The Grape Hub Europe was founded in 2014. Its main aim was to better represent South African grape growers on the European market. This Dutch company doesn't only represent South African grape farmers. It also does business for Indian and Egyptian grape growers. They also work closely with farmers from Chile, Peru, and Spain.
"Grapes are a very sensitive product," says the Grape Hub's Jurgen Smith. "We want to get these grapes to store shelves in the best possible condition. So, each shipment must be handled with the greatest care. After harvesting, the fruit's packed on location. Then the 18-day journey to Europe begins. We take the last steps when it arrives at our warehouse in s-Gravenzande. We then send them out to retailers."
A vineyard in South Africa
Digital solution
The final step's in the Dutch warehouse. Here, the GS1 standard and corresponding barcode printouts (SSCC) come into play. GS1's a coding standard used by retailers in the logistics processes and systems. Jurgen realized labeling had to be done faster and tried to find a digital solution.
The GS1 standard also helps meet retailers' demands. "Labelling the pallets is a crucial step," explains Jurgen. "After all, the big DCs use these labels to manage their stock. So, that shouldn't go wrong. In our search for a possible pallet labeling solution, we came across Type 2 Solutions (T2S). We decided to contact them."
The Grape Hub's grapes SSCC label
GS1
Type 2 Solutions is a GS1 standard implementation partner. They help implement this system at businesses. The company also offers digital software solutions. This is to make the labeling more user-friendly. "A company can link to GS1 and get a globally unique code," says Judith de Witte of Type 2 Solutions.
"You can use these barcode series to identify items (GTIN) and pallets (SSCC). These code series are used to send electronic messages (EDI) too. We help businesses with advice and user-friendly software solutions. With our approach, this is quickly arranged. It can be up and running within two days."
"T2S organized a quick GS1 standard training session for us. They clearly explained, step by step, how the software works," says Jurgen. "We could get started within an hour of this training." The Grape Hub now uses the T2S: Palletlabel SSCC label management program. "We're delighted with it. T2S helps us quickly if we have issues with the program. They give us the correct information too. The partnership's going well," concludes Jurgen.
For more information:
Judith de Witte
Type 2 Solutions
Tel: +31 (0) 180 545 151
Mob: +31 (0) 621 268 961
Email: Judith.de.witte@t2s.nl
Website: www.palletlabel.nl
Jurgen Smith
The Grape Hub Europe
Tel: +31 (0) 174 820 992
Email: Js@thegrapehub.eu
Website: www.thegrapehub.eu