May 20, 2009
Leading Table Grape Shippers Roll out Traceability with HarvestMark®
Divine Flavor/Grupo Alta, Pandol Bros., Stevco and Sun World
to bring traceable grape clamshells to retail
Redwood City, Calif. - May 20, 2009- YottaMark,
Inc., the leader in produce traceability solutions, today announced
that its HarvestMark® solution has been selected by leading table
grape shippers including Pandol Bros., Stevco, Sun World, and
Divine Flavor/Grupo Alta. Table grapes from California and Mexico
in HarvestMark-enabled clamshells will hit select retail locations
beginning in May and will continue through the season. In addition
to item-level traceability, Divine Flavor/Grupo Alta and Sun World
will also deploy the HarvestMark PTI solution to comply with the
requirements of the Produce Traceability Initiative for case
labeling.
"Traceability has always played a pivotal role in our food safety
program," said Steven L. Gilfenbain, owner and CEO of Stevco, Inc.
"Now with HarvestMark, we are extending our efforts and bringing
trace-back capability to our clamshells to ensure that we continue
to meet and exceed the standards of our customers, as well as
consumers that buy and enjoy our high quality brands of table
grapes everyday."
Each table grape clamshell will carry a unique HarvestMark
traceability code, which links to specific harvest and packing
information of that clamshell. The codes can be entered at
HarvestMark.com for instant access to product and traceability
information, bringing new food safety and quality tools to buyers,
and connecting the consumer with the farmer and the harvest.
Through the HarvestMark portal, consumers can learn more about the
specific brand of grapes, as well as obtain valuable marketing
information such as coupons, recipes and consumer feedback surveys.
"Effective trace-back systems and timely communication across the
supply chain are critical needs in our industry," said Pedro Batiz,
vice president of sales, Divine Flavor. "The deployment of the
HarvestMark solution has enabled us to address these challenges and
bring new value to our retail customers and consumers."
HarvestMark is the leading traceability solution for fresh
produce. The HarvestMark solution complies with the Produce
Traceability Initiative (PTI) and meets the requirements of retail
buyers. With HarvestMark, shippers can deliver on-demand access to
harvest, distribution, quality, and food safety information, when
and where it's needed. HarvestMark is in use today by dozens of
produce growers and shippers across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico
who have chosen the solution to easily deploy effective
traceability across a wide range of produce products.
"Pandol is currently an active participant within the industry
on Global Traceability Initiatives," said Tristan Kieva, director
of business development and marketing, Pandol Bros. "We see
HarvestMark as an added element to our already well-rounded
program."
"With HarvestMark, growers and shippers are incorporating new
levels of speed and efficiency into their food safety programs, and
delivering on-demand access to valuable product information," said
J. Scott Carr, president and CEO, YottaMark. "We are excited that
HarvestMark was selected as the traceability platform of choice for
these leading grape producers, and we look forward to working
together to launch their respective traceability initiatives and
help enlighten, educate and inform those who are interested in
learning more about their produce items."
To learn more about HarvestMark, visit www.HarvestMark.com or call 1-866-76-TRUST (or
+1.650.264.6200).
About YottaMark, Inc.
YottaMark, Inc. specializes in product traceability and
authentication solutions that deliver valuable business
intelligence when and where it's needed. Leading companies in the
fresh foods, electronics and consumer goods industries rely on
YottaMark's robust traceability platform to conduct precise trace
back, enhance communication, and increase security in their supply
chain.
HarvestMark®, the fresh food traceability solution
from YottaMark, is the industry's fastest growing traceability
application. To date, nearly 250 million produce items are enabled
with HarvestMark Codes to speed response to suspected recall events
and deliver on-demand product information throughout the supply
chain, all the way to the consumer.
Designed for field- and line-packed produce, HarvestMark is a
complete traceability solution and is fully compatible with GS1
standards and the Produce Traceability Initiative (PTI). It
accommodates a wide range of workflows with an open platform for
seamless integration with existing systems. HarvestMark supports a
variety of packaging formats making it quick to deploy with no
interruption to business operations.
YottaMark is a privately held company headquartered in Redwood
City, Calif. More information can be found at www.YottaMark.com and www.HarvestMark.com.
Press contact:
Miz Nakajima
mnakajima@YottaMark.com
503-997-6045
