Agri-Food logistics: 10 mistakes not to make

The supply chain brings together several different aspects, such as the management of input and output flows, stocks, supply, warehouse maintenance, orders or transport. All these elements must be optimized and adapted to the type of flow processed. The food industry is one of the most demanding types of logistics flow.

The logistics of a company operating in the agri-food sector must respect a certain number of rules but also adapt to the requirements of new consumers through the establishment of a fluid and efficient chain. However, some errors can jeopardize the whole process and ruin all the efforts made before.

This is why we offer you a non-exhaustive list of 10 mistakes not to make when managing agri-food logistics.

This article lists errors from our experience that can occur in a supply chain and provides advice on how to avoid them or minimize their consequences.

Mistake #1 - Not giving forecasts

In the context of outsourced or shared logistics, this is one of the most important elements, even the most important because without available space, your logistician will not be able to take your goods. It is therefore very important to anticipate the flow of goods for the proper management of the food warehouse.

Mistake #2 - Not considering the importance of packaging

If it is one of the essential components of the marketing mix, the packaging should not only be used to attract customers to the end of the gondola. He must also take into account the characteristics of the product (its fragility for example) so as not to add constraints to handling, to avoid breakage (the cost of which can be significant) or additional packaging costs during preparation. of orders.

Error n°3 - Not taking into account the constraints of the authorities (customs or DGCCRF)

Let us take for example the mention of origin, which is a compulsory mention in certain cases. The consumer information rules on agri-food products are governed by Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011. These rules are different depending on the method of packaging or presentation of the foodstuffs (pre-packaged or not).

Mistake #4 - Not choosing the right palette

Indeed, the weight of the goods has an influence on the quality of the wooden support to be adopted. For the sake of economy, some might be tempted to favor “light” pallet supports that are unsuitable for heavy products. The consequences can be many:

• On the safety aspect: racking the product can be dangerous for the operator, whether in the warehouse of departure or arrival.
• On the breakage aspect and the commercial impact: light pallets do not withstand more than 500 kg of goods and your products will arrive damaged if the weight is not respected. If this is recurrent, there will necessarily be a commercial impact.
• On the transport aspect: if the carrier finds that the pallet support is not suitable for the goods, then he may refuse to accept the goods.

Mistake #5 - Missing case

Breakage can occur during several stages, in particular when unloading the container if the bulk load has not been correctly “propped up” at the start. When the doors are opened, the products overturn. This will endanger the safety of employees in charge of handling and will also have a strong economic impact, making what has been broken unfit for consumption, not to mention the risk of "glass breakage" if the products are packaged in glass.

Error n°6 - Not taking into account the origin of the goods in the location of the warehouse

This is a point that we had already raised in an article on port establishment but also on the logistics center of Le Havre in particular. These elements are important, in particular to reduce the cost of approaching imported or exported maritime containers.

Mistake #7 - Ignoring Merchandise Incompatibilities

Some products require to be stored in “exclusive” storage conditions and not near products that could contaminate them. This is the case with dried fruits, for example. Here is an excerpt from a customer specification: […] Dried fruits have the ability to very easily absorb all kinds of aromas and odors that modify their taste and flavor. It is imperative that dried fruits are stored separately from spices, fresh fruits, strong-smelling fresh vegetables (onion, garlic) or any other fragrant products (tyres)[…].

Mistake #8 - Disregarding recommended temperatures

It is imperative to respect the temperatures recommended by the supplier / producer. We regularly refuse imported products in dry containers (dry – at room temperature) which contain boxes stating “store in a warehouse between 5°C and 15°C”. Failure to comply with these instructions leads, for example, to infestations of certain pests. In particular the nut moth. These infestations can quickly spread throughout the stock. This is why compliance with this instruction is essential.

Error n°9 - Not taking into account the importance of the reception / shipping area in its implementation project

Wrongly, in logistics, we often tend to maximize the storage area and minimize the reception and shipping areas, which are essential to the proper use of a logistics file.

Mistake #10 - Not using WMS

The WMS is essential for the traceability or segregation of products, for example. In the context of organic certification, the use of the WMS makes it possible to justify the location of the goods and their correct location taking into account the obligations of the certification.

These are just a few examples of mistakes to avoid in order to better manage your supply chain, especially in the food industry. If you would like to know more about the errors already encountered in the context of our activity, do not hesitate to contact our teams!