IBM and iFoodDS announced iFoodDS Trace Exchange, a tech-enabled traceability solution to help companies across the food supply chain address the FDA's Food Traceability Rule, FSMA 204(d).
"Having been there at its inception, I believe IBM and iFoodDS working together can accelerate the creation of safer, more efficient, and transparent food supply chains that result in shared value for all participants," says Frank Yiannas, food safety leader, food system futurist and newly appointed board member at iFoodDS. "The joint solution can address the needs of large enterprises and suppliers of all sizes, connecting supply chains to enable continued business success and transparency that protects brands and consumers."
"We're seeing incredible momentum in tech-enabled traceability adoption as the FDA's deadline for FSMA 204 approaches," says Christina Shim, global head of product management and strategy, IBM Sustainability Software. "By collaborating with iFoodDS, we can provide even more help to enterprise clients and their trading partners as they work to become FSMA compliant and can take a major step toward the industry's goal of creating a safer, transparent, and sustainable food supply chain."
"We look forward to growing our collaboration with IBM to help enterprise clients and their suppliers meet the FSMA 204 mandate and move their businesses forward," says Scott Mathews, CEO, iFoodDS. "By combining iFoodDS' FSMA 204 data capture capabilities and industry knowledge with IBM's secured, scalable, and interoperable traceability platform, enterprises can get a fast path to compliance. We encourage businesses to invest in traceability not just for compliance, but also for the competitive advantage they can gain by leveraging data and insights."
Key takeaways:
- The solution combines the scalability and interoperability of the IBM Sterling Supply Chain Intelligence Suite and the IBM Food Trust Network with iFoodDS' traceability applications and innovative food industry, regulatory, and technical expertise.
- The joint solution is powered by the IBM Sterling Supply Chain Intelligence Suite and iFoodDS Trace Exchange and will allow companies to join and share data on the IBM Food Trust network. The IBM Sterling Supply Chain Intelligence Suite facilitates data sharing via the IBM Food Trust network, which is compatible with the GS1 standards. iFoodDS Trace Exchange gives clients access to purpose-built FSMA 204 data capture applications and methods, FSMA 204 compliance expertise, network dashboards, and a seamless onboarding experience.
- The FSMA 204 compliance deadline is Jan. 20, 2026.
