YottaMark Inc., a product traceability, authentication, and marketing solutions company, today announced that Delta Prepack Company has selected HarvestMark for Cases for a pilot program to deliver traceability for its case-packed tomatoes.
The HarvestMark for Cases solution will enable the Manteca, California-based tomato packer/shipper to enhance its food safety efforts, deliver on-demand quality and customer service programs, and provide instant trace-back to its foodservice and retail customers.
Compliant with GS1 and other emerging traceability standards, the HarvestMark solution uses secure codes printed on cases, trays, clamshells, and bags to deliver instant trace–back and easy trace-forward transactions in response to suspected food borne illness or recall events. Giving each product unit a unique identity, the solution enables brand owners to create a one-on-one communication channel with customers–delivering relevant product information 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
“Traceability is a well-established process in our food safety program today,” says Parker Booth, president, Delta Prepack Company. “Our traceback system has been critical in building confidence with our customers, and we have been looking at ways to even further enhance our system. After reviewing the options in the market, we chose to run a pilot of the HarvestMark solution as the platform to meet our stringent traceability requirements. The deployment of HarvestMark has the potential to reinforce our ongoing commitment to quality, integrity, and innovation, and bring new opportunities to interact with and deliver timely information to our foodservice and retail clients.”
HarvestMark codes applied to each case of Delta tomatoes will link to harvest and packing data. The codes can be scanned or typed in at a secure Web portal to access up-to date product information. Delta Prepack can tailor the product information to different groups. Available anywhere, anytime, the system enables Delta Prepack to combine traceability with marketing programs such as surveys and promotions, and deliver customized information for each customer.
“Building and maintaining trust and safety are paramount to both shippers and buyers of fresh foods,” says J. Scott Carr, president and CEO, YottaMark. “We are excited to implement HarvestMark for Delta Prepack Company’s 2008 harvest season and allow them to test the benefits of on-demand traceability and case-level marketing to their foodservice and QSR customers.”
HarvestMark is fully compatible with the Produce Marketing Association’s Guidelines on Traceability. The system can be deployed for item, case, and pallet trace-forward and trace-back. As an on-demand hosted solution, brand owners and growers can get started on day one without installing and supporting costly hardware and complex enterprise software.
