From 1 January, BerryWorld went live with FreshControl's QC app at its distribution centre in Made. "Our main requirement was that it should generate a clear report for our suppliers, enabling them to improve fruit quality. With growers close by, I can explain that by phone, but we also import a lot of soft fruit every year, and then a clear inspection report has to be sent to growers in Chile or South Africa as well. Growers are paid according to quality, so the report should leave nothing to be desired," says chief inspector Arno Renne.
BerryWorld had been working with the QC system of the Swiss company Agrinorm for the past five years, but when that system stopped functioning, the company had to look for an alternative. "We knew very well what we wanted, as we work with a fairly complex quality system, but it was still quite a search to find a new supplier. Quality systems are popping up everywhere, and one system looks even fancier than the next, but often everything is promised while practice turns out to be more stubborn."
Understanding IT and quality
In its search for a new inspection system, BerryWorld came across FreshControl, and after a Teams meeting, interest was immediately sparked. "You could tell they understood the business, not only IT, but also quality. The connection was there straight away," Arno says. "We had been quite spoiled by Agrinorm's system, so our requirements were high, but FreshControl was able to meet almost all of them. We explained the challenges we were facing, they showed us what they could do, and they delivered on everything."
There was some time pressure, as the first contact took place at the end of October and BerryWorld wanted to go live in January. FreshControl allowed BerryWorld's QC team to explore a demo environment to get a feel for the system. "All you need is an app on your phone where you log in, and you can also access the portal on the computer, where all inspection reports and notifications come together," explains Roland Loykens of FreshControl.
© Berryworld
Testing went smoothly. "We work a lot with Polish employees, and staff turnover can sometimes be high. Then it is important that the app is easy and intuitive to use. We quickly saw that this was the case. The system is simply logical, including the way photos are tagged," Arno says. "We go quite far in calculating quality parameters. That really is next level, and it places high demands on our IT suppliers to translate all of that into an inspection report. I am pleased that FreshControl took this on. We believed they could do it, and they executed it exactly as we wanted."
Combining Dutch products and imports
For FreshControl, the assignment represented an important opportunity. "We knew that if we did this well, we would gain a great customer. FreshControl has now been implemented at several fresh produce companies, including BE Fresh Produce, Harvest House, HillFresh, and Eosta. The experience from those implementations was applied at BerryWorld, where supply from Dutch growers and international import flows come together in one integrated inspection process. The complexity of the requirements confirmed that FreshControl fits well with BerryWorld's organisation and processes."
"We started using FreshControl in 2020, and our system is characterised by its flexibility. We can easily adapt to customer requirements, which is not always the case elsewhere. Often, companies are literally in a straitjacket with their inspection system, with very little room to manoeuvre," Roland continues. "BerryWorld also had requirements that went beyond our standard system, but we were still able to meet them without ending up with customisation."
Measuring shelf life
From the outset, FreshControl's QC app has been designed for use on phones and tablets, both Apple and Android. "Our real strength, however, is that we combine fresh produce and ERP expertise. We have a lot of in-house technical knowledge when it comes to integrations, and that does not work seamlessly with every ERP package," Roland explains. "In addition, FreshControl is continuously expanded with smart innovations in AI and shelf-life monitoring. With this, we are clearly positioning ourselves as a distinctive and innovative player within the fresh produce sector."
Arno Renne of BerryWorld describes himself as a satisfied user. "From the day we went live with FreshControl, it worked well straight away. I am also very satisfied with the communication. Whenever something came up, it was resolved immediately. Acting quickly and finding solutions is how we work internally, and how we like to work with our suppliers as well. It was quite complex to build, but it now works perfectly. Our QC staff only have to count the berries, and a report is generated that the supplier can actually use."
"We want customers to be able to work quickly and efficiently," Roland agrees. "Those are the two pillars on which we built our app. And development does not stand still. We are now fully focused on our shelf-life application and the further rollout of AI. Our focus was mainly on inbound inspection, but we are seeing increasing demand for outbound inspection as well, especially from retail suppliers. We are even working on photo-only inspections, although that is still in its early stages."
Arno responds with a laugh to the innovations. "But first, you need a solid foundation before adding new layers. If the foundation is in place, the rest will follow," he stresses. "We are very confident. Once we have fully completed the implementation here, the intention is to roll out the application to our international sites as soon as possible."
BerryWorld is an exhibitor at the Fruit Logistica in Berlin, Hall 3.2, stand B-50.
© BerryWorldFor more information:
Arno Renne
BerryWorld
Stelvenseweg 9
4921 PL Made
Tel: +31 (0)88 648 2400
[email protected]
https://www.berryworld.com/nl
Roland Loykens
FreshControl
Tel: +31 85 401 59 68
[email protected]
www.freshcontrol.app
