Save A Lot automates food traceability
Save A Lot is making it easier for food suppliers to transmit FDA-required traceability data.
The Missouri-based discount grocery wholesaler, serving approximately 750 independently-owned grocery stores in 32 states, is rolling out the ReposiTrak Traceability Network (RTN) for automated traceability and compliance with the requirements of the Food Safety Modernization Act Section 204 (FSMA 204).
Every time a food shipment is sent to one of Save A Lot’s eight distribution centers, suppliers will be able to transmit U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA)-required traceability data for every impacted lot code.
"We recognized the importance of FSMA 204 to the industry and we were looking for an easy-to-use and affordable solution that works across our total supply chain, from our suppliers all the way through to the independent owners who operate Save A Lot stores," said Save A Lot chief merchandising & marketing officer Trey Johnson. "Traceability is not only an FDA requirement; it’s also part of our ongoing commitment to food safety, regulatory compliance and transparency in our supply chain. We are happy to offer our retail partners ReposiTrak’s efficient and affordable path to compliance."
FSMA 204, enacted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), is designed to prevent foodborne illnesses by strengthening the ability to track and trace food through all stages of the supply chain through the exchange of key data elements among trading partners.
The RTN solution is designed to enable these elements to be collected, organized, stored and retrieved in order to meet the requirements of FSMA 204, which will be mandatory starting in 2026. The solution requires no additional hardware or software and the supplier onboarding process is completely automated. Suppliers can connect to an unlimited number of trading partners and begin sharing data for a single flat fee.
Save A Lot will also make the platform available to its more than 170 independent owners and operators in an effort to provide end-to-end visibility throughout its supply chain. Implementation has begun and is expected to be complete well ahead of the 2026 deadline.
In other efforts to improve supply chain transparency, Save A Lot also utilizes solutions from the AI-based SymphonyAI Retail CPG suite. Specific applications include Master Data Management (MDM), Core Merchandising, Insights, Vendor Portal, and Retail Operations.
"FSMA 204 presents more than a data management problem for wholesalers," said Repositrak chairman and CEO Randy Fields. "It also presents a supplier management problem. ReposiTrak helps with both. It’s important for suppliers and wholesalers to understand that not all of the FDA-required key data elements can be contained on a label. Instead, they need to be transmitted electronically with every shipment. In order to transmit that data, a connection needs to be established between the wholesaler and each supplier."
[READ MORE: Save A Lot transforms store-level planning]
Founded in 1977, Save A Lot is the largest independently owned and operated discount grocery store chain in the U.S., with approximately 750 stores in 32 states.
