Moo Free enhances sustainable sourcing with The Hub traceability tool
Sustainable Ingredients
Moo Free Ltd launches The Hub, an innovative traceability module that enhances operational efficiency and sustainability in the confectionery industry, ensuring comprehensive tracking from raw materials to finished
goods.Kiran Grewal reports.
A
t Moo Free Ltd, they have recently launched The Hub, an advanced traceability module designed to revolutionise the brand’s operations and the broader confectionery
sector. Developed in-house by the Moo Free team, The Hub is an evolution of their original system, first commissioned when they started in 2010, to support their food safety and quality management. It offers comprehensive forward and backward traceability of raw materials, packaging, and finished goods, setting a new standard for efficiency and reliability in the industry. Kiran Grewal, sits down with Louise Adams, Technical Director at Moo Free Ltd, to discuss this module further.
What makes The Hub revolutionary? Louise Adams, Technical Director at Moo Free Ltd, explains to Kennedy’s Confection: “The Hub streamlines information gathering and enhances user experience by integrating all aspects of our business management. It’s crucial for maintaining close control over raw materials and finished goods. As pioneers in free-from chocolate manufacturing, we require a robust traceability capability. The Hub delivers the necessary data quickly, transforming traceability exercises and audits from hours of reconciling paperwork into a matter of minutes. “This innovation is revolutionary because it allows us to achieve full traceability in an industry where such efficiency is rare. The ability to compile and present complete traceability information promptly is a significant advantage, eliminating the cumbersome process of managing physical archives.”
16 Kennedy’s Confection June 2024
Impact on production efficiency and operational management “The Hub functions as a comprehensive business tool, managing everything from product formulations and recipe management to stock levels and usage. It logs all traceability information, including historical sales data, orders, shipments, and invoicing. This level of detail allows us to audit suppliers, manage raw ingredient intake, oversee production lines, and handle dispatch management effectively,” explains Louise.
“By integrating these processes, The Hub has significantly improved our production efficiency and overall operational management. We can trace raw materials from their source through to the finished product, ensuring quality and compliance with our high standards,” she adds.
Addressing past challenges In the past, Moo Free faced challenges with off-the-shelf traceability systems that failed to meet their needs, especially regarding batch traceability functions essential for their free-from products. Co-founder Mike Jessop, leveraging his experience in computer programming, developed The Hub to address these gaps. As Louise points out, “Having batch traceability on hand is imperative for us, and this technology excels in providing that capability.”
Sustainability and ethical sourcing Moo Free is committed to ethical sourcing and sustainability. They use Rainforest
Alliance Certified cocoa and source ingredients and packaging locally in the UK wherever possible. The Hub supports this commitment by providing detailed traceability data, which helps them to maintain high standards and achieve certifications like B-Corp and BRC AA*. Louise emphasises, “We have very strong ethics surrounding the environment and sustainability, not just in our products but in our operations as a whole.” The Hub enables quick and accurate tracing of cocoa and other raw materials, aligning with sustainability goals. It supports the use of ethically sourced ingredients and helps manage the environmental impact efficiently. “Emerging technologies like The Hub allow us to keep up with our growth, improve user experience, gather information quickly, and manage our processes seamlessly, particularly in using plant-based ingredients,” says Louise. Supplier auditing is a critical component of Moo Free’s traceability process. The Hub captures trace data throughout the production process, from raw materials to customer orders. This allows the opportunity to maintain tight control over manufacturing and trace products at any stage, facilitating audits and ensuring compliance with supplier standards. Moo Free’s approach includes rigorous supplier auditing, detailed raw ingredient management, and up-to-date traceability technology. Louise concludes, “We see our systems evolving as we grow, and we are committed to using new technology to improve user experience, speed information gathering, and streamline processes across the supply chain.”
KennedysConfection.com
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44
