about the origin and history of the produce they sell and FoodLink offers a solution to these needs. The company combines advanced case and item-level tracking with a broad commerce network of buyers and sellers transacting over the FoodLink network, enabling faster and more cost effective information about where food is grown and packed all the way through the complete supply chain of shipping, purchasing and receiving by retail category managers and ultimately bringing full visibility to consumers.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p> “We have seen a large increase in demand for the FoodLink PTI and warehouse management solutions as the produce industry moves to comply with new requirements for traceability,” said Kevin Brooks, Chief Marketing Officer, FoodLink. “Growers and shippers are getting serious about which solutions are the most cost effective and scalable across their operations, and we’re happy to help them succeed.”</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>Southeastern Colorado-based Hirakata Farms is a fifth generation family farm growing Rocky Ford melons. In the packing house, FoodLink assigns unique tracking codes for each type of melon based on its harvest date and location, and prints industry standard labels at the end of each line. The process enables real-time electronic monitoring of harvested produce all the way to the receiving retailer distribution center. </p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>“The ability to track food to its source and across the supply chain is something we strongly support, but we needed a partner that could work the way we do, without requiring a lot of expensive redesign or rethinking of our operations,” said Glen Hirakata, Operations Manager and Partner, Hirakata Farms. “The FoodLink team was great, and they offered us a practical, flexible solution that will help us meet all current and future industry requirements for traceability.”<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">Specializing in table grapes, citrus and kiwis, Pandol Marketing is an established grower, shipper, and distributor of fresh California produce.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>“We considered a wide range of factors when we researched out choice of PTI software. After we evaluated areas such as ease of use, versatility, scalability, portability, cost and customer service, we chose FoodLink,” said Jim Pandol, President, Pandol Associates Marketing, Inc. </p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>Steve Roberson founded Roberson Onion Company more than 30 years ago as a grower, packer and shipper of the Vidalia Onion. The company is a year round supplier of sweet, domestic and utility onions, and has working partnerships with growers in North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Georgia and Peru for sweet onions, sweet potatoes, eastern apples, blueberries and watermelons. </p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>“We have been using FoodLink as a sales platform for some time, and it made sense to add on the PTI component,” said Brent Bryson, Vice President, Sales, Roberson Onion Company. “It was, for us, an obvious choice due to the strength of their team and technology, and their experience helping produce companies stay compliant with retailer requirements.”</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href=" http://www.foodlink.net/" target="_new">FoodLink</a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">
