Food & Beverage

With Competition from Other Low-cost nations, Whither Mexico's Maquiladoras?

October 31, 2013

When Mexico set up the first maquiladoras half a century ago, they were sweatshops that simply bolted or stitched together imported parts, then exported the assembled product north across the border to the United States. America got cheap goods; Mexico got jobs and export revenues. Now, with competition growing from other low-cost locations, and with the government cutting some of their tax breaks, the maquiladoras are having to step up their efforts to become innovative.

Carrier Transicold Offers Power-Saving Mode for Container Reefer Units

October 30, 2013

Carrier Transicold

Carrier Transicold is now offering a Quest II power-saving mode for its container-refrigeration units.

Brazilian Grocer Uses RFID to More Accurately Weigh Fish, Other Products in Its Cold Chain

October 30, 2013

RFID Journal

Grupo PÃ£o-de-AÃ§Ãºcar (GPA) has found an RFID solution to a problem that previously affected both logistics and accounting for its PÃ£o-de-AÃ§Ãºcar and Extra supermarket chains. The distribution of fish, as well as other products in its cold chain, presents significant challenges for the retailer. After all, fish do not have identical weights, and businesses work with average values per unit, resulting in differences between what theoretically was delivered to a store, what was really sold and the expected revenue generated by marketing.

HighJump Partners With AdvancePro, Unisun Software

October 29, 2013

HighJump Software Inc.

The TrueCommerce EDI Solutions Group of HighJump Software Inc. is partnering with Unisun Software, a provider of produce-inventory management and accounting software for packers, growers and shippers.

FDA Steps Up Regulations on Pet Food, Animal Feed Production

October 29, 2013

The New York Times

The Food and Drug Administration proposed rules on Friday that would govern the production of pet food and farm animal feed for the first time. The regulation would help prevent food-borne illness in both animals and people, officials at the agency said, as people can become sick from handling contaminated animal food and from touching pets that have eaten it.

What Does Walmart Do With All the Merchandise Returned After the Holiday Buying Season?

October 28, 2013

The City Wire

While much is being written about expected holiday sales, the flip side of retail returns is also an interesting business, with consumers returning about $264bn worth of merchandise, or almost 9 percent of total sales, according to industry estimates. But, what happens to all that unwanted or defective merchandise that doesn't make it back on the retailer shelf?

SKU Proliferation: Is There a Cure for the Disease?

October 28, 2013

Robert J. Bowman, SupplyChainBrain

Retail marketers love complexity. The more variations of a product they can sell, the happier they are. How else can they command all that shelf real estate in big-box stores? How else can they promote innovation? And how else can they drive their supply-chain managers crazy?

Hershey Company Continues Its Zero-Waste-to-Landfill Initiative

October 25, 2013

The Hershey Company

The Hershey Company says two more of its plants have achieved zero-waste-to-landfill (ZWL) status. With the addition of the Y&S Plant in Lancaster, Pa., and the Robinson Plant in Robinson, Ill., The Hershey Company now has six U.S. plants that no longer dispose routine waste into landfills. Moreover, it has exceeded its goal to convert five plants to ZWL by 2015 well ahead of schedule.

Same-day Delivery Grows - Just in Time for the Holidays

October 25, 2013

Storefront Backtalk

It seems that all major U.S. retailers - whether they are traditional, brick-and-mortar operations or Web-based - are stepping up their same-day delivery services and fulfillment systems before this holiday season. The move not only helps them extend the holiday shopping season by a few days, but also caters to busy holiday shoppers who don't have time to grab groceries for holiday parties or family meals.

Settlement Reached in Case Involving Toxin Found in Chinese-Made Hand Tools

October 25, 2013

Chanler Group

The Chanler Group, an environmental law firm, reached a settlement on behalf of its client with a Chinese manufacturer of products alleged to contain a reproductive toxin, commonly known as DEHP. This is reportedly the first time that California's Proposition 65, or any American consumer protection statute, has been used as a basis for international prosecution. The Chanler Group and its clients expect this to be the beginning of a new trend, where overseas manufacturers are held accountable for the products they provide for American consumers.