CHICAGO, IL - Our industry is built on relationships. The partnerships we make along the way build the foundation for success, especially in an industry as volatile as fresh produce. When it comes to building a resilient supply chain, in particular, RSM is just the impactful partner that comes to mind. I recently got the chance to sit down with Christian Winzeler, Consulting Principal, to talk about how the fresh produce industry can move forward from the pandemic and into the future.

“At RSM, we’re always thinking, ‘How can we do better?’ and ‘How can we help our clients do better?’ with an eye on solving business challenges through using technology,” Christian posited over the phone. “During the pandemic, companies were mostly focused on solving the challenge of the day to keep product moving through the supply chain. But as things are stabilizing, they now can take a look at what changes they have undergone, what they want to keep, and what changes are still ahead of them to put them in the best position for the coming years. And, what does this all mean for the technology infrastructure they have in place?”

One big area where RSM has helped companies step into the future is utilizing a variety of Microsoft frameworks including Internet of Things (IoT) devices to capture data at its source—from data captured by the growers in the field, through data points during processing and distribution, to what feedback consumers provide. RSM is working with clients to create transparency in the supply chain and provide insights through connecting the different pieces of information in one centralized location.

“Often a lot of the data is already available through an ERP platform like Microsoft’s Dynamics 365 for Supply Chain. Combine that data with what is available publicly, like weather patterns or market forecasts, and we can create a powerful data set to garner insights from,” Christian continues. “By compiling and simplifying data through an easy-to-use and flexible reporting platform like Power BI, we can help clients manage all aspects of the supply chain from harvest planning, through production scheduling to inventory allocation and order fulfillment in real-time.”

As suppliers transition with the age of technology, there are legacy systems in place that contain a lot of valuable history like grower, field, and product information. The bigger challenge however is that these often over 30-year-old systems are not flexible enough to grow with the company. This isn’t an issue, however, for RSM as the solutions provider is there every step of the way, helping growers streamline operations and implement the framework needed to capture these valuable data points in a centralized location.

“To help companies remain dynamic and grow, both out in the field and internally, transitioning to cloud-based applications is ideal. As new advancements are released, companies can phase out these legacy systems and adopt more evergreen types of ERP applications, allowing for future growth and transparency across the organization.”

Microsoft’s Dynamics 365 for Finance and Supply Chain is just one ERP application that RSM implements for its clients to provide the full story from sales forecast to harvest projections, and back to actual harvesting and order fulfillment.

Be sure to stop by booth #1056 at this year’s International Fresh Produce Association’s Global Produce & Floral Show in Orlando, Florida, to learn more about the invaluable services RSM provides.

AndNowUKnow will continue to cover industry news and developments, so keep a tab open.

RSM