By: Daniel Triot, Senior Director, FMI-GMA Trading Partner Alliance

Technology continues to evolve, and it’s impacting every aspect of today’s supply chain. Though it’s propelling the efficiencies of supply chains forward, it’s also demanding enhanced collaboration between suppliers and retailers to deliver improved business practices. As more companies evaluate supply chain initiatives to better meet the needs of consumers living in a digital world, it’s imperative that trading partners come together to engage in a synergistic supply chain transformation. The 2017 Supply Chain Conference offers trading partners the opportunity to collaborate, explore and discuss key areas of the supply chain: fresh foods, transportation, regulatory, supply chain optimization and plenty of supply chain insights:

 1. Fresh Foods: Today, many fresh produce cases are labeled with barcoded case labels that adhere to standards outlined in the Produce Traceability Initiative (PTI). Traceability labeling initiatives are quite costly, but it’s an investment in the future of your business. See How to Implement Fresh Produce Traceability and Reduce Operating Costs with Dan Vache, Vice President, Supply Chain Management, United Fresh Produce Association and Ed Treacy, Vice President, Supply Chain Efficiencies, Produce Marketing Association.

2. Transportation: How can a transportation strategy transform a supply chain? Can the exchange of data between trading partners bring more efficient storage? Find out the answers during the Modernizing the Supply Chain Through Enhanced Visibility and Operational Efficiency session. 

3. Regulatory: In 2016, the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) expanded the regulation of food safety. As the regulatory environment continues to rapidly change, how does the food industry meet regulations while keeping industry costs low? Learn more about regulatory compliances in The Regulatory Environment: Making Sense of it All session. 

4. Supply Chain Optimization: On-shelf availability is not a new challenge for trading partners, but it is still not meeting customer expectations. Through the year, FMI/GMA Trading Partner Alliance (TPA) has worked to bridge retailers and manufacturers in implementing end to end supply chain visibility. Learn more in the On Shelf Availability – From Insights to Action session.

5. Supply Chain Insight: Arguably, there's no greater change affecting supply chain strategy than the advancements of technology. As more shoppers use e-commerce sites and mobile apps to purchase and consume food, supply chains will need to adapt to meet shoppers’ expectations. What will a digitized supply chain look like? See what the future holds in Supply Chain 4.0: Are You Ready to Digitize Your Supply Chain?

The 2017 Supply Chain Conference will be April 30 – May 2, 2017, in San Diego, CA. Register by January 31, 2017, and receive $100 off your registration fees with our Early Bird Special. Go ahead - catch that worm!