8 Things to Look For in a Food Distribution Warehouse Providers
Food logistics can present big challenges and it requires considerate planning to manage all the food distribution. Fortunately, these days there are food distribution warehouse providers that contribute a lot to the successful management of the whole food logistics. If you are on the lookout for the best food distribution warehouse providers, then you have landed at the right place. Here we will guide you on what all to look for in an ideal food warehouse provider. However, before we jot down the features you should look for in a food distribution warehouse provider, it is a better idea to know what is included in the food logistics.
One of the major tasks in food logistics is temperature and climate control. Failing to manage these two aspects would mean devastating consequences. This is because food quality can deteriorate if food warehouses fail to maintain strict temperature levels required to keep the food fresh.
Ambient – It is the natural temperature of the warehouse
Air-Conditioned – It can be defined as a temperature between 56F and 75F.
Refrigerated – It can be defined as a temperature between 33F and 55F.
Cold/Frozen – Any temperature that is below 32F.
Some Additional Food Logistics Terms:-
Climate-controlled storage – In climate-controlled storage, the humidity of the space is regulated along with temperature control. Warehouse controllers use humidifiers/dehumidifiers along with other types of equipment to make sure humidity levels don’t fall below or above the required levels.
Temperature mapping – This process involves recording the temperatures in different areas of warehouse space. Some warehouse providers do temperature mapping multiple times in a year.
Temperature monitoring – It is rather more focused on day-to-day temperature measurements. This involves quick checking and monitoring of temperatures across the warehouse.
Lot Control – There are so many products that share the same features such as the date of manufacturing and the date of expiring. Warehouse management gives these lot numbers to such products when they receive the products. It is done for the quick identification of these items.
Food safety plan – According to the food safety modernization act, food producers are required to have a food safety plan that would focus on minimizing the risk of food contamination. A food safety plan should include the following:
Preventive control to address potential problems
Plan for the management of preventive controls.
What should you know before choosing food distribution warehouse providers?
Now it is time for you to ask some questions before you finally decide on food distribution warehouse providers.
Can they support multiple temperature ranges?
You need to make sure that the warehouse providers are capable of providing specific temperature ranges that are compatible with the food storage requirements. Some food warehouse providers are capable of handling all the temperature ranges within the same facility. This can be achieved using physical segregation measures along with the help of technology such as warehouse management systems (WMS).
Type of temperature monitoring system that they have
As mentioned earlier, products need to be maintained within the temperature requirements. It is also absolutely important that those temperatures are maintained all the time. This is possible only with the help of a strong internal monitoring system to check the temperature levels 24/7.
What happens if temperatures go out of range?
If the temperature controllers show some temperatures to be out of range, then you should know that 3PL is on the case.
Do they control and monitor both humidity and temperature?
You wouldn’t want to risk the integrity of your food products so you need to make sure that the food distribution warehouse providers offer climate-controlled warehousing and not only temperature-controlled warehousing.
Presence of warehouse management system (WMS)
The warehouse management system is a technology that your providers should offer. It is an automated system that performs functions such as inventory management and picks and packs eCommerce functions. These days many warehouse providers are capable of offering bonus services such as customized stock rotation(FIFO, FEFO), UCC- 128 label support, eCommerce platforms (Shopify), and custom reporting on key metrics.
Do they ensure compliance with FSMA, GMP, and other regulations?
Your food distribution warehouse providers need to comply with Food Safety and Modernization Act (FSMA) and good manufacturing practices (GMP). Also, they are supposed to meet your company requirements only then it will be an ideal warehouse provider for you.
Does their warehousing operation undergo external audits?
Before your personal inspection, many large warehouse service providers might have undergone external audits. You can check if they have already been inspected by big organizations such as the American Institute of Banking (AIB). AIB is a reputed organization that is trusted by many logicians to know about warehouse safety and standards.
The search for the best food distribution warehouse provider shall end when you find the warehouse provider that fulfills all the above requirements. LGOA is one of the emerging food distribution warehouse providers that are capable of fulfilling all the above requirements. Therefore, if you are looking for some providers that can provide you with a warehousing facility by ensuring all the safety measures and standards and that too at a reasonable cost, then LGOA is the best fit for you. Feel free to contact us for any help related to logistics management.
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