8 Leading Organizations Form Collaboration To Tackle Food Industry’s FSMA Rule 204 Challenges


Unified Approach Aims To Improve Food Safety and Meet Traceability Rule Requirements

Ewing, NJ – Eight prominent food industry organizations have united to form the “ Food Industry FSMA 204 Collaboration” to enhance industry-wide awareness of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (U.S. FDA’s) Food Traceability Rule, which implements Section 204(d) of the U.S. FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). Participating organizations include: Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO), FMI – The Food Industry Association (FMI), GS1 US, Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), International Foodservice Distributors Association (IFDA), International Foodservice Manufacturers Association (IFMA), International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) and National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA).

The Collaboration will share clear, concise messaging and resources that enable industry to take action in preparing for FSMA Rule 204, which was published in November 2022. FSMA Rule 204 mandates a comprehensive tracking and tracing system for certain high-risk foods listed on the U.S. FDA’s Food Traceability List (FTL), including fresh produce and leafy greens, deli salads, certain types of seafood and more. The Collaboration will provide a forum where business and government officials can come together to educate industry and potentially help ease the burden of compliance. 

Recognizing the imperative for a collective response, the Collaboration is founded on core principles, including operational effectiveness through collaboration, traceability for enhanced food safety, standardized data collection, and widespread training and education initiatives. The Collaboration prioritizes the enhancement of awareness and understanding of emerging traceability technologies to help ensure the safety and integrity of the food supply chain. Through united efforts, the Collaboration promotes acceleration of industry-wide compliance with FSMA Rule 204. 

For more information about the Food Industry FSMA 204 Collaboration and to access combined resources and future educational opportunities from all participating organizations, visit Food Industry FSMA 204 Collaboration. 

Food Industry Leaders Demonstrate Support 

“As state and local agencies, AFDO members are often on the front lines, receiving critical information during foodborne illness outbreaks,” said Steven Mandernach, Executive Director, AFDO. “We are committed to collaborating with all partners, including industry, to successfully implement FSMA Rule 204 traceability requirements. By working together, we can enhance food safety, ensure efficient traceability and protect public health across the entire supply chain.” 

“Food safety is the single most important issue that food retailers, wholesalers and suppliers focus on every day,” said Leslie G. Sarasin, President and CEO, FMI – The Food Industry Association. “FDA’s FSMA Rule 204 is the most significant regulation the food industry has ever faced and will demand tremendous investments for recordkeeping, data management and systems changes. This Collaboration demonstrates our collective commitment to sharing information and working together to ensure the food supply chain has the resources and clarity it needs for compliance.”  

“Compliance with FSMA Rule 204 presents a significant challenge for U.S. and foreign agri-food interests, as it imposes unprecedented recordkeeping requirements and necessitates the adoption of advanced traceability technologies,” said Angela Fernandez, Senior Vice President of Market Development, GS1 US. “By convening food safety, supply chain logistics and data management experts across many food segments, the new Collaboration aims to share best practices for meeting Food Traceability Rule requirements.” 

“IFT’s Global Food Traceability Center has played a critical role in food traceability for many years and now, with the window to FSMA Rule 204 compliance quickly closing, organizations need our guidance more than ever,” said Blake Harris, Technical Director, IFT’s Global Food Traceability Center. “Since the FSMA Rule 204 announcement, we have created a series of educational resources that will be essential to food organizations on their complicated compliance journey to help boost organizational traceability awareness.” 

“It is critically important for manufacturing companies serving the food-away-from-home marketplace to meet FSMA Rule 204 compliance requirements,” said Phil Kafarakis, President & CEO, IFMA. “The continued strength of consumer spending for food-away-from-home mandates that manufacturers exceed consumer expectations for safe, flavorful and portable meals that go beyond FSMA Rule 204 compliance.” 

“Foodservice distributors are deeply committed to providing safe food products to their customers and are highly skilled in tracking and tracing the volume and variety of food they distribute,” said Mark S. Allen, President & CEO, IFDA. “Collaborating with supply chain partners is key to enhancing food safety and advancing goals set forth under FSMA Rule 204.” 

“Implementation of FSMA Rule 204 requirements is a cross-industry challenge,” said Ed Treacy, Vice President of Supply Chain, IFPA. “This collaboration will ensure that the resources created and education offered to our collective members are coordinated and aligned.” 

“FSMA Rule 204 underscores the significance of understanding how the broader supply chain interacts with farmers, extending beyond just fresh fruits and vegetables,” said Ted McKinney, CEO, NASDA. “While the value of traceability is widely recognized, its effectiveness in enhancing food safety and public health will hinge on its practical application. Therefore, effective education, particularly in the early stages of this initiative, is crucial.” 

About the Food Industry FSMA 204 Collaboration Organizations 

About Association of Food & Drug Officials
The Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO) is a well-recognized national organization that represents state, territorial, and local food protection regulatory agencies including all the agencies that regulate produce, manufactured foods, and retail foods. The Association’s principal purpose is to act as the leader and a resource to state, territorial, and local regulatory agencies in developing strategies to resolve and promote public health and consumer protection related to the regulation of food, medical products, and cosmetics. 

About FMI – The Food Industry Association
As the food industry association, FMI works with and on behalf of the entire industry to advance a safer, healthier and more efficient consumer food supply chain. FMI brings together a wide range of members across the value chain — from retailers that sell to consumers, to producers that supply food and other products, as well as the wide variety of companies providing critical services — to amplify the collective work of the industry. 

About GS1 US  
GS1 US® helps enable companies to power their supply chains to deliver safe, consistent, authentic, and trusted experiences. Best known as a source for UPC barcodes, GS1 is a not-for-profit, global data standards organization that creates a common language for companies to identify, capture, and share trusted data that links their physical and digital supply chains. Millions of businesses around the world power commerce with GS1 Standards. Learn more at www.gs1us.org. 

About Institute of Food Technologists
The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) is a global organization of over 11,000 individual members from more than 100 countries committed to advancing the science of food. Since 1939, IFT has brought together the brightest minds in food science, technology and related professions from academia, government, and industry to solve the world’s greatest food challenges. IFT’s Global Food Traceability Center conducts applied research; develops resources, tools, and training; and offers customizable services to help industry, regulators, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) implement end-to-end, event-based, interoperable traceability to solve challenges and create opportunities across the supply chain. For more information, go to www.ift.org/gftc.  

About International Foodservice Distributors Association
The International Foodservice Distributors Association (IFDA) is the premier trade association representing foodservice distributors throughout the United States and globally. IFDA members play a crucial role in the foodservice supply chain, delivering 33 million cases of food and related products to more than one million professional kitchens daily, including restaurants, K-12 schools, colleges and universities, U.S. military and government facilities, hospitals and care facilities, hotels and resorts, and other foodservice operations that make meals away from home possible. This vital industry generates $382 billion in sales, employs 431,000 people, and operates 17,100 distribution centers in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

About International Foodservice Manufacturers Association
The International Foodservice Manufacturers Association (IFMA) is a trade association founded in 1952. IFMA empowers, nurtures, and connects an inclusive and diverse $1.3 trillion food-away-from-home ecosystem of manufacturers, distributors, operators, and others. By sharing insights, fostering best practices, and developing networking and educational opportunities through events, IFMA informs and instructs its members, and motivates change to improve both individual organizations and the foodservice industry at large. 

About International Fresh Produce Association
The International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) is the largest and most diverse international association serving the entire fresh produce and floral supply chain and the only to seamlessly integrate world-facing advocacy and industry-facing support. We exist to bring the industry together to create a vibrant future for all. We grow our member’s prosperity by conducting advocacy; connecting people and ideas; and offering guidance that allows us all to take action with purpose and confidence. 

About National Association of State Departments of Agriculture
NASDA is a nonpartisan, nonprofit association which represents the elected and appointed commissioners, secretaries and directors of the departments of agriculture in all 50 states and four U.S. territories. NASDA grows and enhances American food and agricultural communities through policy, partnerships and public engagement. To learn more about NASDA, please visit www.nasda.org.

About FMI

As the food industry association, FMI works with and on behalf of the entire industry to advance a safer, healthier and more efficient consumer food supply chain. FMI brings together a wide range of members across the value chain — from retailers that sell to consumers, to producers that supply food and other products, as well as the wide variety of companies providing critical services — to amplify the collective work of the industry. www.FMI.org




Laval University | The Poultry Site

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Driven by delivery, online grocery sales increase for third consecutive month

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Dive Brief:

  • Online grocery sales hit $9.9 billion in August, an increase of 7% compared to the same time last year as all three fulfillment methods posted year-over-year sales growth, Brick Meets Click and Mercatus reported Monday. 
  • Delivery sales increased 10% last month compared to the year prior, while ship-to-home rose 9% and pickup saw a nearly 4% uptick.   
  • Promotional efforts for subscription and membership programs, specifically in the delivery segment, led to the third consecutive month of high-single-digit sales gains for online grocery in 2024, the report found.

Dive Insight:

Delivery had a strong growth spurt in August thanks in part to numerous promotional incentives, Brick Meets Click and Mercatus reported.

Compared to the 6% year-over-year gain in monthly active users (MAUs) for the overall e-commerce channel, delivery’s MAU base expanded by nearly 16% — almost three times faster than pickup’s and nearly double Walmart’s MAU base growth. 

Since May, special offers and promotions from grocers and other food retail players have increasingly focused on delivery and helped boost e-grocery sales.  For example, Instacart in May started offering 80% off its annual membership and Walmart promoted half off its membership program.

Between June and August, total online grocery sales gained 7.9% year-over-year compared to the 1.4% growth seen between March and May. Accounting for the effect of seasonality, the estimated incremental impact between the three-month periods is a 2.2% lift, Brick Meets Click and Mercatus noted. 

Delivery’s shift is “even more dramatic,” the report stated, with sales between June and August growing by 16% compared to the 0.6% growth recorded between March and May. This increase was primarily due to the expansion of delivery’s MAU base and “skyrocketing” order frequency.

Meanwhile, Walmart is continuing to pose a threat to supermarkets. The share of U.S. households that primarily shop for groceries at Walmart, either in-store or online, rose to approximately 30% between June and August, the report noted.

“Households that chose Walmart as their primary grocery retailer were already more likely to buy groceries online, and now the difference between Walmart and Supermarkets has widened even further on that metric,” according to the report. 

The findings reflect a survey of 1,829 shoppers Brick Meets Click fielded August 30-31




Nestlé‘s Stouffer’s launches first shelf-stable offering with macaroni and cheese

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Nestlé’s Stouffer’s line has carved out a dominant presence in frozen comfort foods with meals such as lasagna, chicken enchiladas and beef pot roast. Now, the company is hoping to bring that success to shelf-stable products.

The brand is making its first foray into the space this month with Stouffer’s Supreme Shells & Cheese in two flavors: Cheddar Cheese and Three Cheese. Additional innovations are expected to reach the market starting in 2025.

“We want to shake up the aisle, literally, in terms of what we’re bringing to the consumer,” Tom Moe, president of Nestlé’s meal division, said in an interview. “And when you think about that aisle, it’s been a while since you’ve had a significant brand enter [macaroni & cheese] with a prominent proposition, and now’s the opportunity.”

The shelf-stable macaroni and cheese market is a massive category representing a $2.9 billion market. The segment also is ripe for growth, with a near-term opportunity topping $100 million, Nestlé found.

Optional Caption

Courtesy of Nestlé 

 

Stouffer’s is no stranger to macaroni and cheese, producing 13 different frozen variations of the product. But while consumers eat macaroni and cheese 22 times a year, 15 of those occasions involve dried pasta, according to the packaged food company.

“We want to bring that same experience [from frozen] into where the majority of the purchases are,” Moe said. 

Nestlé’s noted that 67% of shoppers who purchase Stouffer’s frozen macaroni and cheese also bought shelf-stable options. The figure was more than double the roughly third of consumers who purchased both a frozen and shelf-stable product, an indication that a new macaroni and cheese launch would especially resonate with Stouffer’s’ existing user base.

The Switzerland-based company said 70% of current shelf-stable macaroni and cheese users expressed interest in purchasing the Stouffer’s offering alongside the brands they already buy.

“We want to shake up the aisle, literally, in terms of what we’re bringing to the consumer. And when you think about that aisle, it’s been a while since you’ve had a significant brand enter [macaroni & cheese] with a prominent proposition, and now’s the opportunity.”

Tom Moe

President, Nestlé’s meal division

Nestlé is using a dominant red, horizontal packaging for the shelf-stable macaroni and cheese that resembles the box it has in frozen. This allows the company to tap into the brand equity of Stouffer’s that people recognize while allowing the new product to stand out on shelves against its competitors, Moe said.

Nestlé said its Stouffer’s Supreme Shells & Cheese has 10% more cheese sauce than the leading shelf-stable shells and a more cheese-forward flavor profile that will help it resonate with consumers. Both blinded and branded taste tests between Stouffer’s and the leading shelf-stable brand showed Nestlé’s was preferred, Moe said.

Stouffer’s traces its history to the 1920s when the restaurant Stouffer Lunch opened in Cleveland. The brand entered frozen meals in 1954, and Nestlé acquired the brand nearly two decades later.

During the pandemic, companies such as Nestlé cut back on innovation to focus on keeping shelves stocked with their most popular items. While the impact of COVID-19 is less prominent, the food environment is dealing with inflation that has prompted cash-strapped consumers to cut back on what and how much they buy.

Moe said the new macaroni and cheese is competitively priced with other frozen and shelf-stable products on the market. It also “provides a different dimension” by giving consumers the ability to be more involved in the cooking process — a factor that doesn’t exist when a frozen meal is heated in the microwave or oven.

“There is a very distinct consumer differential there that we want to make sure that we addressed,” he added.

The shelf-stable macaroni and cheese is the latest major offering Nestlé announced in 2024. In May, the company announced it was rolling out its first major U.S. brand in nearly three decades to meet the needs of consumers taking GLP-1 medications and other individuals focusing on weight management. The line, called Vital Pursuit, is expected to reach store shelves this month.




Time magazine recognizes Grupo Bimbo for second time

MEXICO CITY — Grupo Bimbo SAB de CV has been recognized by Time magazine as one of the “World’s Best Companies,” compiled by Time and market research provider Statista, for the second time in a row after appearing in last year’s list.

Grupo Bimbo is ranked 127 out of 1,000 companies analyzed and is the second highest-ranked Mexican company on the list behind Femsa. It finished eighth in the world within the food and beverage category, behind Associated British Foods, Cargill, Heineken, The Coca-Cola Co., PepsiCo, Nestle and Femsa.

The list accounts for three main factors: employee satisfaction, financial growth in income and sustainability achievements. Time and Statista then use a 100-point scale to determine a score for each company. The overall score for Grupo Bimbo was 91.46, with a sustainability rank of 304, employee satisfaction rank of 194 and a “very high” growth rate.

The highest-ranked company in the report was Apple, with an overall score of 97.75, followed by Accenture at 97.7 and Microsoft at 97.65.




Wendy’s names new chief legal officer, U.S. operations leader

The Wendy’s Co. has named John Min as the company’s chief legal officer, succeeding E.J. Wunsch in the position, the company said Monday.

The Dublin, Ohio-based, quick-service burger company also announced the promotion of Mary Greenlee to senior vice president of U.S. operations.

Related: Wendy’s signs development deals for Republic of Ireland, Romania

“These appointments represent the continued evolution of the company’s leadership structure to drive accountability and accelerate growth,” the company said in a statement.

Min will report to Kirk Tanner, Wendy’s president and CEO, and succeeds Wunsch, who was named Wendy’s president in June. Greenlee will report to Abigail Pringle, who serves as Wendy’s president for the U.S.

“I’m pleased to welcome John and Mary to the Wendy’s team,” Tanner said in a statement. “John’s proven track record of managing complex commercial transactions, his extensive background in legal strategy and corporate governance, and his unique global experience will be invaluable as we look to further solidify our development plans.

“Mary brings significant experience managing franchise relationships, generating significant market expansion, and driving innovation from her career in the QSR industry, which align perfectly with our growth pillars,” Tanner said.

Min most recently served as senior vice president, chief legal officer and secretary of Kellanova following the separation of Kellogg Co. into two companies. Min will oversee Wendy’s global legal department, guiding Wendy’s legal strategy and operations as well as managing global risk and compliance functions.

Greenlee will oversee the performance of Wendy’s company and franchise operations to support the brand’s strategic growth initiatives, including continuing to drive the restaurant economic model and building out the company’s U.S. footprint.

“This is an exciting opportunity to join an iconic brand,” Min said in a statement.

Wendy’s has more than 7,000 restaurants worldwide.

Contact Ron Ruggless at [email protected]

Follow him on X/Twitter: @RonRuggless

 





Dr. Praeger’s Appoints Anita Gogia as Chief Financial Officer

Health-focused frozen food manufacturer Dr. Praeger’s announced Anita Gogia as chief financial officer.

“I’m thrilled to welcome Anita to the team,” says Andy Reichgut, CEO of Dr. Praeger’s. “Her deep financial expertise along with her proven ability to drive results and build high-performing teams will be strong assets to us. We are confident that Anita will play a significant role in our business going forward as we drive category growth with exciting, disruptive innovation.”

The company says that Gogia brings a wealth of experience from both public and private equity-backed companies in the consumer-packaged goods and distribution industries. She has demonstrated leadership in areas such as corporate and brand financial planning and analysis, sales finance, supply chain finance, mergers and acquisitions, and innovation finance.

Prior to joining Dr. Praeger’s, Gogia served as senior vice president of financial planning & analysis at Imperial Dade, where she spent more than five years. Before that, she held various finance leadership roles during her almost 30-year tenure at  CPG companies such as Kraft Foods, PepsiCo and Pinnacle Foods (acquired by Conagra Brands). Gogia holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from the New York University Stern School of Business. 

“I am excited to join Dr. Praeger’s at such a pivotal moment in its journey,” says Gogia. “The company’s strong vision, innovative approach and commitment to growth are incredibly inspiring. I look forward to applying my experience and collaborating with the talented team to drive continued success and long-term value creation for the brand.”




SCHOTT Debuts New Ceramic Cooktop Glass That Can Double as Full Color Video Display

Tired of boring black-glass cooktops?

How about a cooktop that provides video cooking guides, color images, and more? That’s the idea behind SCHOTT’s new CERAN Luminoir TFT (thin film transistor) display.

At last week’s IFA conference in Germany, SCHOTT announced a new TFT display technology that enabled a full-color touch screen to display high-fidelity video and images. This is a big deal for cooktop manufacturers, who, alongside their customers, typically embrace the sleek black aesthetics of glass-ceramic surfaces. However, using any integrated display would normally mean sacrificing the dark black display associated with high-end ceramic cooktops, as black glass tends to absorb light, making display integration challenging.

However, SCHOTT says they solved this issue by optimizing light and color transmission through the glass-ceramic substrate, enabling the integration of high-resolution TFT displays while maintaining a deep black appearance when the display is off. This allows for the “dead front” effect, which keeps the cooking surface looking clean and like a typical high-end cooktop when not in use, but enabling a multicolor display when activated.

You can see the SCHOTT CERAN Luminoir TFT on display in the video below:

Could this mean the cooktop surface itself has entered that chat as the preferred video display in the kitchen? Maybe, but it’s early. Over the past decade, various appliance and system manufacturers have jockeyed to position their preferred platform as the primary video display of choice in the kitchen. There was Amazon with its digital assistants, GE Appliances with its video-enabled built-in microwave oven, and Samsung pushing its Family Hub fridge with its large digital displays in the door. However, no one has really pushed the cooktop, mostly because the dark-black ceramic surfaces did not make for very good digital displays.

At least until now. We’ll keep an eye on this space to see if any cooktop makers move to integrate this technology and push their ceramic cooktops to become multimedia hubs. At the very least, expect some appliance brands to use this technology to offer visually rich touch-screen user interfaces, and most likely some of these will be on display by this time next year at IFA.




DSV to acquire Schenker | coldchainnews.com

Hedehusene, Denmark: Fast-growing Danish freight forwarder DSV is to acquire DB Schenker from Deutsche Bahn in a deal worth €14.3bn ($15.8bn).

The acquisition will be the biggest by a Danish company and, according to DSV, skyrocket it above DHL Logistics and Swiss group Kuehne+ Nagel in both volume and revenue, but will still only give the group between 6% and 7% of a highly fragmented global logistics market.

“In addition to greater reach and better opportunities to serve its customers, the acquisition strengthens DSV’s platform for growth and the development of a more sustainable and digital transport and logistics industry,” says a statement from DSV.

Jens H Lund, group chief executive of DSV, said: “This is a transformative event in DSV’s history, and we are very excited to join forces with Schenker. With the acquisition we bring together two strong companies, creating a world-leading transport and logistics powerhouse that will benefit our employees, customers and shareholders.”

“By adding Schenker’s competencies and expertise to our existing network, we improve our competitiveness across all three divisions: Air & Sea, Road, and Solutions. As well as enhancing our commercial platform across DSV, the acquisition will provide our customers with even higher service levels, innovative and seamless solutions and flexibility to their supply chains.”

Jochen Thewes, chief executive at Schenker, said: “DB Schenker is one of the most powerful and innovative teams in transportation and logistics with more than 150 years of experience. The recent years have been the most successful in our company’s history and we have proven that DB Schenker is fit for the future. Together with DSV, our goal is to transform the industry and build a truly global market leader with joint European roots for the best of our employees and our customers.”

In 2019 DSV completed the acquisition of Swiss logistics group Panalpina, creating the world’s fourth largest freight-forwarding company.

Completion of the transaction is expected in Q2 2025.




Port of Long Beach ready for potential East Coast strike cargo diversions

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Dive Brief:

  • The Port of Long Beach is equipped to handle an uptick in cargo if a labor strike at the East and Gulf Coast ports occur, CEO Mario Cordero said in a press conference on Thursday.
  • Cordero said lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic and data and operations developments have put the San Pedro Bay port complex in “good” position to meet shipper expectations.
  • “Our terminal operators are also prepared to flex their gate hours as necessary and our overflow site — our [Short Term Overflow Resource yard] facility at Pier S — is open and has available capacity,” COO Noel Hacegaba said. The STOR facility opened in 2020 to streamline cargo movements during peak season.

Dive Insight:

The Port of Long Beach saw cargo volumes rise 34% in August and is prepared to handle additional capacity if needed, port executives said during a Thursday press conference.

“We are handling just as much cargo as we did in 2021 and 2022 but without any of the backlogs, delays or congestion that characterized the pandemic-induced supply chain crisis,” Hacegaba said at the press conference.

Total cargo volumes processed at the port reached 913,873 total TEUs as retailers moved cargo ahead of tariff increases and potential labor strife at East and Gulf Coast ports.

Negotiations between the International Longshoremen’s Association and the United States Maritime Alliance remain halted as the two sides continue to disagree about port automation as a Sept. 30 contract expiration date nears. The union recently shared a strike mobilization plan with its members during wage scale meetings on Sept. 5, gesturing toward a possible strike.

Cargo volumes by the numbers

Container volumes processed at the Port of Long Beach in August 2024

The Port of Long Beach’s container terminals are currently at 74% capacity, with container dwell times at four to eight days.

“We’re prepared for the uptick in shipments and continued growth through the rest of the year with a dedicated waterfront workforce, modern infrastructure and plenty of capacity across our terminals,” Cordero said.

Correction: This article was updated to attribute a quote to COO Noel Hacegaba, which was previously misattributed.




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