The Supply Chain of the Future

The fresh produce industry is at a crossroads. We face mounting pressure to reduce waste, meet consumer demands for transparency, and adapt to a rapidly changing world. Yet, outdated systems and fragmented data hinder our ability to collaborate effectively. The cost of inaction is staggering: billions of dollars lost to spoilage, eroded consumer trust, and missed opportunities for growth.

The time for incremental change is over. We need a revolution. And that revolution starts with open collaboration, join us.

The Challenge

Current systems are failing us. Non-open-source solutions and proprietary platforms create data silos, limit access to critical information, and hinder collaboration. This fragmented landscape threatens to undermine the value of groundbreaking programs like climate-resilience initiatives, regenerative agriculture, freshness optimization, and food security efforts.

New Business Models
Imagine a supply chain where growers get better prices for quality produce, retailers reduce waste while delighting customers, and everyone benefits from shared intelligence. This isn't just a vision, it's the future we're building together.

The Opportunity

A New Way of Leveraging Insight to Drive Real Value
By combining real-time data on temperature, location, and quality, AI models could predict shelf life and optimize routing. This creates a framework for validated trust across the chain. Freshness prediction, the reduction of food waste, the elimination of waste, and added pressure to growers really focus on the benefit to the grower and to the retailer in this regard.

Program Pilot Series
Our collaborative process drives tangible outcomes by actively building solutions for the industry's biggest challenges.

It's a call to action, moving from concepts to concrete solutions that deliver real value for every stakeholder.

Shelf-life Prediction
Reduce waste and optimize pricing with advanced predictive models

Smart Data Escrow
Open source tools to share data with anyone without sharing it with everyone

Dynamic Pricing / Incentives
Everyone has an opportunity to improve margins with better performance

Harmonized Standards
Ensure interoperability, reduce barriers, and accelerate innovation

Roadmap

Read our white paper:
The Supply Chain of the Future: From Vision to Action

Global Collabathon & Action Plan
We brought together the brightest minds in the fresh produce industry to identify key challenges and co-create the solutions that will shape the future of our supply chain.

Spring 2025

Establishing leadership, launching working groups, and creating an Innovation Hub to showcase real-world solutions.

Summer 2025

Pilot execution, scaling, and industry validation, including a Symposium & Program Pilot Series on June 9th, 2025, in Washington, D.C., coinciding with IFPA's Washington Conference.

Fall 2025

Member validation, a Global Showcase at the IFPA Global Produce & Floral Show, and strategic retrospectives to solidify industry-wide adoption and plan for future collaboration.

Events

Global Produce & Floral Show
More Info Coming Soon
October 16-18 Anaheim, CA

Scheduled Monthly Meetings

Harmonized Standards Working Group / Virtual across multiple time zones
RSVP

Smart Data Escrow (Digital Sovereignty) Innovation Pilot / Virtual across multiple time zones
RSVP

Shelf-life Predictability Innovation Pilot / Virtual across multiple time zones
RSVP

Dynamic Incentives Innovation Pilot
RSVP

Submit Your Pilot Project

Business solution providers and supply chain stakeholders can share their ideas and submit proposals on how they envision making a positive impact in the industry.

Join us in the Data & Standards Sprint, where your expertise can directly influence the future of the industry. Participate in evaluating real-world case studies and pilot projects, and contribute your insights to shape the development of data standards and best practices. Your active involvement will play a crucial role in driving innovation and creating a more efficient and sustainable supply chain for all.

Producer
For growers, this is a unique opportunity to gain better prices, reduce waste, maintain control, and improve decision-making.

Logistics
Improve efficiency, enhance decision-making, and strengthen partnerships and future-proof your business with advanced service offerings.

Retail
The supply chain of the future initiative offers the ability to reduce waste, meet consumer demands, and improve efficiency in an open and collaborative way that industry supports.

Technology
Gain deeper insights that will enable you to better anticipate and meet customer needs, collaborate openly with partners, ensure interoperability across systems, and future-proof your business models.

Standards
Work together to create practical workflows that align standards and encourage engagement throughout the supply chain. This collaboration will also increase interoperability and lower adoption costs.

Industry
Advocate for your stakeholders by helping to shape a global supply value chain that is more efficient, sustainable, and equitable for all.

The IFPA Supply Chain of the Future Initiative was co-envisioned, and is being implemented by TOTEM LTD at the direction of IFPA and its stakeholders .

Totem specializes in collaborative innovation and open-source solutions for the fresh produce industry. We are passionate about building a more efficient, sustainable, and equitable food system through the power of data and technology. Our expertise in data management, standards development, and community engagement has been instrumental in driving the IFPA Fresh Supply Chain of the Future initiative. We are committed to continuing our collaboration with the IFPA and its partners to bring this vision to life.

At Totem, we believe that the future of fresh produce lies in open collaboration, shared knowledge, and a commitment to building solutions that benefit everyone. We are dedicated to empowering stakeholders across the supply chain with the tools and insights they need to thrive in a rapidly changing world. Our approach is rooted in human-centered design, agile development, and a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing the fresh produce industry. We are proud to be a part of this transformative initiative and look forward to continuing our partnership with the IFPA to build the Fresh Supply Chain of the Future

The Fresh Supply Chain of the Future

Revolutionizing Fresh Produce From Field to Consumer