Mojix launches 'Source', a platform and app that ensures traceability from the first to the last mile

USA | Traceability

The platform not only addresses the transparency of the supply chain with a view to ensuring food safety, but can also achieve CSR objectives and guarantee quality and supplier control, among others.

7/15/2022

Traceability functions of agri-food products from Source, from Mojix.

At the GS1 Connect conference, Mojix introduced Source: the first SaaS platform and app aimed at making first-mile traceability easy and low-cost for any supplier of raw materials, agricultural or otherwise. Source data is linked to the rest of the supply chain, down to the last mile, to enable end-to-end visibility. The multi-company traceability platform was created in the wake of the FDA traceability challenge, but Source's target market for supply chain transparency is not just limited to food safety. Source can help achieve Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) goals and reduce brand risk in virtually any industry through product authentication, quality assurance and supplier monitoring.

Nearly a year after winning the FDA traceability challenge, Mojix, a world leader in item-level intelligence solutions for the supply chain, announced the public launch of its project. Mojix has applied its experience in supply chain management in various sectors to specific problems on the ground in the food industry. The solution was created at the request of food brands, who were soon forced to go beyond “one up, one back” and provide traceability program records within 24 hours of data request3. Source is the result of two years of research and development focused on tracing items back to their origin, for a comprehensive and accurate location of raw materials and ingredients.

The challenge: capture and manage the source data

Manufacturers know their direct suppliers ("one-back") and their direct customers ("one-up"), but supply chain intelligence often stops there. The uncertainty of the data also increases as it is tried to shed light in the previous phases, until the original materials that compose an article. This makes withdrawals and recalls difficult at the national or global level. Combined with partner technologies, Mojix can increase retrieval speeds tenfold by indicating, for example, which distribution centers, warehouses, or restaurants contain certain boxes from a lot number.

The market for raw materials and ingredients in the food industry is fragmented, heterogeneous and often not standardized. The production units are mostly small and medium-sized enterprises with limited technological capabilities. Almost all the data related to the collection, packaging, shipping and storage of the original ingredients is still on paper. And, if they are digitized, they remain isolated: they are not connected to the rest of the information systems of the supply chain.

The app for simplified serialization, tagging and capturing of KDE and/or CTE

The first goal was to make sure that any field worker, regardless of their working conditions, could easily assign a serialized identity to their production with a simple smartphone. The app has been built with encoding capabilities and onboarding features to better understand and automatically access GS1 Standard Batch Codes (EPCIS) and create Universal Establishment Identities (GLNs).

The app requires minimal input from the user and automates all repetitive actions. In addition, it produces standard labels in any format (bar code, QR code, RFID, etc.) that will be used to track the item or batch throughout its life cycle from the very beginning. The app is also equipped with the latest recognition technology to automatically enter the data fields of available documents, such as purchase orders or invoices.

The platform is interoperable and connected to the entire supply chain

Source captures KDEs (Key Data Elements) and CTEs (Critical Tracking Events) at the item or batch level from the first mile and, even better, connects this data with the rest of the supply chain down to the last mile. This creates full visibility of the item and/or batch life cycle.

The IDs that are created for the items/lots and the data associated with these IDs are added and managed within the platform. Source bundles KDEs and relevant CTEs in accordance with US regulatory requirements.

Food brands, QSRs, grocers and distributors concerned about additional recordkeeping requirements with the upcoming Rule 204 simply need to onboard their suppliers so they can automatically produce reporting traceability, in the format required by the authorities and that can be shared with a single click. When a vendor signs up and starts using Source, it defaults to any other potential customer with similar requirements.

Mojix's expertise in supply chain management is the foundation of the SaaS platform's best-in-class "edge-to-cloud" technical architecture, which enables scalability and multi-tenancy, multi-software integrations to ensure that relevant data is shared with stakeholders in real time. Speed is what enables fact-based decision making at the edge, leading to significant ROI up front.

"With Source, we are completing the journey of the article from start to finish, or should I say, from finish to start. We recently implemented traceability in the facilities of a major QSR at the end of the chain, from the warehouse to the restaurant. Today, we will be able to link any of that data to the beginning of the chain. Our teams have traveled uncharted territory to provide end-users, first receivers, brands and suppliers with critical information about the provenance and origin of their batches, data that was previously not available to them. The relevance, adaptability, ease of adoption, and frictionless qualities of Source are extremely compelling. We can't wait to see the impact this innovative solution will have", Dan Doles, CEO of Mojix said.

The item itself becomes the medium

As with any coding technology, the item or batch itself, thanks to its unique and universal code, becomes the bearer of information and serves as a link to the company's information systems. There is no longer a need to rely on transactional documents to trace the type or origin of a lot or item. The lack of intermediation makes the data more reliable and can be accessed in a single click from a single source of information.

All data can be shared, but it is in one place: Source acts as a repository for data related to certification and laboratory tests. With a single click, it is possible to know the history of an establishment (GLN) based on self-tests, external tests and certifications. Input validation rules and workflows can be added to increase data integrity. Lastly, this data can be connected to a blockchain.

A strong potential for brand protection in any sector

Excellence in supply chain management is Source's DNA and regulatory requirements its backbone. However, its best potential is expected to manifest in brand risk management. Public opinion does not distinguish between direct and indirect responsibilities in a health scandal or lack of quality. The brand, as an intangible asset, bears the brunt of the negative consequences in a sometimes very long and complex supply chain.

In addition, in the face of increasingly demanding and environmentally aware consumers, brands from all sectors are signing charters of quality, sustainability and social commitment that force them to monitor their progress. By bringing end-to-end transparency to the supply chain, Source can inform them to help certify their progress, control the provenance of raw materials from their suppliers and, in the longer term, provide the end consumer with more information about the individual item. what are you going to buy.

Mojix

Mojix is a world leader in item-level intelligence solutions for industries such as manufacturing, supply chain, and retail. The company offers item-level traceability solutions thanks to its highly secure, globally scalable, cloud-based SaaS platform. Founded in 2004, the group has extensive experience in the field of serialization technologies such as RFID, NFC and print identification systems. Mojix creates business intelligence from event-triggered actions that track billions of unique identities, following the life cycles of items from source to shelf. Companies can take advantage of this seamlessly integrated data to increase their sales and operational efficiency, reduce significant risk, and improve their customer experience. With offices in the US, Latin America, and Europe, Mojix is now a recognized expert in end-to-end traceability and item-level tracking, product authentication, and automated inventory management.

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