Heart of the Harvest Chooses ReposiTrak Traceability Network to Meet and Exceed FDA’s FSMA 204 Food Traceability Regulation

Rhea-AI Summary

Heart of the Harvest, a family-run produce provider, automates food traceability using ReposiTrak Traceability Network to collect FDA-required data from suppliers. The company ensures compliance with FSMA 204 food traceability law, streamlining supplier connections and data sharing for fresh produce distribution.

Insights

Food Safety Specialist

Implementing an automated traceability solution like ReposiTrak Traceability Network (RTN) is a significant step for any food distributor, such as Heart of the Harvest. The ability to track and manage Key Data Elements (KDEs) from suppliers ensures compliance with the FDA's FSMA 204 food traceability law. This law mandates enhanced tracking and recording of certain foods to quickly address foodborne illnesses and contamination issues. By adopting RTN, Heart of the Harvest can streamline their traceability processes, which is essential for rapidly identifying and resolving food safety concerns. This proactive approach not only mitigates risk but also can potentially reduce the costs associated with food recalls.

From a safety perspective, the use of RTN could enhance consumer confidence in Heart of the Harvest's products. Consumers are increasingly concerned about food origin and safety and transparent traceability can be a competitive advantage. Furthermore, the system's ability to integrate with various suppliers' systems without additional hardware is a cost-effective solution that can scale with the company's growth.

Supply Chain Analyst

The integration of RTN by Heart of the Harvest represents a strategic move in supply chain management. Effective traceability systems are important for the efficiency of the supply chain, especially in the perishable goods sector. By ensuring a seamless flow of data from suppliers, Heart of the Harvest can optimize inventory management, reduce waste and improve order accuracy. This level of efficiency is particularly valuable in the produce industry, where the shelf life of products is limited.

Additionally, the ability to connect suppliers to an unlimited number of trading partners for a flat fee suggests a scalable model that can accommodate business expansion. This could lead to stronger supplier relationships and more robust supply chain networks. For stakeholders, this translates to potential cost savings and improved bottom-line results in the long term.

Investor Relations Specialist

For investors, Heart of the Harvest's adoption of RTN signals a commitment to operational excellence and regulatory compliance. In the context of the stock market, companies that prioritize food safety and supply chain efficiency may be perceived as less risky investments. This is particularly relevant given the increasing number of food safety incidents and subsequent recalls in recent years.

The investment in traceability technology may also be seen as a move to future-proof the business against tightening regulations and changing consumer demands. As the market continues to value transparency and corporate responsibility, Heart of the Harvest's alignment with these values could positively influence investor sentiment and potentially the company's valuation.

Full-service produce provider advances food safety, uses automated food traceability solution to collect traceability data from suppliers

HARTFORD, Conn. & SALT LAKE CITY--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Family-run Heart of the Harvest (parent company, Capitol Sausage and Provisions), whose expansive operations include wholesale fruits and vegetables as well as pre-cut offerings, has automated food traceability with the ReposiTrak Traceability Network (RTN). Through RTN, the company can collect a complex set of FDA-required Key Data Elements (KDEs) from each of its hundreds of valued suppliers, from any of the suppliers’ systems. Use of RTN enables Heart of the Harvest to meet and exceed the requirements of the FDA’s FSMA 204 food traceability law.

“As a processor and distributor of many of the foods covered by the FDA’s food traceability law, there was no reason for us to wait to do food traceability,” said Lisa Driscoll of the quality assurance team at Heart of the Harvest. “We recognize that it takes time to get suppliers connected and to get the data flowing, and we have found a solution that makes it easy and affordable to do traceability now.”

The ReposiTrak Traceability Network requires no additional hardware or software and the ReposiTrak team assists in making the connections needed under the new regulation. Suppliers can connect to an unlimited number of trading partners and begin sharing data for a low, flat fee and there is no cost to retailers.

Heart of the Harvest accepts only the freshest raw product into its facilities to be used for wholesale distribution and processing, including customizable cutting and mixing of blends including stir fry and vegetable medleys. The company services retail grocery stores, restaurants, hospitals, hotels and institutions throughout Connecticut and Greater New England.

In addition to using the ReposiTrak Compliance Management solution to automate the collection and management of supplier compliance documents and certifications, Heart of the Harvest and its suppliers are now part of the ReposiTrak Traceability Network, the world’s only operating food traceability network.

Heart of the Harvest

Heart of the Harvest (parent company, Capitol Sausage and Provisions) has 60+ years in the food industry specializing in fresh fruits and vegetables. Based in Hartford, Conn., the company has expanded from sausage to wholesale fruit and vegetables, and additionally into the pre-cut business. Heart of the Harvest services restaurants, hospitals, hotels, institutions and the general public throughout Connecticut and Greater New England through outstanding service, state of the art packaging, competitive pricing and an excellent quality product. For more information, visit https://heartoftheharvest.net/index.php.

About ReposiTrak

ReposiTrak (NYSE: TRAK), formerly Park City Group, provides retailers, suppliers and wholesalers with a robust solution suite to help reduce risk and remain in compliance with regulatory requirements, enhance operational controls and increase sales with unrivaled brand protection. Consisting of three product families – food traceability, compliance and risk management and supply chain solutions – ReposiTrak’s integrated, cloud-based applications are supported by an unparalleled team of experts. For more information, please visit https://repositrak.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240319277903/en/

Heart of the Harvest Contact

Lisa Driscoll or Jennifer Parmelee

Capitol Sausage and Provisions/Heart of the Harvest

860-240-7508

heartoftheharvest@gmail.com

ReposiTrak Media Contact

Ronald Margulis

RAM Communications

908-272-3930

ron@rampr.com

ReposiTrak Company Contact

Randall K. Fields

Chairman & CEO ReposiTrak

435-645-2100

randy@parkcitygroup.com

Source: ReposiTrak

FAQ

How does Heart of the Harvest automate food traceability?

Heart of the Harvest uses ReposiTrak Traceability Network to collect FDA-required data from suppliers.

What regulations does Heart of the Harvest comply with using ReposiTrak?

Heart of the Harvest ensures compliance with the FDA's FSMA 204 food traceability law.

What type of data does Heart of the Harvest collect from suppliers?

Heart of the Harvest collects a complex set of Key Data Elements (KDEs) required by the FDA.

What services does Heart of the Harvest provide?

Heart of the Harvest offers wholesale distribution, processing, cutting, and mixing of fresh fruits and vegetables for various clients.

What is Heart of the Harvest's specialty in the food industry?

Heart of the Harvest specializes in fresh fruits and vegetables, with over 60 years of experience in the food industry.