Use Case
Reducing Waste in Food Distribution with Rebus Analytics.
A large food distribution company faced significant challenges in product rotation and waste management, particularly with fresh produce. The company needed to meet complex client requirements (FIFO, LIFO, freshness grading) across high-volume orders. Tracking product freshness manually led to delayed, once-a-day reporting, resulting in frequent rejected shipments and substantial food waste.
Challenges
Product Waste
High percentage of shipments rejected due to freshness issues, contributing to food waste.
Customer Dissatisfaction
Rejected shipments strained relationships and required costly reshipments.
Inefficiency
Manually analyzing data took a senior resource half the day while still producing outdated reports.
Data Complexity
A massive influx of 1.5 million inventory records every 8 hours challenges real-time accuracy.
Solutions Implemented with Rebus
Real-Time Inventory Tracking
Developed an algorithm that captures inventory status every 15 minutes, allowing for timely insights on product freshness.
Automated Data Processing
Rebus processed over 80 million records every 15 minutes, making data actionable and minimizing manual intervention.
Proactive Response Mechanisms
System notified teams when out-of-freshness pallets were shipped, enabling proactive customer communication and reshipment adjustments.
Visibility & Optimization
Provided detailed data for post-mortem analysis, leading to operational adjustments, including warehouse and WMS process improvements.
ROI and Benefits
Reduced Rejected Shipments
Improved shipment accuracy from 76% to over 95%, resulting in a 20% reduction in rejections.
Increased Efficiency
Data processing time cut from half a day to a 3-minute validation, freeing resources for more strategic work.
Enhanced Customer Satisfaction
Proactive communication and fewer rejections led to improved customer experiences and reduced downtime in supply chains.
Sustainability Impact
The Rebus solution contributed to decreased food waste and lower carbon emissions, aligning with broader environmental goals.
By implementing the Rebus platform, the company achieved greater operational efficiency, reduced food waste, and improved customer satisfaction, showcasing how real-time data and analytics can optimize food distribution processes for better business and environmental outcomes.
