Leveraging Supply Chain Apps to Support Product Launch

Nation's top olive supplier using HighJump suite to manage complex, high-volume distribution

Nation's top olive supplier using HighJump suite to manage complex, high-volume distribution

Eden Prairie, MN — March 11, 2004 — Musco Family Olive Co. has leveraged a suite of applications from HighJump Software to launch a new line of Burgundy Pearl olives for the U.S. market and to manage its complex, high-volume distribution processes, the solution provider announced recently.

Based in Tracy, Calif., with facilities throughout the state, Musco is a privately held family company that is the leading supplier of branded olives in America. Their only business is olives, to the extent that their Web site is www.olives.com.

Musco is utilizing HighJump's Supply Chain Advantage solutions to manage high-volume fulfillment and distribution, including product tracking and traceability, surrounding both its new and established product lines.

The company is also taking advantage of HighJump's system adaptability to make fast changes in-house, which has resulted in low total cost of ownership, according to the solution provider.

Supply Chain Advantage is HighJump's solution for warehouse, transportation and yard management; supply chain visibility and event management; supplier execution enablement; collaborative inventory management and data collection.

HighJump said that Advantage is allowing Musco to effectively manage the unique complexities of its business, including seasonal peaks, metalized labeling and promotional coupons accompanying their products.

After the olives are canned, they are scanned, labeled and placed in cases. Each case contains a lot code which the HighJump system automatically tracks, enabling Musco to determine the origin of each case and the products' expiration date in the event of a recall. This allows Musco to meet government guidelines, while giving both Musco and its customers visibility into the movement of goods throughout the supply chain.

According to Ben Gibbons, demand planning manager at Musco, another key benefit of the system is its flexibility. "We've had to scale our production up to meet the tremendous market demand for this new product, which the HighJump system handled beautifully," Gibbons said. "We always know that Supply Chain Advantage will allow us to get the right product — with its various labeling requirements — to the right retailer or food service company on time. The improvements in our shipping accuracy have been phenomenal, and our customer satisfaction has increased dramatically as a result."

Gibbons has also been impressed with how effectively the HighJump system has allowed Musco to collaborate with its supplier network. "We've established a tight, just-in-time supply replenishment process," he explained. "Our suppliers simply log on to the HighJump Web portal, determine our needs and anticipate replenishment. It's translated into a remarkable savings of warehouse space and inventory."

HighJump was recently acquired by 3M.

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