Leadership Forum

Activities:

• EFR Leadership Forum was held in October and had separate sessions for manufacturers and distributors.
• Key recommendations included:
  - Focus on U.P.C. and case bar coding implementation.
  - Develop an effective communications plan.
  - Clarify EFR position on Profile, EDI vs. EC and inner pack bar codes.
  - Create leadership forum model and involve operators.

What's Next:

• Develop materials to promote key recommendations from Forum.
• Develop and organize annual EFR Leadership Forum.

Opportunities for EFR Canada:

• Current Canadian EFR focus is in-line with EFR Leadership Forum recommendations.
• Monitor U.S. EFR findings and position on EDI vs EC and inner pack bar codes.
• Consider holding similar Forum to re-focus Canadian initiative.

Communications Strategy

Activities:

• Contracted a communications professional to develop and implement an EFR communications strategy.
• Identified a two-pronged approach of direct marketing and media exposure as best course of action.

What's Next:

• Develop distinct standardized key messages for distributors, manufacturers and operators.
• Develop/identify resources to deliver messages:
  - establish cross-industry bar code committee;
  - establish operator sub-committee;
  - enhance Web site;
  - develop a speakers' bureau;
  - tailor information and media kits for different audiences;
  - implement a recognition awards program; and
  - identify consumer and trade publications.

Opportunities for EFR Canada:

• Monitor success of U.S. communications strategy and "borrow" successful components of strategy.

Bar code Committee/Bar code Audit

Activities:

• Bar code audit results were presented to the Steering Committee after being re-worked.
• Problems with data integrity and the methodology of the audit.
• Results indicated 54% of cases were marked with an appropriate bar code and over 50% failed to meet the appropriate ANSI grade.

What's Next:

• Reconvene Bar code Committee to redesign bar code audit methodology and measures.
• Re-do audit in Q1, 2000 & conduct survey to determine why small to mid-sized enterprises are not bar coding.

Opportunities for EFR Canada:

• Monitor U.S. findings and compare Canadian and U.S. audit results.
• Canadian audit results to be available January 2000.

Foodservice 2010 Publication

Activities:

• New publication, entitled Foodservice 2010, will re-evaluate all points in the Foodservice 2005 document.
• Focus to include manufacturer/distributor of the future and will cover issues such as biotechnology, food safety, irradiation, etc.
• All participants in the study have been confirmed.

What's Next:

• First meeting to take place late February.
• Document to be available in September.

Opportunities for EFR Canada:

• Distribute report to Canadian EFR Steering Committee.
• Link to key issues being addressed in Canada.
• Identify potential speakers.

Pallet Sub-Committee

Activities:

• Presented findings of pallet study.
• The 112 companies surveyed spent a total of $75M annually on shipping platforms.
• Determined the 48" x 40" wooden platform to be the most commonly used in the foodservice sector.
• Some use of the 40" X 32" platform.
• Biggest concerns expressed included:
  - pallet quality; and
  - inventory control of pallet stocks.

What's Next:

• A proposed $100,000 study to identify and recommend second standard pallet size was rejected.
• Initial Pallet Committee to be revitalized to develop recommendation on small wood size, and develop ABC costing of projected savings.
• Committee to involve CHEP, other pallet experts, and to review work done by ECR in this area.

Opportunities for EFR Canada:

• Distribute pallet report to Canadian EFR Steering Committee.
• Monitor future activity.

E-Commerce Committee

Activities:

• Committee has been re-populated.
• Examined changing EC technologies and business landscape, and compared EDI vs. other EC technologies.
• Will be examining, piloting and recommending EC technologies and strategies.

Conclusions:

• Internet will play an increasing role in business-to -business e-commerce.
• Complexity and cost remain barriers to EDI implementation.
• EDI is stable and presently feasible to implement.
• Other EC technologies are not yet sufficiently developed to be used.
• U.P.C. codes and an electronic product catalogue are crucial for the success of any e-commerce solution.
• XML shows promise as a complementary, simple-to- implement technology to EDI.

What's Next:

• Develop e-commerce pilots and recommendations.
• Examine existing packaged solutions for small to mid-sized enterprises.

Opportunities for EFR Canada:

• Canadian focus on EDI presently consistent with available technology and U.S. findings.
• Compare Canadian and U.S. pilots once the U.S. initiative confirms pilot approach.
• Monitor U.S. activities and findings.
• Ensure consistency in EC recommendations.

Profile Database

Activities:

• Committee goal is to build sufficient industry participation.
• Developing communications and marketing plan, and best practices recommendations.

What's Next:

• Conduct surveys and focus groups with operators.
• Develop media kit and marketing materials.
• Develop documentation of features and benefits.

Supply Chain Demand Forecasting (SCDF)

Activities:

• Findings to date indicate that bar codes, standard product ID, and an industry databank will facilitate SCDF.

What's Next:

• Develop economic/technology/business model.
• Develop industry standards specifications for SCDF.

Opportunities for EFR Canada:

• Monitor SCDF findings and distribute results to Canadian EFR Steering Committee.
• Consider reconvening Canadian SCDF Committee once case coding has reached critical mass, and e-com pilots are complete.

Copyright © 2000 EFR