Food & Beverage Supply Chain Visibility Software
Food & beverage supply chain visibility software should do more than store records. RTI’s eP360 enterprise supply chain platform turns passive data collection (RFID, IoT, sensors, and existing capture points) into intelligence you can act on across reusable packaging loops, ingredient transformations, and multi-partner networks.
When assets, lots, and events live in spreadsheets, the real cost is not just compliance risk. It is hidden loss, slow recalls, poor supplier performance visibility, and wasted turns in your RTI pool. eP360 helps food brands, processors, distributors, and partners reduce loss and improve traceability at supply web scale.
Food Supply Chain Loss Is a Visibility Problem
Loss, shrink, and poor loop management add up fast in food and beverage networks. When you cannot see asset movement and event data in real time, you pay for it in replacement purchases, labor, downtime, and slower response when something goes wrong.
30% estimated annual loss
Reusable plastic trays are often estimated to be lost or stolen at meaningful rates each year, driving avoidable replacement costs and operational disruption.
$10M+ replacement spend
Food organizations can spend millions annually replacing trays and other RTIs, before you even count scrap, damage, cycle delays, and labor to recover assets.
More partners, more gaps
Every handoff introduces risk. Visibility breaks across suppliers, processors, DCs, and retail channels unless event data is standardized and automated.
Capture Essential Supply Chain Data From Reusable Assets in Motion
Real Time Intelligence tracks hundreds of millions of assets across the food supply chain. eP360 creates and maintains intelligent traceability records through passive data collection while teams perform everyday functions.
- Track reusable packaging such as trays, totes, racks, and containers
- Maintain traceability records across multi-step transformations
- Capture and validate Critical Tracking Events and Key Data Elements
- Surface exceptions, delays, and loss drivers without manual reconciliation
- Enable third-party auditing and partner collaboration when needed
If you want standards alignment, RTI supports event interoperability and can align programs to GS1 practices. See standards context via GS1 EPCIS.
4 Reasons Food & Beverage Teams Choose eP360
Proven at scale
Designed for supply web complexity, volume, and velocity so visibility stays reliable as partners and lanes expand.
Analytics with impact
Move beyond track and trace. Identify where value is being lost and which process changes drive measurable improvement.
Quick to value
Reduce manual effort fast by automating capture, validation, and reporting instead of rebuilding everything from scratch.
Data collection agnostic
Works with RFID, sensors, IoT, and existing capture points so you can improve visibility without forcing one collection method.
Secure cloud platform
Enterprise-grade access controls, secure user access, and data availability options for internal teams and approved third parties.
Open API + mobile
Integrate where it matters and capture events on the move with mobile support for faster exception handling.
Key Food & Beverage Traceability and Visibility Features
Food programs win when visibility becomes operational, not administrative. eP360 combines passive collection with a practical intelligence layer that helps teams improve turns, reduce loss, and maintain trust across partners.
Conforms to GS1 and EPCIS standards
Support interoperability across partners with event-driven structures that scale beyond point-to-point integrations.
Unique tag ID per asset
Each tag can represent a unique identifier so assets can be monitored across locations, lanes, and partners.
Supplier scorecards
See supplier activity and performance trends to identify best and worst results, then act with facts instead of guesswork.
Third-party audit readiness
Make approved data available for auditing to improve accountability and reduce disputes during exception events.
Exception alerts and analytics
Spot loss drivers, cycle delays, and bottlenecks with real-time monitoring and KPI reporting.
Transformation support
Reduce rework and labor when ingredients change late by keeping records structured and easier to reconcile.
High-Impact Use Cases
Food & Beverage Use Cases That Deliver ROI
Visibility drives savings when it removes manual work, prevents loss, and speeds response. These are the most common outcomes food and beverage teams pursue with eP360.
Reusable packaging loss reduction
Track trays, totes, racks, and containers across the supply and value chain to reduce shrink, recover assets faster, and avoid replacement purchases.
Recall readiness and faster response
Locate impacted items faster to minimize downtime and maintain customer trust by using structured event data and traceability records.
Cycle time and asset turns
Identify where assets stall so you can drive down cycle days and increase turns per year without buying more RTIs.
Supplier onboarding and accountability
Streamline onboarding and reduce disputes with consistent data capture and performance reporting across partners.
Product-to-tray association
Associate products to packaging to support spoilage tracking, shrink investigation, and pool balancing decisions.
Automation over spreadsheets
Reduce human effort and error by replacing manual Excel tracking entries with secure cloud structures and automated validation.
KPI Framework
KPIs Food & Beverage Teams Improve With Real-Time Visibility
If you want leadership buy-in, tie visibility outcomes to operational metrics. These are the KPIs most commonly improved when traceability and reusable packaging tracking are operationalized.
| KPI | What improves with eP360 | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Lost asset rate | Better chain-of-custody visibility and exception detection | Reduces replacement spend and asset shortages |
| Cycle time (days) | Faster identification of dwell points and stalled lanes | More turns per year without increasing inventory |
| Labor hours per reconciliation | Less manual entry and fewer spreadsheet audits | Reallocate labor to higher value work |
| Recall response time | Faster targeted identification of impacted items | Limits downtime and protects brand trust |
| Supplier performance variance | Scorecards and activity visibility across partners | Improves accountability and continuous improvement |
Traceability and Quality Programs Work Better With Passive Data Collection
Food traceability requirements are easier to manage when data capture is consistent and automated. eP360 helps teams maintain usable records and monitor KPIs without turning compliance into a full-time spreadsheet job.
- Capture and maintain traceability records in daily workflows
- Reduce labor to transfer events during transformations
- Minimize rework for last-minute ingredient changes
- Support auditing and dispute resolution with consistent event history
For regulatory context, the FDA maintains resources related to the Food Traceability List and traceability initiatives. See FDA food traceability rule guidance.
Related Solutions
Connect Food & Beverage Visibility to the Rest of Your Network
Food and beverage outcomes improve when packaging tracking, RFID capture, and planning systems work together. Use these pages to explore the broader RTI ecosystem.
RFID Asset Tracking
Reusable Packaging
PFEP (Plan for Every Part)
GS1 Alignment
Products
Request a Demo
Talk to RTI
Related industries
See how visibility strategies translate across adjacent environments.
Baking | Retail | Automotive
Partners and ecosystem
Food supply chains improve when partners share consistent event data and accountability.
See Food & Beverage Visibility in Action
Find out how much you could save by reducing loss, improving turns, and making traceability operational with eP360.
Food & Beverage Supply Chain Visibility FAQ
What does food and beverage supply chain visibility software do?
It consolidates asset and event data across suppliers, facilities, and distribution into a real-time view. Instead of disconnected spreadsheets, teams can monitor movement, exceptions, and KPIs to reduce loss and improve response time.
How does eP360 support reusable packaging tracking in food supply chains?
eP360 tracks reusable assets like trays, totes, racks, and containers across locations and partners. This improves chain-of-custody visibility, supports pool balancing, reduces shrink, and helps teams recover assets faster.
Can eP360 help with food traceability and recall readiness?
Yes. eP360 helps maintain structured traceability records through passive data collection and operational workflows. This supports faster targeted identification of impacted items during recalls and reduces downtime.
What is the advantage of passive data collection versus manual tracking?
Passive collection reduces human effort and error. Teams spend less time entering, reconciling, and auditing spreadsheets and more time acting on exceptions, improving processes, and reducing loss.
Does eP360 require a single data collection technology like RFID?
No. eP360 is data-collection agnostic and can work with RFID, sensors, IoT, and existing capture points. This makes it easier to improve visibility without forcing a one-size-fits-all approach.
How do teams measure ROI from real-time visibility?
Most teams start with lost asset reduction, cycle time improvement, and labor savings from automation. Over time, supplier scorecards, exception reduction, and faster response also drive measurable gains.