UNIVERSITY, PUBLIX LAUNCH RFID TEST ON PRODUCE

Michael Garry

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- The University of Florida IFAS's Center for Food Distribution and Retailing (CFDR), based here, has launched a research pilot with Publix Super Markets focusing on how radio frequency identification (RFID) technology can improve the distribution of produce.

The pilot, named Visibility Validated (V2), will measure the impact of RFID-based tags and readers, as well as facilitating networks and software, on supply chain visibility between produce suppliers and retailers.

The pilot has been expected since early May when it was first disclosed to SN in a meeting with executives from Franwell, Plant City, Fla., and CFDR at the Food Marketing Institute's annual show in Chicago (see SN, May 9, 2005, Page 53).

Produce suppliers involved in the project include: Del Monte Fresh Produce, Coral Gables, Fla; Tanimura & Antle, Salinas, Calif.; and DUDA, Oviedo, Fla. Each supplier has indicated an interest in "acquiring more knowledge and experience in integrating RFID technology into the fresh produce supply chain," CFDR said in a statement.

As the retailer participant in the project, Publix Super Markets, Lakeland, Fla., will receive all RFID-tracked shipments at its produce distribution center in Lakeland, Fla. Shipments will be labeled with RFID tags that contain information transmitted via radio frequency to readers. The tagged information is contained on microchips within Electronic Product Codes (EPC) based on standards established by EPCglobal, whose U.S. division is based in Lawrencville, N.J.

CFDR has already duplicated each step of the fresh produce distribution chain in its laboratory, establishing a benchmark of the "ideal conditions," explained Dr. Jean-Pierre Emond, co-director of CFDR and the lead investigator of V2.

"These results will be analyzed and compared to those obtained from real shipments between suppliers and the Publix distribution center." In addition, he said, the CFDR staff will study any discrepancies between "what was shipped and what was read at reception."

Publix, which joined EPCglobal in June 2004, "supports the adoption of RFID and the EPCglobal Network within the supply chain and wants to help its suppliers to be successful in its adoption," said Terri Crawford, Publix Business IT Manager. But she stressed Publix is not mandating RFID compliance for its suppliers at this time. "Our interest in this study is to assess the impact and benefit to the business processes, for both Publix and our suppliers."

Wal-Mart Stores, Bentonville, Ark., mandated that its top 100 suppliers ship RFID-tagged pallets and cases to distribution centers in the Dallas market beginning in January.

In the CFDR project, RFID technology is being supplied by a host of vendors. Alien Technology, Morgan Hill, Calif., and Symbol Technologies, Holtsville, N.Y., are providing RFID readers to the CFDR laboratory and to the Publix distribution center, as well as RFID tags for the suppliers. The RFID software is being supplied by Franwell, GlobeRange, Richardson, Texas, and RedTail Solutions, Westborough, Mass.

VeriSign, Mountain View, Calif., will provide network services to allow access to supply chain information to the University of Florida, Publix and its suppliers.. Another technology supplier is Ingersoll-Rand Climate Control Technologies, Bridgeton, Mo., which will provide technical support related to potential interference within climate controlled environments.

Franwell will ensure the compatibility of all systems as well as coordinate RFID systems at the suppliers' shipping facilities and at Publix's DC during the testing phase. "We are not validating the technology," said Jeff Wells, chief executive officer, Franwell. "Our goal is to show the value of shared visibility using real data events published to the EPCglobal Network."