If there’s a problem with the food item or items that your company makes or distributes, will you be able to quickly identify the issue so you can mitigate as much damage as possible? Food recalls cost companies tens of billions of dollars each year and can hurt a firm’s reputation and profit if there isn’t a fast and satisfying solution for consumers. And a company can spend even more money and invest even more time trying to repair this damage and rebuild trust with consumers.
A food industry consultant can help with food traceability efforts, and in this post, we’ll further discuss what you need to know about traceability and why it’s arguably more important now than ever. Here’s a look:
3 Reasons Why Food Traceability is Key
Wondering why food traceability is so important today? Here are three reasons:
1. Safety Reasons
Perhaps the No. 1 reason to implement high-quality food traceability solutions today is for the safety of the consumers who will be eating the items your company produces. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), it’s estimated that as many as 600 million people worldwide will get sick from eating contaminated food each year. The bottom line is that manufacturers should know where the ingredients they’re sourcing are coming from, especially when there are so many moving parts these days in the global food supply chain. Keeping close tabs on your ingredients and where they’re coming from can help quickly identify problems and mitigate illness as well as reputational damage.
2. Fast Identification
To piggyback off the above point, the global food supply chain is very complex – with ingredients often sourced from all over the world. With so many moving parts, it’s imperative to quickly identify when issues arise and where they arise in the supply chain to mitigate as much damage as possible. More traceability means more visibility into the supply chain, which can help with preparedness and initiate a faster response.
Fast identification is key to recovery as well. It can help mount a viable response from all stakeholders involved.
3. Stay Compliant With Industry Standards
Finally, there are various governing bodies that food companies must stay compliant with. If issues arise and it’s discovered that companies were not in compliance with various industry standards or regulations, the problem can become even more exacerbated.
Why You Need a Food Industry Consultant
Like we said in the intro, one of the ways your firm can improve traceability is by working with a credible food industry consultant. Not only can such a consultant help bring companies better profits and cost savings, but they can also work to significantly improve food traceability efforts. And if something still were to go wrong, they can help your company mount a response that will mitigate damage and help you regain trust with consumers. For more information on the importance of food traceability and to work with a food consultant that can help you improve profitability and accountability, contact us today.