CHICAGO, IL - No industry is more deeply committed to the well-being of its communities and legacies than fresh produce. Feeding the world is not a small feat, and stewardship of the land carries its own risks and plentiful rewards. No one knows that better than the people who grow, pack, and ship it. As the demand for clear, concise food safety communications and procedures remains paramount, companies like RSM are helping their customers build more robust, transparent, and intuitive systems that allow growers to confidently move through the complexities of production agriculture.

Kevin Head, Director of Food and Beverage at RSM, brings one of the firm's most valuable business solutions to the forefront: Lot traceability. And how that interacts with today’s recall management…

Why Food and Beverage Companies Are Rethinking Recall Management

The difference between a limited product recall and a major business disruption often comes down to one thing.

How quickly can you find a lot number?

The food and beverage industry is under growing pressure to answer that question. Regulatory requirements are increasing. Retailers expect faster responses. Supply chains are becoming more complex.

If a problem is discovered today, can you identify where a product came from, where it went, and which customers were affected?

For many organizations, the answer is not as clear as it should be. When inventory, supplier records, quality data, and customer transactions live across multiple systems, even a simple investigation can become a race against the clock.

That is why lot traceability is moving beyond compliance. It is becoming a business priority.

The Cost of Uncertainty is Growing

When a quality issue occurs, every hour matters.

The challenge is that many organizations still depend on a combination of ERP systems, spreadsheets, paper records, and disconnected applications to track inventory movements. The information exists, but it often lives in several places that were never designed to work together.

As a result, recall investigations can quickly become manual exercises. Teams spend valuable time gathering information, validating records, and piecing together transaction histories before they can confidently determine the scope of the issue.

The longer that process takes, the greater the operational, financial, and reputational impact can become.

Why Lot Traceability is Moving into the Spotlight

Recent discussions around FSMA 204 and food traceability requirements have brought greater attention to lot-level visibility across the supply chain. Organizations are being asked to demonstrate where products originated, how they moved through operations, and where they ultimately ended up.

Compliance is certainly part of the conversation, but it is no longer the only driver.

Many food and beverage leaders are beginning to view traceability as a business capability rather than a regulatory requirement.

When organizations can quickly trace products forward and backward through the supply chain, they can make faster decisions, reduce disruption, and respond with greater confidence when issues arise.

The Real Goal is a Smaller Recall

The most effective recall is often the one that impacts the fewest possible products and customers.

Without accurate lot tracing, organizations may be forced to expand the scope of a recall because they cannot confidently determine which inventory was affected. What begins as a limited issue can quickly grow into a larger business event simply because the necessary information is unavailable or difficult to access.

Organizations with stronger traceability capabilities can often isolate the affected inventory more precisely. Rather than casting a wide net, they can focus on the specific products, shipments, and customers involved.

That level of precision helps reduce waste, protect revenue, and maintain customer trust.

The Challenge is Usually Bigger than Technology

Many organizations assume a new application will solve the problem.

In reality, the biggest obstacles often sit between systems, processes, and teams.

Inventory data may live in one system. Supplier information may sit in another. Quality records may be maintained separately. Even when each individual process works well, the gaps between them create visibility challenges when speed becomes critical.

That is why successful traceability initiatives often begin with a broader conversation about data, process design, and operational alignment.

What a connected approach looks like…

A modern food and beverage platform creates a shared foundation for finance, operations, quality, and supply chain teams.

When inventory movements, supplier information, production records, and customer transactions are connected, organizations gain a clearer picture of product history across the business.

The result is greater visibility, faster investigations, and more confidence during audits, recalls, and customer inquiries.

Just as importantly, that same data foundation supports future initiatives around analytics, automation, and AI.

Start Before the Next Recall Happens

Most organizations do not think about recall readiness until they need it.

A better approach is to evaluate current traceability capabilities before a business event forces the issue. Understanding where data lives, how information moves through the organization, and where visibility gaps exist can help leaders build a stronger foundation for both compliance and growth.

Recall management is ultimately about confidence. Organizations that can quickly answer where a product came from, where it went, and who was affected are often best positioned to protect both their customers and their business.

Reduce risk before it becomes disruption. Discover how RSM helps food and beverage companies improve lot traceability, strengthen recall readiness, and create a connected foundation for future growth: Microsoft Food & Beverage.

As leaders in fresh produce look to transform our industry's tools and support the farmers that make this industry thrive each and every day, we will continue to bring you the thought leadership elevating the conversation.

BAKERSFIELD, CA - As the California table grape season builds toward one of the category’s most important selling periods, retailers are looking for quality, consistency, and dependable supply. With Southeast Produce Council’s Southern Innovations approaching on September 9–11, Sunview Marketing International is preparing to showcase how its vertically integrated, family-owned operation provides customers with a true Single Source® solution for their table grape programs.

“Sunview has grown table grapes for four generations, and being one family and one grower gives us the ability to manage our grapes from the beginning of the process through harvest, packing, and delivery,” said Mitch Wetzel, Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “Our Single Source® approach means our customers can come to one trusted partner for their table grape needs, whether they are looking for conventional or organic grapes, proprietary varieties, packaging solutions, or dependable supply throughout the California season.”

Sunview’s vertically integrated model has been built over generations. The company oversees every stage of the grape journey, from breeding and nursery development to growing, harvesting, packing, and marketing, without relying on outside growers. That control allows Sunview to maintain consistency across its program while responding to the needs of its retail partners.

Innovation is also rooted in the company’s history. Sunview has been breeding table grape varieties since the 1980s and continues to use customer and consumer research to guide its varietal development. Its portfolio includes Sunview-owned varieties that are grown exclusively by Sunview, allowing the company to protect the integrity of each variety and focus on the flavor, texture, and overall eating experience consumers expect.

“From the beginning of the California season through the final harvest, we provide a continuous domestic supply of First Class™ grapes,” Mitch added. “First Class™ represents the standard we hold ourselves to across our entire program. Our goal is to make our customers’ business easier by providing the varieties, packaging, service, quality, and supply they need from one grower and one trusted source.”

As retailers prepare for the important fall selling season, Sunview will bring that complete offering to Southern Innovations, highlighting a table grape program built around four generations of family farming, continuous innovation, and a commitment to delivering First Class™ quality from one trusted grower.

Check out booth #539 to learn more! Our team will see you there.

SALT LAKE CITY, UT- ReposiTrak announced the launch of Touchless Retail™, a new in-store merchandising solution with SPAR Group that gives brands access to professional merchandising services at a fixed rate that is typically about half the cost of traditional merchandising programs.

Touchless Retail is designed to make retail execution more affordable, predictable, and effective by combining an elite team of merchandising professionals with demand data-driven automated ordering. Together, the capabilities help ensure the right product is ordered, available, and properly presented on the shelf.

“Getting product into the store is only half the battle. If it isn’t on the shelf and properly merchandised, it can’t sell,” said Randy Fields, chairman and CEO of ReposiTrak, in the recent release. “Touchless Retail brings together demand-driven automated ordering and professional in-store execution so suppliers can improve availability and merchandising while typically spending about 50% less than they would with traditional merchandising programs.”

Touchless Retail can support a variety of in-store merchandising activities, including product placement, shelf replenishment, display maintenance, product rotation, and other retail execution needs.

The merchandising component is supported by automated ordering driven by actual demand data, helping suppliers better align replenishment with store-level sales activity. Rather than relying solely on scheduled visits or manual ordering decisions, Touchless Retail uses demand signals to support more precise replenishment while professional merchandisers help ensure available inventory makes it onto the shelf.

“Combining ReposiTrak’s best-in-class data capabilities with SPAR’s professional merchandising expertise creates a reliable, consistent approach to in-store execution that helps brands drive sales and improve performance,” said William Linnane, CEO of SPAR Group. “Touchless Retail delivers that execution through our most productive merchandisers—at a significantly more cost-effective rate.”

Importantly, suppliers do not need to participate in ReposiTrak Scan-Based Trading to use Touchless Retail. The merchandising and automated ordering capabilities can support suppliers independently, allowing brands to improve store-level execution without changing how they currently transact with retailers.

For suppliers that do participate in ReposiTrak’s Scan-Based Trading and other supply chain solutions, Touchless Retail can further connect store-level sales and inventory visibility with automated replenishment and professional in-store execution, creating a more coordinated approach to keeping products available and ready for shoppers.

The fixed-rate model provides an alternative to traditional merchandising programs where variable labor rates, travel expenses, and other charges can make the true cost of store visits difficult to predict. By significantly reducing the cost of professional merchandising and combining it with demand-driven ordering, Touchless Retail can make it economically practical for brands to increase store coverage while improving replenishment effectiveness.

For suppliers managing products across hundreds or thousands of retail locations, the combination can help reduce out-of-stocks, improve shelf availability, maintain displays, refresh inventory, and better align product flow with actual consumer demand.