Although a growing number of food companies are launching traceability projects, many of them focus only on the marketing advantages by providing transparent food information to their consumers.
However, food traceability can provide more value from easier product recalls to improved supply chain control.
Migros wants to achieve deeper supply chain insight to optimize its processes. Supply chain optimization can lead to quicker distribution and reduced food waste, which is also part of the European Food Safety Authority’s (EFSA) initiatives for the next years.
Fresh food suppliers of Migros already had the possibility to communicate traceability data from their legacy systems (ERP, Farm management) to Migros through a GS1 standards based API (EPCIS). Now this data collection method was extended to a B2B mobile app, a web app, and file upload possibility – with the assistance of TE-FOOD.
Traceability data, which is sent by the suppliers, is automatically transformed to GS1’s Electronic Product Code Information Services (EPCIS) format, and sent to Migros’ own EPCIS system. The system is aimed to be used internally, opening it up towards consumers is out of the current project’s scope.
The project provides an interesting use case for food traceability, and aims to deliver significant value for Migros and its supply chain partners.
Migros is Switzerland’s largest retail company, its largest supermarket chain and largest private employer with over 100 000 people. Founded in 1925 by Gottlieb Duttweiler, Migros is structured in the form of a cooperative society, with more than two million members. The cooperative operates several businesses: supermarkets, restaurants, food producers, gas stations, convenience stores, bookstores, and the fifth-largest bank in Switzerland, among other ventures.
TE-FOOD is the world’s largest publicly accessible, farm-to-table food traceability solution. TE-FOOD serves over 6000 business customers, and handles 400,000 business transactions each day.
Featured image credit: Migros Facebook Page
