A quick snapshot of your produce program

• How would you summarize your current produce assortment responsibilities and goals?
• Which categories do you personally manage? Options: Bananas and tropical fruit, Leafy greens and bagged salads, Tomatoes and cucurbits, Berries and soft fruit, Citrus, Mixed produce assortment, Other
• How many SKUs per category do you actively review in a typical week? Options: 1-5, 6-15, 16-30, 31-60, More than 60
• Who else signs off on supplier changes or primary vendor moves for core categories? Options: Procurement, Quality assurance, Store operations/receiving, Merchandising/category lead, Legal/compliance, Executive leadership, Other
• When did you last change a primary supplier for a high-volume category, and what triggered it? Options: Within last 3 months, 3 to 12 months, 1 to 3 years, More than 3 years, Never changed
• If a supplier delivered a load that missed your quality standards this week, who would be the first to escalate and what immediate action usually stops further deliveries?

Where availability and quality quietly leak margin

• Which regular failure in your current supply chain costs you the most margin or customer trust? Options: Fill rate drops, Short shelf life on delivery, Quality rejects at receiving, Traceability gaps, Price volatility, Other
• Walk me through the last time you received a shipment that cut delivered shelf life below your acceptance criteria, what happened?
• How often do you measure on-delivery shelf life by category? Options: Per shipment, Weekly sample audits, Monthly audit, Only during problems or trials, We don't routinely measure
• Name the quality attribute that causes the most retailer rejects in your program Options: Underripe/overripe, Bruising/handling damage, Discoloration/visual defects, Short shelf life, Foreign matter/contamination, Other
• What single operational failure would make you stop a trial immediately?

How you currently qualify suppliers and why some issues still reach stores

• Why are your sample results not aligning with in-store performance?
• Describe your standard supplier qualification steps for new produce vendors.
• Select the certifications and audit evidence you require before buying Options: GFSI-benchmarked audit, Customer-specific audit, USDA grading or equivalent, Certificate of analysis for residues, Third-party lab results, Other
• How do you score sample shipments, and which scorecard elements carry the most weight?
• If a 30 day trial met fill and quality targets, what internal approvals would still be required before expanding? Options: Formal procurement award, QA sign-off, Executive budget approval, Contract negotiation, No further approvals

When seasonal shifts create the worst surprises

• When seasonal transitions happen, what is the most common cause of fill-rate drops you accept as normal?
• How many days of safety stock do you target for top-volume produce categories? Options: 0-1 days, 2-3 days, 4-7 days, More than 7 days
• Walk me through who rebalances orders during a week with unexpected demand spikes
• Select the routing or receiving constraints at your stores that most affect acceptance of fresh produce Options: Limited receiving windows, No cold dock or pre-cool, Insufficient receiving staff, Mixed-temp truck arrivals, Strict appointment scheduling, Other
• What would have to be true about a supplier's routing and flexibility for you to consider them primary?

The alternatives on your table and the cost of staying put

• What would have to change about your incumbent or internal option for you to switch suppliers this season?
• List the alternatives you are actively evaluating right now Options: Current incumbent distributor, Direct-ship from growers, National broker/network, Co-op or pooled buying, Build internal sourcing team, Other
• What measurable proof would justify staying with your current supplier?
• Has anyone proposed solving your supply or quality issues internally instead of using an outside supplier or partner? Options: Yes, with a detailed plan, Yes, discussed but no plan, No, Unsure
• Name the alternative you believe could be ramped in 30 days if you committed to it Options: Incumbent can be scaled, Direct grower shipments, Brokered sourcing, Internal pilot, None realistic in 30 days
• What internal barrier would still block a fast commercial award even if the trial proves the metrics?

Clear success signals we can both agree on

• Pick the one performance metric that would make you confident to expand volume after a trial Options: Minimum fill rate (e.g. case fill), Average delivered shelf life (days), On-time arrival rate, Case acceptance rate at stores, Traceability time to identify lot
• For each chosen metric, what target threshold would be required to consider the pilot a success?
• How often do you want KPI reporting during the trial? Options: Per shipment/ASN, Daily summary, Weekly dashboard, Real-time alerts only, Only at trial milestones
• Who needs to sign off on the acceptance results before you expand volume? Options: Category manager, Quality assurance, Procurement, Operations/receiving, Executive leadership
• Assuming the pilot meets the agreed thresholds, how soon after final results would you be prepared to convert to a commercial agreement? Options: Immediately, Within 2 weeks, Within 30 days, Requires additional approvals

Designing a trial that actually proves things

• Should a trial fail to reproduce your usual peak-week demand, would you still count its results? Options: Yes, if quality and fill are stable, Only for certain metrics, No, trial must include peak demand conditions, Unsure
• Pick two or three categories you would include in a 30 to 60 day trial Options: Bananas, Avocados, Leafy greens, Berries, Tomatoes, Citrus, Other
• Choose your preferred trial length Options: 30 days, 45 days, 60 days, Custom
• Describe your quality acceptance criteria for shipped cases in plain terms, for example shelf life, discoloration thresholds, and acceptable bruise percentage
• Provide the role and contact function that will act as the primary owner on your side to coordinate sample shipments and audits Options: Category manager, QA manager, Procurement lead, Operations lead, Other
• What single trial outcome would force you to stop the pilot early?

Operational readiness and integration constraints

• Imagine your POS, warehouse, or EDI systems cannot share order and shipment data, could you still run an effective pilot? Options: Yes, with manual processes, Yes, but limited scope, No, integrations required, Unsure
• List the backend systems that must be integrated to support replenishment or traceability Options: Point of sale (POS), ERP/WMS, EDI order/ASN, API-based order management, Third-party logistics TMS, Manual CSV exchange
• Do you have API endpoints or EDI connections available today for order, ASN, or invoice exchange? Options: Yes, API available, Yes, EDI available, Only manual file exchange, No integrations available, Unsure
• Indicate which internal team owns integrations and can approve credentials Options: IT/Tech, Operations, Procurement, Third-party integrator, Other
• How clean and accessible is the traceability and lot level data required for recalls? Options: Clean and centralized, Partially accessible, Fragmented across vendors, Not available
• What internal resource constraint would make you delay the pilot? Options: IT bandwidth, QA audit scheduling, Receiving capacity, Budget approval, None of the above

Food safety, audits, and formal gates

• Identify the regulatory or audit gap in your current process that would block any new supplier from shipping to you
• Choose the food safety documentation you require at onboarding Options: GFSI-benchmarked audit report, HACCP plan, Certificate of analysis, Recall plan and contact list, Traceability test results
• Tell me how often you run store receiving audits or random quality checks Options: Per shipment, Weekly, Monthly, Quarterly, Only on issues
• Indicate which internal roles must approve factory audits or plant access Options: Quality assurance, Procurement, Operations, Legal/compliance, Other
• Would a supplier lacking the ability to trace to the grower within 24 hours disqualify them? Options: Yes, disqualify, No, acceptable for some categories, Depends on alternative controls, Unsure
• What final compliance gap would cause you to halt the engagement?

Decision timing and practical next steps

• Assuming the supplier nails the trial metrics, what internal step typically slows the contract award the most? Options: Legal contract review, Budget or procurement process, Executive approval, Operational readiness checks, No typical blocker
• Provide your target start window for a pilot Options: Within 2 weeks, Within 1 month, Next quarter, No set timeline
• Identify the roles that must be present for a kickoff and first audit Options: Category manager, Quality assurance, Procurement, Operations/receiving, Store operations
• How quickly can you schedule a receiving window for initial sample shipments? Options: Within 48 hours, Within 1 week, Within 2 weeks, Longer than 2 weeks
• State the factor that would accelerate your decision to move from pilot to commercial
• Should the pilot prove the numbers, what would stop you from signing that week?

• Solution Experience Session

• Confirm the current state and its cost to your team
• You confirm the demonstrated cold-chain and ripening controls eliminate the specific causes of shortened shelf life you described.
• Run a two-week sample shipment for the selected category and deliver case-level temperature, inspection, and shelf-life-on-delivery reports.
• Walk through the cold-chain and ripening controls using your scenario
• You accept the proposed trial metrics, including target fill rate, minimum shelf life at delivery, and traceability response time, as the evidence needed to advance.
• Provide your quality acceptance criteria, target fill rate, and preferred trial start window for the proposed categories.
• Demonstrate inspection, repacking, and quality acceptance checkpoints
• Define the trial sign-off stakeholders and required acceptance documentation for trial completion.
• You agree on the remaining evidence or audit items required before mutual commitment to expand supply.
• Schedule the trial start date and confirm delivery windows for the first two weeks of the trial.
• Prove traceability and recall response for a sample lot
• Validate alignment and trial success metrics
• Forced validation, confirm this maps to what you described needing

• Solution Experience Session
• Solution Experience Deck
• Solution Brief

• meeting
• slides
• document

• Temperature-Controlled Storage and Warehousing
• Ethylene-Controlled Ripening Rooms
• Custom Repacking, Case Packing and Retail Labeling
• Receiving Quality Inspection and Hold Release
• Pre-Shipment Quality Inspection and USDA Grading
• Multi-Temperature Truck Delivery with Temperature Monitoring
• Case-Level Traceability to Grower, Pack Date, and Lot
• Automated Replenishment from POS Demand Signals
• Seasonal Bridge Sourcing and Alternate-Region Fulfillment
• Controlled Sample Shipments for Trial
• Provide Food Safety and Audit Documentation
• Import Clearance and Phytosanitary Compliance
• Cold-Chain Excursion Response and Corrective Action

Temperature-Controlled Storage and Warehousing

• Which temperature ranges in degrees Fahrenheit must be maintained for the categories you want in scope (examples: 32-36°F for leafy greens, 36-40°F for berries)? Options: 32-36°F (leafy greens), 36-40°F (berries), 38-42°F (bananas pre-ripening), 40-50°F (squash & root veg), Custom range - specify in next field
• Do you require segregated pallet positions or dedicated rooms for this program versus shared bulk storage? Options: Yes, No
• How many pallet positions should be reserved at peak weekly volume for the scoped categories? Options: Less than 50, 50-200, 200-500, More than 500
• Are there receiving window constraints at your stores or distribution centers that will drive overnight turnover and putaway SLAs? Options: Yes - morning receiving only, Yes - afternoon receiving only, Flexible receiving windows, Store-level variability
• Specify the temperature-monitoring alert thresholds and notification cadence you require (for example alert at +2°F sustained for 15 minutes, notify email+SMS).

Ethylene-Controlled Ripening Rooms

• Which SKUs will you require ethylene-managed ripening for (examples: bananas, Hass avocados, plantains)?
• Do you require defined ethylene concentration setpoints in parts per million and automated injection control per ripening cycle? Options: Yes - automated control required, No - manual control acceptable, Hybrid - automated for high-volume SKUs
• How many cases per day do you expect to run through ripening rooms during the initial trial period? Options: Less than 500 cases/day, 500-2,000 cases/day, 2,000-5,000 cases/day, More than 5,000 cases/day
• Identify the target ripening time window and post-ripening conditioning you expect for each SKU (for example: bananas 4–6 days to stage 3, then 12–24 hour conditioning).
• Indicate which ripeness metrics you want recorded at dispatch (examples: peel color stage, firmness reading, Brix where applicable). Options: Peel color stage, Firmness (kgf or N), Brix, Visual grade photo

Custom Repacking, Case Packing and Retail Labeling

• Which pack configurations and case counts do you require for scoped SKUs (examples: 2/6/12 count retail clamshells, 12/18/24 lb bulk boxes)?
• Do you need custom retail labeling or PLU assignments tied to your store label templates and nutrition panels? Options: Yes - custom label required, No - use standard distributor label, Partial - label only for select SKUs
• How many unique label templates or UPC variations will you require at launch? Options: 1-5, 6-20, 21-50, More than 50
• Are there specific packing line speed or case integrity requirements (for example max 8 cases/min on repack line, no more than 2% crushed cases)? Options: Yes - provide thresholds, No - standard handling okay
• Provide the artwork or key elements you require on case and retail labels (examples: store PLU, pack date, lot code, traceability QR).

Receiving Quality Inspection and Hold Release

• Which receiving acceptance checks do you require on inbound cases (examples: temperature at receiving, visual defects %, lot ID match)? Options: Temperature at receiving, Visual defects percentage, Count accuracy, Lot ID and pack date match, Other
• Do you require a hold-and-release workflow tied to QA sign-off before inventory is available for order fulfillment? Options: Yes - QA hold required, No - immediate release after inspection, Conditional - hold for new suppliers only
• How many sample cases per inbound pallet or shipment should be inspected during receiving for the trial? Options: 1 case per pallet, 2-3 cases per pallet, 4+ cases per pallet, By risk profile only
• Are there specific receiving temperature tolerance thresholds by category that trigger an automatic return or corrective action (example: leafy greens >40°F triggers return)? Options: Yes - provide thresholds, No - use standard tolerance
• List any receiving documentation you need captured at arrival (examples: supplier COA, bill of lading, phytosanitary certificate).

Pre-Shipment Quality Inspection and USDA Grading

• Which USDA grade or buyer-grade standard should be applied to each scoped SKU on pre-shipment inspection (examples: U.S. No.1, U.S. No.2, custom store grade)? Options: U.S. No.1, U.S. No.2, Custom buyer grade - provide spec
• Do you require photographic evidence and a digital scorecard attached to each pre-shipment inspection report? Options: Yes - photo + scorecard required, No - summary inspection only, Photo only
• How many cases per outbound pallet should be checked during pre-shipment inspection for the trial? Options: 1 case per pallet, 2-3 cases per pallet, 4+ cases per pallet
• Which defect thresholds will trigger rejection at pre-shipment (examples: more than 5% mold/decay, Brix below X for fruit)?
• What measurable acceptance criteria will confirm pre-shipment acceptance for the trial (examples: delivered shelf life >= X days, defect rate <= Y%)?

Multi-Temperature Truck Delivery with Temperature Monitoring

• Which routing frequency and delivery window do you require for each store cluster (examples: daily morning, 3x/week afternoon)?
• Do you require live temperature telemetry for each vehicle with retention of sensor logs for at least 90 days? Options: Yes - live telemetry required, No - periodic spot checks acceptable, Telemetry required for high-risk SKUs only
• How should multi-temperature segregation be configured on the truck (examples: 2 compartments, 3 compartments, temperature curtain)? Options: 2 compartments, 3 compartments, Continuous multi-zone control, Other
• Are there liftgate, tail-lift, or inside-delivery requirements at your stores that affect truck packing and unloading? Options: Yes - inside delivery required, Yes - liftgate required, Curbside only
• Indicate required delivery confirmation artifacts (examples: signed POD, time-stamped photo at dock, recorded temperature at handoff). Options: Signed proof of delivery, Photo at dock, Temperature log at handoff, Electronic signature

Case-Level Traceability to Grower, Pack Date, and Lot

• Which traceability identifiers must appear on each case label and in the traceability record (examples: grower ID, pack date, lot code, field block ID)? Options: Grower ID, Pack date, Lot code, Field block ID, Supplier batch ID
• Do you require the ability to trace a delivered case back to the grower and lot within a defined time window? Options: Yes - within 15 minutes, Yes - within 1 hour, Within 24 hours
• How will you consume traceability data at your end (examples: API pull, CSV export, portal lookup)? Options: API endpoint, CSV export, Portal lookup, EDI message
• Identify any regulatory or retailer audit formats you must support for traceability reports (examples: recall report template, state traceback format).
• What defines done for case-level traceability for this engagement (for example ability to return a trace record containing grower, pack date, lot within 1 hour and attach photos)?

Automated Replenishment from POS Demand Signals

• Which POS data feed format will you provide for automated replenishment (examples: daily CSV with SKU sales, real-time API with sales events)? Options: Daily CSV, Real-time API, Batch FTP export, Other
• Do you require min/max par levels and safety stock by SKU at store level or cluster level? Options: Store-level par required, Cluster-level par required, No par levels, vendor-managed inventory
• How frequently should automated replenishment recommendations be generated (examples: hourly, daily, twice daily)? Options: Hourly, Twice daily, Daily, Weekly
• Are there promotional periods or seasonal events we must factor into forecast algorithms for the trial (examples: holiday promos, weekly ad cycles)? Options: Yes - provide calendar, No
• Explain any integration constraints for order transmission to your systems (examples: EDI 850 purchase order, SFTP PO drop, API order create).

Seasonal Bridge Sourcing and Alternate-Region Fulfillment

• Which categories require seasonal bridge sourcing to maintain continuity across growing-region transitions (examples: berries, stone fruit, citrus)?
• Do you accept alternate-region substitutions when primary-region supply falls below agreed fill-rate thresholds? Options: Yes - substitutions allowed with notice, No - no substitutions without approval, Conditional - limited SKUs
• How should cost differences for alternate-region fruit be handled at invoice (examples: pass-through cost, fixed adder, pre-approved variance)? Options: Pass-through cost, Fixed adder per case, Pre-approved variance bands
• Identify any pack-size or variety restrictions for substitute sourcing (examples: only organic certified alternatives, no different pack size).
• Estimate the weeks per year you expect seasonal bridging to be required for key categories. Options: 0-4 weeks, 5-12 weeks, 13-26 weeks, More than 26 weeks

Controlled Sample Shipments for Trial

• Which SKUs and case counts do you want included in the controlled sample shipments during the 4–6 week trial?
• Do you require instrumented sample shipments with temperature loggers included inside cases for shelf-life validation? Options: Yes - logger in each sample case, Yes - logger per pallet, No - no temperature logger
• How should sample acceptance be demonstrated at receipt (examples: photo record, lab test result, QA scorecard)? Options: Photo record + scorecard, Lab test required, QA scorecard only
• Who will own sample receipt scoring and signoff at your receiving dock (role title rather than person name)?
• What evidence will validate successful sample shipment acceptance for the trial (examples: shelf-life >= X days on arrival, temperature logger within thresholds, QA score >= Y)?

Provide Food Safety and Audit Documentation

• Which food-safety certifications and audit reports do you require for supplier qualification (examples: GFSI-benchmarked audit, HACCP plan, recent third-party audit report)? Options: GFSI-benchmarked audit, HACCP plan, Third-party audit report, Certificate of Analysis
• Do you require digital copies of supplier HACCP plans, sanitation logs, and corrective action records prior to starting the trial? Options: Yes - all documents required, Only core certificates (GFSI/HACCP), No - provide on request
• Which document retention window do you require for food-safety records (examples: 1 year, 2 years, 3 years)? Options: 1 year, 2 years, 3 years, Custom
• Are there specific lab test results you require on receipt or pre-shipment (examples: pesticide screen, microbial testing)? Options: Pesticide screening, Microbial testing, Allergen swab results, No lab tests required
• Provide the preferred method for delivering audit documents to your team (examples: secure portal upload, email PDF, SFTP). Options: Email PDF, Secure portal, SFTP, Other

Import Clearance and Phytosanitary Compliance

• Which imported categories require phytosanitary certificates or country-of-origin documentation in scope?
• Do you require pre-clearance documentation delivery timelines for import shipments (examples: phytosanitary certificate delivered 48 hours pre-arrival)? Options: 48 hours pre-arrival, 24 hours pre-arrival, At arrival
• Are there specific customs or FDA entry filing requirements we must meet for these SKUs (examples: Prior Notice for FDA, FDA importer of record details)? Options: Prior Notice required, Importer of record provided, Customs broker required
• Identify any country-specific tolerances or residual limits we must respect for imported produce.
• How should import-related costs and duties be handled on invoices (examples: DDP - delivered duty paid, DAP - delivery at place)? Options: Delivered Duty Paid (DDP), Delivery at Place (DAP), Pass-through duties

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• decision_readiness
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• Master Supply Agreement
• Order Confirmation
• Trial Acceptance Report
• Service Level Agreement (SLA)
• Quality & Traceability Addendum
• Pricing Schedule & Commercial Terms
• Logistics & Receiving Responsibilities Appendix
• Expansion & Volume Commitment Amendment

• Go-live Health Check (Week 1-4)
• First Measurement Review (Week 4-10)
• Ongoing Operational Review (Monthly for initial quarter, then quarterly)
• Annual Success Review

• Archive closed incidents and produce a lessons-learned brief for operational teams.
• KPI trend review
• Keep core metrics within the tolerance bands set against the targets recorded in the Trial & Quality Evaluation stage.
• Ensure all critical open issues have a documented remediation plan with target close dates.
• Maintain a prioritized enhancement backlog and agree which items will be scheduled into the next operational window.
• Close or re-prioritize critical open issues in the shared issues channel and publish updated statuses.
• Initiate a shrink-reduction investigation for any category with a sustained increase in shrink over two reporting periods.
• Document any agreed changes to receiving windows, store procedures, or routing schedules that impact outcomes.
• Annual performance versus targets
• Produce an agreed annual performance summary confirming which targets recorded in the Trial & Quality Evaluation stage were met and which were not.
• Agree a time-bound remediation plan for any unresolved critical gaps with clear success criteria and dates.
• Ensure the shared issues channel backlog is reconciled and all long-lived tickets have next steps or formal closure.
• Publish the annual performance summary tied to the targets recorded in the Trial & Quality Evaluation stage.
• Create and schedule the remediation plan for outstanding critical gaps with dates for progress checkpoints.
• Re-confirm success criteria and owners
• Confirm the deployment and key configuration values are complete and match the launch checklist.
• Identify the top 3 operational blockers and agree short-term remediation steps with target dates.
• Ensure the shared issues channel is provisioned and will be used as the single source of truth for defects and enhancement requests.
• Publish a go-live health summary with remaining open issues and assigned owners for the shared issues channel.
• Create remediation tickets for each critical blocker with target resolution dates.
• Run a configuration re-check for ripening temperature setpoints and labeling rules and document results.
• Present first measurement data
• Establish a clear diagnosis for any metric gaps and confirm the next-step corrective actions.
• Set measurable targets and dates required to meet the acceptance targets recorded in the Trial & Quality Evaluation stage.
• Ensure the shared issues channel backlog is updated with prioritized remediation tickets and estimated resolution dates.
• Run a focused root-cause analysis on the largest contributor to fill rate loss and produce a short remediation plan.
• Adjust ripening schedule or temperature setpoints to improve average delivered shelf-life and record the configuration change.
• Update the quality inspection checklist to capture the defect types seen during the first measurement window.
• Deployment and configuration validation
• Quality scorecard and shrink trend
• Diagnose root causes for gaps
• Open issues and remediation status
• Review quality incidents and traceability events
• Shrink and severe incident review
• Traceability and incident response performance
• Early adoption and operational signals
• Agree corrective actions and timelines
• Open issues and immediate blockers
• Enhancement and improvement backlog
• Outstanding issues and closure plan
• Condense meeting when no changes
• Agree immediate remediation actions