By Jerry Cerand, Strategic Contracting Manager

Produce Safety
If there was a recall tomorrow, how would you know if the spinach in your walk-in refrigerator was safe to use? Questions like this have been on the minds of many chefs and hotel managers lately. Avendra has developed an innovative program to help track produce.
 
Avendra has instituted a Grower Shipper Program through its regional produce distributors to have tighter controls to better ensure fresh food quality. It allows the ability to trace high volume produce as it moves from the grower through regional distribution. This program tightly limits the number of growers that Avendra’s regional distribution network can procure product from, based on their ability to offer a safer, higher quality product with better coding and traceability. Limiting growers allows Avendra to form better relationships with sources, allowing new opportunities for the future.
 
Tracing Product in the Supply Chain
Traceability is key to a safer fresh produce program. This allows a property to limit liability and exposure from recalled products. The Grower Shipper Program is focused on increasing quality and safety of high volume, high risk products. Avendra monitors the regional produce distributors to make sure they are providing the approved labels. Customers can view of list of the Avendra-approved distributors by going to myAvendra.com, on the News for You tab.
 
Food Safety Standards
Avendra works with the Food Safety Leadership Council (FSLC) to address food safety standards for the industry at large. The FSLC's goal over the past few years has been to develop a set of enhanced On-Farm Produce Standards. Avendra inspects and audits the farms of our potential produce suppliers for compliance to these and other industry standards. Avendra’s Quality Assurance team works with suppliers to ensure that they have best practices in place to maintain the safety of their produce. Through this process, Avendra suppliers have the ability to raise produce safety standards to a higher level.
 
Grower Shipper Program Benefits
Avendra customers have access to high quality produce and safe products at competitive prices in addition to limiting their exposure. Knowing who the approved supplier is, gives Avendra greater ability to monitor quality and safety. This improves supply chain safety for Avendra customers.