EU project shows success of TraceTracker solution

 Oslo, 14. December 2009– A final report from the EU’s TRACE project describes TraceTracker’s software implementation at Hermes as the most successful pilot of the entire, 5-year program. “The implementation at Hermes was the most successful for a number of reasons,” explained Petter Olsen from Nofima, who compiled the final deliverable report.  “For one thing, Hermes chose to buy the software and run it commercially, so the system will continue after TRACE is complete. For another thing, Hermes reported improved market access, more stable (and to some degree better) prices as a result of the implementation. The employees reported no significant increase in workload related to the new data recordings because entering new data is now compensated by a reduced need for re-punching data and improved data system integration.”

“Our traceability system has lead to increased profits,” added Jan Roger Lerbukt, an owner of Hermes. “Within a few months after installing the system, we secured a significant contract amounting to half of our total revenue for the year. Our new customers, Espersen and Scanfish clearly stated that they chose us, in part because of our ability to show where each product comes from and how it was handled. All the product details for each block of fish are available through our website.”

The TRACE project, which concluded this month, has been one of the largest research projects funded by the European Commission. A project budget of 12 million Euro supported efforts by 54 institutions and organizations to develop new traceability systems and methods. The aim of TRACE was to give consumers added confidence in the authenticity of European food through complete traceability along entire food chains, from the farm to the fork. 

TraceTracker contributed to the development of software tools for tracking food product information, “Good Traceability Practices”, and a standardized language for enabling data exchange between supply chain partners along value chains.

More information
About Hermes AS
About the TRACE project