Three Lot Tracking Best Practices For Frozen Food Manufacturers

By Oliver Lamaca, justfoodERP

It’s important for every business to have a clear understanding of what’s coming in and what’s going out in terms of product. However, it’s even more important for businesses that deal with perishable goods to be acutely aware of what’s happening both on a micro and macro level. Strategic lot tracking best practices can go a long way towards making this happen.

Lot tracking is important for manufacturers in many industries, but it’s especially significant in food-related industries. As a frozen food manufacturer or supply chain partner, it’s imperative that you have a comprehensive understanding of lot tracking and how it fits into each of your processes.

Lot tracking is essentially the process of recording information that’s associated with a batch of product. Which information you track is up to you. Based on the lot tracking system you use and the criteria you establish, you can do everything from track several units of a single stock item to actually define statuses that determine when stock items can and cannot be sold. (This latter issue is especially important when dealing with expiration dates).

 Lot tracking is more than likely required under industry safety programs that you participate in, or at the very least, your organization has stipulations that demand certain levels of traceability. With a robust lot tracking system, you can complete highly targeted and accurate unit withdrawals based on tiny isolated issues or widespread problems. It’s this flexibility that makes lot tracking so helpful in overall supply chain visibility.