Supply Chain Waste: Can We Fix the Problem? (Yes)

Supply Chain Waste: Can We Fix the Problem? (Yes)

Supply chain waste is a major contributor to the global food waste problem. According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), supply chains cause 40% of food waste in North America. Yet, unfortunately, too few people realize that problems in the fresh food supply chain contribute to the waste experienced by retailers and consumers. All too often, the blame for the waste is placed on people that really can’t do much to prevent it. The USA is the Leader in Waste According to a recent article in Supply...Continue Reading...
Grocery Shopper Trends 2019: Key Insights

Grocery Shopper Trends 2019: Key Insights

FMI recently published their Grocery Shopper Trends 2019 report (free to FMI members, $250 for non-members but parts are available for free on the FMI website). This annual review of what’s happening in the grocery industry contains a wealth of interesting insights. When comparing myself to their results, I found I was inline with some trends and an outlier for others. Are you in the mainstream when it comes to grocery shopper trends? Let’s take a look at some of the more interesting ones. How Many Stores Do You Shop at Each Month?...Continue Reading...
Preventing Food Waste: Multiple Approaches

Preventing Food Waste: Multiple Approaches

A recent article in Forbes discussed several approaches to reducing or preventing food waste. The article, Can You Solve Food Waste With An Airbnb Model? begins by citing data from a recent Zest Labs food waste research study measuring and comparing the shelf-life (or freshness) of produce being sold at major grocery chain stores across the United States. Our research found that the freshness of produce – specifically strawberries, romaine lettuce and packaged salad mixes – varied significantly from store to store as well as within...Continue Reading...
New Zest Fresh for Produce Modules: Rapid Implementations and Faster ROI

New Zest Fresh for Produce Modules: Rapid Implementations and Faster ROI

Today, Zest Labs announced the availability of three new modularized components of our Zest Fresh for Produce solution, each of which are built on the Zest Fresh platform. The three new Zest Fresh for Produce modules make it simpler and faster for suppliers, restaurants and grocers to trial and deploy our solutions to improve operational efficiency and ensure delivered freshness, while reducing field-to-store food waste and increasing customer satisfaction. Solving the Food Waste Problem Food waste is a significant problem....Continue Reading...
Food Safety Tips: Three Things to Consider

Food Safety Tips: Three Things to Consider

It’s always good to think about food safety tips as we approach one of the biggest food and barbecue weekends of the year. Food safety continues to be a challenge as last week saw yet another food safety outbreak, this one related to salmonella associated with papayas from Mexico. Recent Food Safety Challenges The last two years has seen three E. coli food safety issues related to romaine lettuce alone. In 2018, according to Food Safety Magazine, we had 382 food product recalls. Some relate to undeclared allergens or some sort of...Continue Reading...