ARLINGTON, VA. - FMI – The Food Industry Association and trading and agriculture software company The Seam partnered up to roll out the Food Industry Exchange, an online marketplace for retailers and wholesalers to find products and services available to them. 

Designed to provide support in these unprecedented times caused by coronavirus (COVID-19), the platform will connect retailers requiring additional resources with suppliers that have the needed capacity of products, transportation services, labor and/or warehousing services. 

“The tool ensures the food supply chain remains safe and efficient,” said Mark Baum, chief collaboration officer and senior vice president of industry relations at FMI. “The new effort will make the process of connecting FMI and related product suppliers with capacity, and FMI member companies in need of assistance, quick and more precise through a digitized system. This allows us to assist our FMI food retailers and wholesalers fulfill needs at grocery stores, which are experiencing skyrocketing demand, and at the same time, assist our product supplier members in creating new relationships and providing their needs.” 

On the new platform, suppliers can display their availability of products and services ranging from meat to masks to labor services they have immediately available to try to avoid any disruptions to the supply chain and provide alternative solutions. 

The Food Industry Exchange connects suppliers and retailers through a secure, verified and subscription-based platform with added assurances of online credential displays. 

“As the current world pandemic increases the demand to provide access to suppliers who have capacity for products and services, retailers/wholesalers are challenged with keeping store shelves stocked with essential consumer goods,” said Mark Pryor, chief executive officer at The Seam. “Technology drives efficiencies and fuels markets and connecting suppliers with buyers is what we do best at The Seam. We are honored to collaborate with FMI to develop this real-time exchange that will digitize and interconnect a geographically dispersed supply chain.” 

For more information, visit the Food Industry Exchange here.