THE LOGISTICS OF FRESH FOODS RETAIL SUPPLY CHAIN

What are the digitalize and secure solution?

Fresh food sales are an important growth driver for retailers, as well as a priority for shoppers who want to ensure they have an ample supply of fresh food on hand. The Coronavirus crisis redefined consumer shopping patterns and created some new trends in the retail and consumer goods industries.

AWL India’s Intelligent Supply Chain management (ISC) proposes several key traceability solutions to digitize, secure, and leverage valuable data, enabling safer, more sustainable, efficient, and transparent supply chains. The smart staff at AWL India who handle inventory management and warehousing solutions know how important it is to capitalize on a product’s natural variability because it not only helps our clients increase revenues but can also reveal a lot about the industry the brand is in and the shopping habits of its target market.

TRENDS IN THE FOODS LOGISTICS MARKET 

1. Price and regularity are equally important

Customers are accustomed to receiving fresh food delivered within an hour or to receiving even the most unusual items from some online marketplaces on the same day. However, fresh foods and grocery stores place even more value on timeliness. And AWL India makes sure that supplies transported to B2B at the proper time so that business can run smoothly and customers are satisfied. Some food distributors are unable to consistently fill customers’ orders with the necessary products, which creates a clear disadvantage, or they are unable to meet the time frames in which customers require their deliveries. Which results in experiencing a decline in sales and profits. However, AWL offers the most dependable, quick, and secures service, ensuring the quick and fresh delivery of client products.

2. HYBRID ROUTING WILL AID IN MEETING DELIVERY DEADLINES.

AWL logistics fresh food retail distributors are changing their processes to get the right products into the hands of the right clients at the right time, rather than just considering static routes. Distributors can give priority to large volume (higher profit) clients with tight delivery windows by leveraging a hybrid routing process, ensuring they remain satisfied with their suppliers. Deliveries to smaller, more adaptable businesses can then be dynamically routed to level load the fleet.

3. AI WILL BE THE ENGINE FOR IMPROVED PERFORMANCE.

 If football is a game of inches, then food distribution is a game of minutes distributors will not only meet or beat their clients’ expectations, but they will also be more productive, the more precise they can be with their routing. To better plan routes, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) of AWL are being used to leverage data, including insights about other mitigating factors, such as weather, traffic, and more, in addition to historical delivery stats. By streamlining the procedure, these technologies can increase the number of deliveries made during a typical day. AWL uses software and technology to guarantee a secure, effective, and dependable global cold food and beverage supply chain ecosystem.

 Major Obstacles in Fresh Food Supply Chains

While health-conscious consumers will always drive fresh food demand, spoilage remains one of the most serious threats to fresh food supply chains. However, keeping things fresh is only the tip of the iceberg. It imposes many challenges on the supply chain that must be met effectively.

Inferior Sourcing

While the fresh foods market is thriving, it also has one of the most complicated supply chains to manage. Because fresh produce is perishable, fresh food retailers must walk a tightrope when it comes to storage, transportation, and shelf management.

AWL focused on sourcing fresh produce strategically, considering seasonal demand fluctuations, supplier costs, and supplier location. We follow the sequence that every supplier relationship should be based on the product’s supply, quality volatility, and volume volatility. Products with high supply volatility should be sourced from stable suppliers, whereas less volatile products can be sourced through transactional or even spot-market purchasing, This allows us to respond to changes in demand.

Holding Freshness and Quality

In terms of food freshness, it is critical to keep fresh foods at the proper temperatures and humidity levels throughout the supply chain. Fruits such as lemon, grapes, and apples require temperatures ranging from 0 to 2 degrees Celsius and humidity levels ranging from 90% to 100%. Garlic and Lasan, on the other hand, must be stored at a similar temperature but at humidity levels ranging from 65% to 75% because high humidity is harmful to them.

AWL provides seamless food and beverage logistics solutions with comprehensive temperature-controlled and cold chain storage, backed by years of experience and a passionate team of professionals. We provide a wide range of storage and packaging solutions for a wide range of food products to extend their shelf life and preserve their freshness.

Containers, Shipments, and Transportation Problems

Fresh foods are available in a variety of forms and must be packaged and shipped following their durability and nature. Fresh fruits and vegetables, such as cherries, pineapples, pears, muskmelon, and onions, can be easily packaged in wooden trays. Softer fruits, leafy vegetables, eggs, and tomatoes, on the other hand, must be packaged and handled with care.

Once these foods are packaged, AWL ensures that they are shipped in ideal carriages, keeping in mind that some foods cannot be shipped together, while others can travel longer distances, require fast transportation, or require cold storage. To that end, AWL employs advanced and technologically driven cross-docking solutions that allow for the timely distribution of perishable and temperature-sensitive food products to their destination.

Supply Chain Visibility Issues

Are you aware? Nearly 30% of premium fruits and vegetables are overlooked by supermarket chains and trade chains only because of optical flaws. One of the biggest logistical problems in the retail of fresh foods is a limitation of visibility into the supply chain.

As a result, AWL provides end-to-end supply chain visibility, allowing our logistics managers to take preventive measures to recover fresh produce in the event of a transportation delay or temperature instability at any point. Poor communication between sellers and retailers, as well as between retailers and customers, is also a result of low visibility.

AWL’s inventory management solutions

Method of “First in, First Out”

In this process, the Food products are manufactured in batches and labelled with a unique identification number known as the batch number. They are then stored in the inventory in the appropriate order, with older batches in front or on top, ready to ship first when ordered. The FIFO methodology ensures that fresh, high-quality food is delivered on time. 

Method of ?First Expiry First Out?

In this methodology, batches are shipped based on the product’s shelf life or expiration date. The food batch that has been in the inventory the longest or that has the closest expiry date is distributed first.

Conclusion 

Because of rising demand for safe, same-day deliveries and intense market competition, digitization of the fresh food supply chain is more important than ever. It is essential to keep all food and beverages fresh and tasty. As a result, we at AWL promise to provide first-rate logistics services to ensure product integrity and boost your company’s reputation. Our strategic approach to temperature-controlled shipping, combined with real-time inventory visibility and tracking, differentiates us as the best in the industry.