CAT Squared has become an onboarding partner for the IBM Food Trust, a blockchain-enabled global network of food chain participants that securely connects supply chain data across the ecosystem with trust and transparency.

Supermarkets of the near future will have their business models radically re-shaped by innovations instore, online, and in the food industry supply chain. These technologies will be deployed in the battle for customers but, more than this, can also benefit the planet.

Because of increasing consumer interest in a more diverse product selection, healthy foods, and more convenient meal preparation, food manufacturers in dairy, meat, baked goods and produce are supplying a widening array of new SKUs in both chilled and frozen formats. This places an ever increasing demand on cold storage, and with older facilities, it’s not very easy to automate them.

Starbucks and WestRock completed a pilot to recycle fiber from 25 million coffee cups for new cups.

Recycled paper company Sustana invested in pulping equipment to remove polyethylene liners from the cups and save the fiber, which was mixed into paperboard at WestRock’s mill in Evadale, Texas. Large rolls went to Seda packaging company for printing, cutting and forming.

Community Coffee has announced a partnership with Blue Ridge Global for supply chain planning solutions to align its distribution with expected demand.