Packaging Digest

How produce packers can benefit from better traceability

Growers Express, the farmer-owned integrated grower, packer and shipper of Green Giant Fresh vegetables, has been aggressively implementing the Produce Traceability Initiative's (PTI) Best Practices, a hot-button issue in the produce packing industry.

"The success of Growers Express in its implementation of the Produce Traceability Initiative clearly shows the ability of companies with top management commitment to address more than just enhanced traceability for their products," says Bryan Silbermann, president of the Produce Marketing Association. "With a wide variety of crops, packing variations and geographic locations, Growers Express can be a model for others seeking to build on GS1 standards to realize improved efficiencies and generate a tangible return on investment."

"Growers Express has been a leading company in PTI, providing leadership in the execution and implementation of best practices," adds Symbolon Group President Gary Fleming. "After visiting their facilities multiple times and seeing the results of their successful PTI implementation, I applaud Growers Express' commitment to understanding PTI principles and their ability to use those principles to support whole-chain traceability while maximizing their return."

Growers Express believes additional future value will result from following the PTI guidelines and achieving whole-chain traceability. "Although our primary PTI objective is to encourage a more transparent and accountable supply chain, we are already seeing areas in which we will experience significant savings from efficient, accurate and timely field data provided by the technology platform and process standardization," points out Growers Express General Manager Gary Andreasian.

"Any of our customers that are interested in exploring end-to-end pilot solutions and data synchronization should know that Growers Express is poised and ready to support them," adds Growers Express President Jamie Strachan. "We are committed to PTI compliance as a vehicle for innovation and a path to cost savings."

As companies evaluate the complexity and initial cost implications of achieving PTI's main goal of whole-chain traceability, Growers Express' practical in-field and packing-house carton-labeling system has proven to be an efficient and cost-effective solution. Over the past year, Growers Express first pilot-tested and later implemented the TRUETRAC Label Trac system. To date, more than 85% of Growers Express' branded, domestic, corrugated packs are labeled according to PTI Best Practices. By fall 2010, Growers Express will be 100% in concert with the PTI on all packs.

SOURCE: TRUETRAC