From field to retail market: How software solutions change the quality management

Quality management is not a new topic for producers of fruit and vegetables – yet it does not lose its relevance. On the contrary: in the course of digitalization, new solutions are being created to carry out professional quality management and to document analysis data more transparently than ever before.

How do digitalization and food go together? If you are involved in the production, import or trade of fruit and vegetables, you may well have long answered this question. Because along the supply chain, extensive data on the characteristics of a product are created as part of checks from the harvest to the sale. In many companies, all of this information, such as the maturity, shape, color, temperature, freshness or texture of the product, is captured in different programs and not linked together. The result: because of the lack of overview, products or product groups are difficult to compare or resources have to be spent extra to bring the data together in one system.

Software solutions expand possibilities

Transparent information is the key to contemporary quality management against the backdrop of digitalization and new networking opportunities. In particular, retail chains now require supply chains to be fully mapped and product data to be transparent, up-to-date and reliably available. The development and expansion of quality management is thus a complex task that can no longer be met with Excel spreadsheets. The solution to this challenge is found in companies in industry-specific software with which all product-specific information can be centrally collected. This should already offer functions such as order processing, packing, assortment creation or cost control at lot and batch level. The agilesFood software, for example, was developed especially for the fruit and vegetable trade – and in the future it will even better meet the increased requirements of quality management by expanding its function.

Product analyzes at a glance at any time

The focus of the new quality management function is on the required characteristics that are to be analyzed for each product. agilesFood allows users to easily view any analysis created for a batch, article or supplier at any time. This is how it works: Any analysis criteria can be defined for all or individual articles and article groups - for example, grapes or bananas can be analyzed individually. The data is automatically transferred to subsequent processes and can be accessed from anywhere with a mouse click. Partial results of the analyzes are presented prominently in a prominent place in every relevant context. Essential information can thus always be captured at a glance. In addition to customizable features, filters can easily be used, for example, for specific periods or suppliers. Another advantage is the ability to create templates that increase the level of automation and also save time.

With the possibility to easily view all analyzes for articles, batches or suppliers at any time, companies from the fresh trade sector retain the overview and control over their quality management. At the same time, they can meet the increased requirements for transparent data and adapt to the challenges of digitalization.

Further information at www.agilesfood.com.