Distributing fresh fruits and vegetables requires accurate, real-time information to minimize time in the delivery supply chain in order to maximize shelf life. Whether your company distributes produce to retailers, foodservice distributors, or operators, AFS Technologies has the fully integrated, end-to-end business software solutions your company needs to drive profitability and gain competitive advantage.  

Our customers include industry leaders and are active members of prominent associations such as the Produce Marketing Association (PMA) and the International Fresh-Cut Produce Association. Between years of experience in the food industry and continuously addressing client needs, AFS Technologies understands the requirements and issues facing today’s produce distributors.

AFS Technologies solutions deliver tangible business benefits by:

Increasing Customer Satisfaction and Sales

The AFS Advanced Enterprise product suite provides accurate, real-time business reporting of pricing, costing and inventory quantities and values in multiple units of measure ( incl. catch weights), down to the single case ID with code dating and lot tracking. Inventory is tightly controlled while your field sales force (DSRs) will have the confidence that on-hand inventory quantities and values are accurate, that pricing and costing data in multiple units of measure are accurate, and that customers will receive what they ordered when delivery was committed.

The product suite also offers 5 different ways to enter and manage orders in both online (internet) and off-line modes using a laptop, PC or other type of mobile computing device. This ability is tightly integrated with AFS Advanced Enterprise and provides your customers, DSRs and your in-house customer service representatives the convenience, accuracy and ability to enter orders themselves, 24 X 7, while in the office or on the road.

Improving Margins

Comprehensive pricing, margin and credit rules and controls are built into the application with easy set up and maintenance. Products are sold at the right price and margin based on the right cost.

The product suite includes an automated vendor deal and rebate tracking system to allow distributors to easily and accurately record and report the data needed to receive the maximum allowable vendor rebates. Typical customers find sheltered income increases by 20-30% over manual rebate tracking processes.

Improving Operational Efficiencies and Reduced Overall Operational Costs

Available integrated forecasting and purchasing supply chain management software helps buyers improve buying practices and optimize inventory investments. Service levels are improved, lost sales are reduced, margins are increased and excess stock is eliminated through improved forecasting and purchasing decisions. This helps improve inventory turns and reduces cash consumption and carrying costs as well.

Automated Warehouse Management using Wireless Bar Code Scanning is a major operational efficiency and cost cutting driver. AFS Technologies has a dedicated history of implementing these solutions and has helped many customers achieve dramatic warehouse operational improvements through sophisticated picking algorithms & directed warehouse activity. Knowing where your inventory is located and by rotating stock, spoilage and waste are typically reduced up to 10%. Employee productivity is typically increased by up to 15% and overall warehouse efficiency improves by as much as 20%. Reductions in inventory cost of 2-5% are typical and picking errors are practically eliminated with 99.5% picking accuracy achieved. An overall increase in company profitability of 1-3% is achievable simply by using AFS Advanced Warehouse Management.

Route planning & truck loading optimization software offered in partnership with UPS Logistics Technology helps manage your transportation department more efficiently. The daily route optimization tool Roadnet™ will help reduce transportation costs and increase driver accountability. Territory Planner™ optimizes sales and delivery territories, while MobileCast™ can provide you with real-time delivery management and route execution. In all, our integrated solutions help customers find more effective ways to manage your deliveries, load your vehicles more efficiently, reduce transportation costs, increase driver accountability and improve customer service.

Route accounting / DEX driver delivery solutions for delivery automation allow your drivers to use mobile, handheld computers to input sales, returns, cash receipts, expenses and inventory transactions at the customer site. The information is then transferred to your company's business management software system with wireless or dial-up connection. This solution reduces the time spent on paperwork, eliminates line item extension errors, pricing errors, and eliminates office data entry errors all while allowing your driver to add extra stops per day without adding additional work hours. Route accounting solutions are ideal for delivering short shelf-life products to businesses on a regular basis.

Business trend analysis & reporting solutions combine Crystal Reports with a choice of comprehensive, yet simple-to-use business intelligence packages to provide easy-to view graphical reports of critical operational information in your company’s ERP system.

"15 years ago, our company first began investigating options for software systems for Frieda's. At that time, we selected AFS Technologies for its flexibility, knowledge of the perishable distribution business and it's various applications. Periodically we have evaluated other software programs against AFS and continue to find that it is the best option to meet our needs. It is a pleasure to work with the team at AFS, who assists us with our continuing upgrades, training and operational growth. We feel confident that AFS gives us the maximum amount of flexibility in using the system to meet our growth and management needs, while providing excellent financial controls."

Frieda's
Los Alamitos, CA