Streamlining Product Withdrawal Resolution with FoodLogiQ's New Recall + Response Functionality

The food and beverage manufacturing industry is no stranger to the commonality of product removals and withdrawals. On the contrary, leading food manufacturers and distributors execute and respond to product removal and recall events on a frequent basis – often several times a day. In addition, research shows that recalls in the U.S. have risen over the past decade. According to a report released by the Public Interest Research Group (PIRG), the total number of food recalls in the U.S. increased by 10% between 2013 and 2018. Meat and poultry incidents rose by 67% during this time frame, and Class I recalls of meat and poultry increased by 83%.

At the same time, recalls are costly, averaging $10 million in direct costs, not including indirect costs such as litigation costs, lost sales, fines and brand damage. And consumers expect food companies to resolve recalls and withdrawals quickly and efficiently. According to a FoodLogiQ survey of more than 2,000 respondents, consumers expressed that they expect food companies to resolve recalls within 1 to 2 days. In addition, 87% of consumers are more likely to purchase from companies that manage recalls honestly and responsibly.

As a result, it is essential for enterprise food manufacturers and distributors to develop strategies for straightforward, immediate and cost-effective product removal management. FoodLogiQ’s Recall + Response solution enables food brands to manage these events swiftly and effectively, reducing recall resolution risk and cost. Expanding off of current functionality, our Winter 2021 Release introduces new features that make product removal execution and resolution easier, more efficient and accessible across the supply chain. 

Initiate a Product Withdrawal Directly from CSV

With FoodLogiQ’s most recent release comes the exciting new ability to initiate a product removal or withdrawal via a CSV import containing product, location and contact data. With this new functionality, manufacturers and distributors can seamlessly import key data surrounding affected product(s) – at the batch-lot level – and take immediate action to resolve the withdrawal event. Through the CSV import, users can upload additional data surrounding the product removal or withdrawal, such as the number of units affected, impacted locations, date range and contacts requiring notification. 

The import function eliminates the need to replicate master product, order and contact data from existing systems, such as product lifecycle management (PLM) or order management system (OMS) softwares, to FoodLogiQ Connect. Furthermore, the platform identifies and notifies users of any data errors that arise upon import, upholding data consistency and accuracy. 

Once this data is uploaded to FoodLogiQ Connect, users can initiate the withdrawal, using pre-configured messaging templates for phone, text and email communications, as well as automatic escalation, as needed. Then, follow the product removal process across the supply chain via a real-time dashboard, and monitor responses by location and contact. 

This new functionality provides a streamlined method for data entry into Recall + Response, and empowers food manufacturers and distributors to take immediate action on withdrawal events. As a result, it’s easier for food brands to get up and running quickly, and to withdraw affected product in minimal time – to maximize savings.

Expanded Withdrawal Response

In addition to the novel ability to initiate a product withdrawal utilizing a CSV import, FoodLogiQ has also expanded response capabilities as part of our Winter 2021 Release. When executing or responding to a withdrawal, it’s essential to have access to accurate and precise product data, communicate with partners across the supply chain, and allow these individuals to acknowledge and respond to the event. Building off of current Recall + Response functionality, this release introduces the ability for contacts outside of FoodLogiQ Connect to receive withdrawal notifications, and respond to product removal and withdrawal events.

As a result, partners throughout the supply chain can acknowledge and communicate actions taken to resolve an issue without having to register or log in to FoodLogiQ Connect. This enables partners like suppliers, distributors, operators and retailers to successfully withdraw, hold or remove affected product, and communicate actions taken with ease. 

With this expanded functionality, consumer packaged goods (CPG) manufacturers can streamline product removal response, ensuring action is taken in less time and with minimal setup. Furthermore, data surrounding a withdrawal event, including the actions taken to reach its resolution, is centralized and consolidated in one location. The latter ensures that food brands have a reliable record for internal and regulatory compliance reasons, as well as for iterative purposes.

Experience New Functionality Live

The new features delivered with FoodLogiQ’s recent release enhance Recall + Response functionality and further streamline the product withdrawal process across the supply chain. To see this new Recall + Response functionality in action, schedule a custom mock product removal with a FoodLogiQ expert.