UK: 3663 improves quality of fresh offer with Muddy Boots
Swithenbank fresh and fine foods, part of 3663, a leading foodservice company in the UK, identified a requirement within the business to automate the work of the Product Quality Inspection (PQI) team and improve supplier management processes and relationships. The objective was to electronically record the receipt of goods arriving into its Swithenbank centres and, through detailed specifications, grade the quality of a product through the use of a traffic light system.
Subsequently, in 2011, the company selected Greenlight Quality Control (QC) from Muddy Boots Software, leaders in quality assurance solutions for sustainable food and farming, to embrace mobile working and capture data on the go.
The initiative has been pivotal in improving productivity and workflow across the company’s supply chain and delivering produce of a consistently high standard. As a result, Swithenbank has more than halved the intake rejection rate on its fresh produce lines that are quality checked using Muddy Boots’ Greenlight Quality Control software.
When issues do arise, an automatic alert is sent to the supplier, allowing them to arrange collection or replace their stock at the point of rejection. Not only does this process save time and money for the supplier, but it also dramatically improves supplier / PQI relationships through the use of a standardised quality control process.
The Greenlight QC technology from www.muddyboots.com, a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner, ensures consistency in the measurement of product quality attributes. The paperless smart mobile technology software captures and processes information at the point of input, delivering clear, concise and immediate results.
Hilary Owen, QA Executive from 3663 discusses the new contract with Muddy Boots Software;
“Product quality is vital for our customers and a major focus within our business. The Greenlight Quality Control software was implemented to manage the quality and consistency of our fresh produce, reduce waste and establish a unified understanding of our QC standards amongst all of our suppliers.
“Members of staff are now able to use a robust handheld device, which is compatible with tough warehouse conditions, to automatically capture data, without the need to duplicate information. This has dramatically reduced the time we spend on reporting and has significantly improved the availability of information for the business”
Adrian Talbot, Senior Account Manager at Muddy Boots Software talks about the partnership with Swithenbank and 3663;
“We are delighted to be working alongside 3663 to implement a quality control solution across their Swithenbank fresh and fine food centres. It’s really exciting to see the value the data is delivering the business from operational day-to-day decision making, to management data that trends qualitative performance over time and supports decision making. This data will impact the future direction of the business.”
For more information:
Emma Stockley
Muddy Boots
Te: +44 (0)1989 780540
e.stockley@muddyboots.com
www.muddyboots.com