As the Hemp, CBD, and Cannabis markets continue to expand and evolve through the United States, good traceability can be a big differentiator.
Across most of the US, the cannabis, CBD and hemp markets are booming. The wave of legalizations that began in the 1990s has only gained speed, creating millions of potential new customers throughout the country. However, these new opportunities can be a double-edged sword. With every new market and passing year comes a host of new and unique regulations, technicalities and challenges. The FDA themselves even acknowledges that the world of these regulations has a long way to go before everyone’s on the same page.
So how can processors assure that their product is viable in as many places as possible? First off, digital lot and inventory tracking is a must in 2020. But more than that, the tracing and production management system they implement should keep them at the highest standards of compliance, while also allowing them to adjust their processes on the fly when regulations change. Before choosing warehouse management system for your operation, consider whether it has these three things:
Comprehensive Tracing
At minimum, a good lot tracing system should be able to offer a quick and comprehensive trace from any step of production. Data entry should be automated, which not only saves floor workers time when issuing goods into and out of production, but also prevents any possible keying errors along the way. When tracing, the system should allow product to be traced from anywhere, instantly. That could mean tracing from a lot code, shipment number, or even a pallet ID.
Flexibility
Today’s best practices might be completely inadequate tomorrow if regulations change. A great WMS is one that is flexible enough to conform to any production setup. If a system requires you to completely change the way production is setup to fit their model, that’s a major red flag that it could be very complicated to make any changes down the road. The kinds of data that regulatory organizations (and informed consumers) want brands to be tracking can change at a moment’s notice. If a system can’t quickly and easily handle those changes, it’s probably time to look elsewhere.
Automated QC
Every processor wants to ensure the highest level of quality, and many CBD and Hemp operations employ rigorous quality control to put the best possible product in the hands of their consumers. All that testing creates monstrous amounts of records and paperwork to file away. A capable WMS system should allow your QC department to go paperless and save time, while keeping that data in a central, secure, and readily accessible location.
Keeping up with changing regulations can be hard enough as is. A solid warehouse management solution can mean the difference between getting out ahead of the competition, and falling behind, or worse, being non-compliant.
Ready to upgrade your wellness operation? Let us know! Schedule a demo with ParityWellness today and our consultants will show you how instant lot tracing can make a difference in your business.