SALT LAKE CITY and AUSTIN, TEXAS — ReposiTrak and Upshop have come together in a strategic partnership to create a true end-to-end traceability solution.

ReposiTrak is the world’s largest food traceability network, and its data will now be merged with Upshop’s food retail operations platform so suppliers and retailers can have clear communication in one place, according to the companies.

"Traceability requires data from the supply chain and — importantly — confirmation at the retail store that the proper and accurate lot code data from each shipment has been captured when the product is received,” said Mark Hawthorne, chief innovation and strategy officer at Upshop. “The missing piece for us has been the supply chain data. ReposiTrak is the leader in capturing and managing supply chain data, starting at the suppliers. Together, we can deliver a single, comprehensive traceability solution.”

The new duo highlighted the top three benefits of their partnership:

  • Leverages ReposiTrak’s network of thousands of suppliers and their traceability shipment data, and Upshop’s network of more than 450 retailers and their retail stores.
  • Enables a comprehensive program for creating and storing complete traceability records that meets the FDA’s Food Safety Modernization Act Section 204d (FSMA 204) requirements.
  • Unlocks margin and growth opportunities in stores by connecting supply chain data with store data to optimize inventory, labor and customer experience management automation.

"Once the data is flowing the benefits are compounding,” Hawthorne said. “Traceability data can be used to improve food safety, reduce invoice discrepancies, and identify ways to reduce waste and improve efficiencies throughout the store.”

The partnership comes at an excellent time for the food retail industry as suppliers and retailers have just one year left to seek solutions for the upcoming FSMA 204 mandate Jan. 20, 2026.

“Our partnership combines ReposiTrak’s strength in traceability data management and connectivity with Upshop’s broad base of retail technology,” said Randy Fields, chairman and CEO of ReposiTrak. “Together, our existing platforms make traceability even easier for retailers, and their suppliers. It allows the traceability requirements to be achieved without adding steps to the check-in process and without retooling legacy systems.”

This is another major strategic partnership for Upshop after the company merged with Invafresh in July 2024.