ReposiTrak Inc. is offering a new technology platform to address chronic imbalances in the food supply chain caused by the COVID-19 crisis. The online platform, FoodSourceUSA, will facilitate the identification and redistribution of excess perishable food products that are currently going to waste due to dramatically reduced foodservice sector volume, while serving the growing number of food-insecure communities around the country.
ReposiTrak is providing the FoodSourceUSA sourcing platform to create visibility to excess inventory, process orders and deliver shipment information to government agencies who will manage logistics and delivery. Stakeholders in the system include providers of fresh meat, produce and dairy products, food banks, pantries and charitable groups serving those in need, along with a network of government agencies that will reimburse the providers fairly to create a sustainable supply chain.
“What we are seeing is absolutely tragic as the providers of fresh food products are dumping milk and plowing under crops while people in our country are worried about their next meal,” says ReposiTrak Chairman and CEO Randy Fields. “The existing food donation networks and supply systems that normally serve food banks and pantries are primarily set up for donations of excess shelf-stable products. In addition to that great work, we urgently need a system to address the perishables sector, where we must provide fair compensation to the suppliers of fresh food items to keep these companies and producers viable for the long run.”
“As one of the largest online networks of suppliers, processors, distributors and retailers in the world, ReposiTrak has the reach and ability to bring the parties to the table, and the proven and highly scalable technology to support this urgent need. So, when we were approached by agencies in the government to see how we could help, we didn’t hesitate to step in and help fill the void,” says Fields.
Pilot tests are currently planned for two states as the network of providers and recipients are being organized by state and federal agencies.
