Albrecht’s Delafield Market automates supplier food traceability as US retailer joins ReposiTrak network

Albrecht’s Delafield Market, a family owned and operated supermarket serving the Lake County community in the US since 1994, has selected the ReposiTrak Traceability Network (RTN) to automate the exchange of traceability data with its suppliers.

The FDA’s FSMA 204 food traceability law requires the exchange of information between supply chain operators to documents a product’s path through the supply chain from its point of origin to its Point of Sale.

Albrecht’s use of RTN aims to simplify the traceability process for the supermarket and its suppliers. 

“Food traceability is the law, and as a single store operation it was especially important for us to make the process as easy as possible for our valued suppliers,” says Family Co-owner of Albrecht’s Delafield Market Jordan Jeanpierre.

“Our suppliers will be able to send the data through RTN each time they send us a shipment. That will add yet another layer of safety to our supply chain and visibility to more information about the products we sell than we’ve ever had before.” 

Food traceability requires the exchange of a complex set of data, referred to by the FDA as “Key Data Elements” or “KDEs.” Some KDEs can be printed on labels, such as the product description, Traceability Lot Code (TLC) and information about where the product was made.

However, some required KDEs are not known at the time that labels are printed and must be sent electronically, every time a shipment is sent. RTN enables KDEs from any source, for any product, to be collected, organised and stored in a retrievable format according to the FSMA 204 food traceability law and the unique requirements of each retailer and wholesaler. 

“It’s so important for retailers and wholesalers to follow the example of Albrecht’s and get started with their food traceability efforts now,” says ReposiTrak Chairman and CEO Randy Fields.

“Our first step will be connecting with each supplier to help locate the required data and get it flowing through RTN. That data will be used to create the complete traceability records needed to meet the requirements of the FDA food traceability law and beyond.”