Tracking and Tracing Dole Bananas

This part starts with a description in 4.9.1 of when and how Dole bananas are tracked. This is followed by a description in section 4.9.2, covering the location where, when, and how Dole bananas are traced is covered.

Tracking goods

Tracking Dole bananas involves the following actors in the BAMA logistics network as shown in fig 4.27 below:

Distribution centre

Transport company

Retailer

Consumer Store

placard Transport

documents

Order list, invoice

Fig.4.27 Tracking Dole Bananas (Dotted boxes indicate type of information system used to locate goods)

In the same manner as for Corona strawberries, Dole bananas may be tracked when located at various facilities within the BAMA logistics network. Bananas are transported and stored alongside Corona strawberries and other BAMA products. Therefore, tracking bananas after leaving the banana ripening facility usually involves first locating units of goods consisting of different products. Documents with information about bananas will often also contain information regarding other types of products.

If Dole bananas are tracked before arriving at the banana ripening facility, it will involve sending a query to Dole Hamburg. Dole uses its information system to verify the exact location of the ordered bananas. The earmarking of bananas 8 weeks prior to delivery is only registered in Dole’s information system. The actual goods are only marked using ribbons indicating the time of harvest and are not earmarked specifically for BAMA during transport from the plantation to the Hamburg terminal. Dole is, however, working on using GS1 codes to be able to provide a GLN and SSCC-based identification of goods during packing, which may be used to ascribe specific goods to BAMA when located in Costa Rica. Thus, BAMA may order bananas from a specific plantation. Bananas may be tracked while growing at the plantation and while in shipment, but they have no specific destination ascribed to them. It is the total weekly production volume ordered that may be tracked from 8 weeks in advance until delivery in Hamburg. This information may be used by BAMA if they wish to trade bananas that they already have an option to purchase, since it provides the accurate location of goods they then may attempt to resell on the world market.

BAMA Trading Dole

Hamburg Nor-Cargo

Thermo

COLOR Line

Distribution Centres Positioning

system and mobile phones

Dole Information system: GPS tracking of ships

LORRY

Tracking a shipment of Dole bananas is also done to verify the approximate time of arrival at Hamburg port. The ship carries GPS equipment, and containers equipped with temperature monitors and storage compartment monitors are linked to the ship’s computer and may provide information regarding temperature and location of the goods. A product may be delayed often due to storm, and this may cause some cosmetic damage to the packaging and products. When Dole Hamburg becomes aware of this delay, it informs BAMA Trading who, in turn, provides this information to its transporters, COLOR Line and Nor-Cargo Thermo, in order for them to coordinate the information with their transport plans.

During transport from Hamburg to Oslo, Nor-Cargo trucks also carry temperature monitors and have GPS systems. Moreover, the truck drivers carry mobile phones. When the COLOR Line containers are loaded onto the COLOR line ferry at Kiel north of Hamburg, the container carrying bananas is tracked by contacting the crew on-board the ferry. Tracking Dole bananas between Hamburg and Oslo is seldom carried out. Previously, when a portion of the bananas was transported by rail, the shipments were sometimes delayed and BAMA Trading had to make a query to the rail operator.

Tracing products

The network and information sources involved in tracing Dole bananas are shown in figure 4.28 below:

Fig. 4.28 Tracing Dole bananas (Boxes indicate sources of information)

Dole Hamburg is responsible for securing and providing product traceability information within its logistics network through its key account manger.

Upon arrival at the banana ripening facility at Ulven, less than 1% of the products are damaged on an annual basis. Therefore, there is little need for BAMA Trading to trace the origin of product damage. Dole, handling transport to Hamburg, and Nor-Cargo or COLOR Line, handling transport from Hamburg to Oslo, give documentation of temperature control during transport. Temperature conditions are monitored in a transport log. The transport operator registers and stores this information. Later, upon demand, it may be communicated through a printout of the registered temperature log.

Retailer Distribution

centre

BAMA Trading product manager Nor-Cargo

Thermo

Dole Hamburg key account

manager

Label on carton LORRY:

Product information Truck log

COLOR Line

Container log

Label on pallet

DFFI Costa Rica Plantations

Production records

Plantation list

The sticker attached to the banana gives information about the product, including brand name and country of origin. In addition, the transport label on the banana box contains more detailed information concerning time of harvest and location by indicating the plantation identity. Information concerning goods is registered and communicated using a GS1 standard SSCC code in a bar code form on distribution packaging labels mainly.

If documentation is required for more detailed information regarding, for instance, production modes, use of additives, or labour situations at the plantation, BAMA Trading must make a query to Dole Hamburg and inform them of the SSCC code and the plantation number on the box in question and wait for a reply. Both Dole Hamburg and DFFI have a list of plantations related to each code with additional contact information. However, it is DFFI that handles the business relations with each plantation regarding quality issues. If a more long-term production quality issue involving a greater number of Costa Rican plantations is brought up, it will involve Standard Fruit as well. Production in Costa Rica is carried out and controlled in accordance with Costa Rican Government-set production quality standards.

Documentation of this is based on the document stating the fruits’ sanitary condition. Should additional information be necessary, or if the origin of a product discrepancy is sought, Dole Hamburg must convey the nature of the discrepancy together with the plantation number to DFFI in Costa Rica.

It is then DFFI’s responsibility to inform the plantation and discuss necessary actions. BAMA Trading is informed in advance about overall production modes at Dole plantations. Representatives from BAMA Trading visit the Dole facilities and the plantations in Costa Rica annually and may therefore inform others, based on their first hand observations and experiences with banana production and its initial leg of transport. Should a consumer demand more specified product information, this must be done in the same way as when tracing Corona strawberries from the retailer to BAMA Trading. At BAMA Trading, the product manager is responsible for contacting Dole Hamburg who is responsible for providing the necessary information. When the product manager for bananas receives this information, he or she conveys it to the distribution centre that, in turn, informs the retailer. Communication is carried out using a combination of telephone, fax, and e-mail.

These two cases have described how Corona strawberries and Dole bananas are distributed, with BAMA viewed as a central actor involved in the use of packaging and the role of information exchange. The next chapter describes, in the same manner, the distribution of TINE Lettmelk and Marian fish filets with TINE viewed as the central actor.