Next Level Supply Chain with GS1 US

A single contamination can have serious consequences for vulnerable populations, such as students. Traceability is essential to ensure food safety from the farm to the school cafeteria.

In this episode, Jim White, President and Co-Founder of ENSESO4Food, and Candice Bevis, Farm Operations Manager at Spartanburg County School District 6, explain how digital traceability simplifies FSMA 204 compliance and strengthens confidence in the food supply chain.

They discuss how affordable technology and GS1 standards help small farms operate with the same precision as large suppliers, connecting farms, processors, and cafeterias for a safer food system.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How to ensure accountability in food sourcing and delivery

• Why simplicity and affordability matter for technology adoption

• Ways schools are using visibility to improve food safety

Things to listen for: (00:00) Introducing Next Level Supply Chain (04:22) How the Trakkey partnership began (07:59) Connecting farms, processors, and schools (12:33) How digital tools simplify compliance (18:03) Teaching students where their food comes from (20:56) Making food safety simpler for farmers (23:31) Reducing waste and improving efficiency (26:32) Jim and Candice's favorite tech

Connect with GS1 US: Our website - www.gs1us.orgGS1 US on LinkedIn This episode is brought to you by:AccuGraphix If you're interested in becoming or working with a GS1 US solution partner, please connect with us on LinkedIn or on our website. Connect with the guests: Jim White on LinkedInCheck out ENSESO4Food and Spartanburg County School District Six

Efficiency works when everything goes to plan. But as disruptions grow more frequent and complex, resilience and preparation are what set strong supply chains apart.

In this episode, logistics expert John Manners-Bell, founder and CEO of Transport Intelligence, joins hosts Reid Jackson and Liz Sertl to discuss what leaders need to know about supply chain risk, technology, and balance.

With over 40 years in the industry advising organizations like the World Economic Forum, the UN, and the European Commission, John shares hard-earned lessons from real-world crises and why efficiency is not enough.

Listeners will gain a sharper understanding of how to prepare for disruption, enhance visibility across their networks, and utilize AI and data to build more resilient operations.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How to measure the cost of supply chain risk

• Why you need to prioritize resilience in supply chain strategy

• How AI helps logistics leaders anticipate risks and plan accordingly

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Introducing Next Level Supply Chain

(04:14) Why supply chain risk is everyone's problem

(06:41) Balancing efficiency and resilience for long-term success

(11:07) Why inventory alone won't save your business

(12:51) How visibility and data transform modern supply chains

(16:24) Cyberattacks, paper backups, and recovery stories

(18:18) The rise of AI and automation in logistics

(22:12) Lessons from companies that built resilience

(25:57) The mindset every future-ready supply chain leader needs

Connect with GS1 US: Our website - www.gs1us.orgGS1 US on LinkedIn

Connect with the guests: John Manners-Bell on LinkedIn Check out Transport Intelligence

From Sunday suppers to 2,000 stores… and almost losing them all. Andrew Arbogast turned his dad's cheese dip recipe into a fast-growing CPG brand, only to face the harsh realities of shelf life, co-packing, and retailer expectations. In this episode, he joins Liz Sertl to share how he scaled Arbo's Cheese Dip, what nearly sank the business, and the turning point that gave him a second chance.

Listeners will hear the unfiltered story behind bringing a homemade recipe to the national stage, and the resilience, partnerships, and supply chain decisions that made survival possible.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How shelf life testing and packaging decisions directly impact scalability

• Why rapid national expansion without brand awareness creates costly supply and demand mismatches

• What strategies helped Arbo stabilize its operations

Jump into the conversation: (00:00) Introducing Next Level Supply Chain

(02:33) Family traditions that inspired Arbo's recipe

(04:25) Why barcodes matter for brand credibility

(06:03) Shelf life challenges with early co-packers

(08:11) Reformulating products for large-scale production

(09:24) Rapid retail expansion that backfired

(11:31) Winning Walmart Open Call and scaling mistakes

(13:28) Debt crisis and asking for help

(17:33) Grants and innovation with Real California Milk

(19:31) Favorite flavors and unexpected uses for cheese dip

Connect with GS1 US: Our website - www.gs1us.orgGS1 US on LinkedIn

Connect with the guests: Andrew Arbogast on LinkedIn Check out Arbo's Cheese Dip

When food safety is on the line, every hour counts. The FDA's new FSMA 204 rule is raising the standard for traceability, with stronger requirements designed to track products faster and manage recalls more effectively. At stake is not just compliance, but the ability to protect both consumers and businesses when outbreaks occur.

In this episode, Angela Fields from the FDA joins hosts Reid Jackson and Liz Sertl to explain what FSMA 204 means for supply chains. They explore why proactive traceability is replacing outdated reactive models and how better data is improving the speed and accuracy of investigations.

You'll also hear real stories from outbreak response, how electronic records can cut weeks off investigations, and why collaboration across the food industry makes a difference for everyone.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How FSMA 204 creates new opportunities for supply chain transparency

• Why recalls work best when industry and regulators communicate clearly

• What steps companies can take now to prepare for the 2028 compliance deadline

Jump into the conversation: (00:00) Introducing Next Level Supply Chain (01:58) Angela Fields' background

(02:59) Food safety from a regulatory perspective

(04:13) How the environment affects supply chain risks

(06:59) What FSMA 204 means for industry

(08:40) Spinach outbreaks and the cost of recalls

(09:53) Why regulations also protect food companies

(14:23) How electronic records speed outbreak investigations

(17:17) Who triggers recalls and how they happen

(19:33) Best practices companies use to prevent recalls

(22:15) Where consumers can track recalls and outbreaks

Connect with GS1 US: Our website - www.gs1us.orgGS1 US on LinkedIn

Connect with the guests: Angela Fields on LinkedIn Check out the FDA

Carter's just pulled off what many retailers thought was impossible.

In only three months, the iconic children's apparel brand rolled out RFID technology across 700 stores: improving accuracy on every item and making life easier for both store teams and customers. In this episode, Gina Maddaloni and Anna Marie Blackburn from Carter's join hosts Reid Jackson and Liz Sertl to discuss how RFID became central to Carter's retail operations, what it took to win buy-in across the company, and how it is improving both inventory management and customer experience.

You'll also hear how Carter's uses RFID to cut payroll costs for year-end inventory by 50 percent, why the rollout became a recruiting tool for store teams, and where the company sees new opportunities to extend RFID into supply chain operations.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How Carter's achieved one of the fastest RFID deployments in retail

• Why RFID is no longer "too complex" or "too expensive"

• What's next as Carter's expands RFID use into its supply chain operations

Jump into the conversation: (00:00) Introducing Next Level Supply Chain (01:29) Anna Marie and Gina's backgrounds (03:52) What RFID technology means for retail (06:47) The process of rolling out RFID across Carter's stores (13:21) RFID's impact on Carter's operational efficiency (17:49) RFID as a recruiting tool for store teams (18:54) Asset protection benefits and peace of mind (19:34) Expanding RFID into DC operations (21:35) What's next, Carter's move toward serialization (23:01) Advice for companies starting their RFID journey (24:02) Busting RFID myths: cost, complexity, and adoption (26:29) Favorite tech beyond RFID (29:22) What Gina and Anna Marie want to learn next

Connect with GS1 US: Our website - www.gs1us.org GS1 US on LinkedIn

Connect with the guests: Gina Maddaloni on LinkedIn Anna Marie Blackburn on LinkedIn Check out Carter's

Learn more about the GS1 US Solution Partner Program: https://www.gs1us.org/industries-and-insights/partners

The way cash moves through the supply chain is evolving.

What was once a paper-heavy process is now embracing digital transformation.

In this episode, Robert Skitt, Senior Manager at Axiom Armored Transport, joins hosts Reid Jackson and Liz Sertl to discuss the shift from traditional, manual methods to more secure, efficient, and accountable digital solutions.

Financial institutions and the Federal Reserve are demanding greater transparency and control over cash movement, and armored transport teams are under increasing pressure to adapt.

Robert walks us through the process of how Axiom is modernizing armored transport, replacing handwritten logs with barcode scans and eManifests. In this episode, you'll learn:

• How GS1 standards are helping digitize cash logistics

• What "cash visibility" looks like in practice

• Why early adoption gave Axiom a seat at the table and a competitive edge

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Introducing Next Level Supply Chain

(04:52) What cash visibility looks like

(07:23) How GS1 standards changed the workflow

(11:32) Turning paper-heavy processes into data

(13:32) Barcode tech in armored car logistics

(15:14) How digitization improves accuracy and trust

(19:25) Advice for starting your visibility journey

(20:44) Robert's favorite technology today

Connect with GS1 US:

Our website - www.gs1us.org

GS1 US on LinkedIn

Connect with the guest:

Robert Skitt on LinkedInCheck out Axiom Armored Transport

The packaging around your product now matters just as much as the product itself.

For companies navigating Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws, that's quickly becoming the reality. And it's reshaping how teams think about data, packaging, and compliance.

In this episode, Lindsay Savage, Senior Director of Data Governance and Business Platforms at Georgia-Pacific LLC, joins hosts Reid Jackson and Liz Sertl to demystify what EPR means for manufacturers and retailers.

With legislation ramping up across states, Lindsay explains how brands are preparing for complex reporting requirements, coordinating across departments, and turning sustainability regulations into opportunities for smarter product innovation.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why EPR is more than a packaging issue and why it matters now

• How Georgia-Pacific is building scalable systems to manage regulatory data

• Tips for companies just getting started, from legal teams to logistics

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Introducing Next Level Supply Chain

(02:21) Lindsay Savage's background

(03:16) What EPR means for your business

(04:50) Every state has its own rules

(06:15) Data overload and the push for standards

(07:36) Breaking down product, packaging, and pallet

(09:27) Two ways to report EPR data

(11:20) How to get started with EPR compliance

(12:40) Building cross-functional teams for success

(17:55) Embracing AI tools to stay ahead

Connect with GS1 US:

Our website - www.gs1us.org

GS1 US on LinkedIn

Connect with the guest:

Lindsay Savage on LinkedIn Check out Georgia-Pacific

How are brands thinking about their supply chains five years after the COVID-19 crisis?

Companies are now leaning more heavily into innovation, from making their operations resilient to market changes to launching sustainability initiatives.

In this episode, Stephanie Mehta, CEO and Chief Content Officer at Mansueto Ventures, joins hosts Reid Jackson and Liz Sertl following her keynote at GS1 Connect. They discuss why the supply chain is now at the center of innovation and how companies can stay ahead of changes in the economy and evolving customer demands.

Drawing on her experience leading Fast Company and Inc., Stephanie shares how resilience, sustainability, and data-driven thinking are transforming the business landscape for companies of every size.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How companies are using the supply chain to drive innovation and acceleration

• Why executives are rethinking product packaging, automation, and logistics

• The impact of data and social media on a company's operations

Jump into the conversation:

(00:17) Introducing Next Level Supply Chain

(02:32) Stephanie Mehta's journey from business journalist to CEO

(03:27) How GS1 US collaborates with media brands

(04:13) Reaching small businesses with supply chain storytelling

(05:41) What most people miss about barcodes

(07:35) Why innovation should not stop post-crisis

(08:23) How sustainability aligns with consumer demand

(11:16) Solving forecasting and inventory with better data

(12:05) The logistics of HP's sustainability initiative

(15:56) Social media's growing impact on supply chains

Connect with GS1 US:

Our website - www.gs1us.org

GS1 US on LinkedIn

Connect with the guest:

Stephanie Mehta on LinkedIn

Check out Mansueto Ventures

Confused by the new regulations and a patchwork of state-level policies?

With a new administration setting fresh policy priorities, supply chains are facing shifting rules and growing pressure to adapt.

Maggie Lyons, Vice President of Government and Regulatory Affairs at GS1 US, joins hosts Reid Jackson and Liz Sertl to decode the changes affecting how products are made, moved, and sold, and what businesses can do to stay ahead. From SNAP waivers and red dye bans to extended producer responsibility (EPR) laws and 2D barcodes, this episode breaks down how government decisions are impacting daily operations across food, retail, and consumer packaged goods (CPG).

Maggie's team works with policymakers and industry leaders to align mandates with existing systems, helping avoid duplication and enabling efficient, standards-based implementation.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How state-level regulation is influencing national supply chain strategies

• Why new ingredient bans could create a ripple effect across CPG brands

• What you can do to stay ahead of policy changes impacting your industry

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Introducing Next Level Supply Chain

(02:07) Why GS1 built a policy team

(04:02) From Capitol Hill to CPG strategy

(06:34) Staying focused amid constant regulatory shifts

(08:48) Government agencies shaping supply chain standards

(10:38) Customs, tariffs, and food assistance priorities

(14:59) How SNAP waivers complicate retail operations

(17:57) What red dye bans mean next

Connect with GS1 US:

Our website - www.gs1us.org

GS1 US on LinkedIn

Connect with the guest:

Maggie Lyons on LinkedIn

What if you could see what your customers are searching before they even hit 'buy'?

In today's hyper-competitive marketplace, that's exactly what the best brands are doing, and it's giving them a serious edge.

In this episode, Chris Barnes, General Manager of Retail & Alternative Channels at Jungle Scout, joins hosts Reid Jackson and Liz Sertl to break down how brands are using real-time search, product, and shopper data to respond faster to market signals on Amazon and beyond.

Chris shares how companies are identifying market opportunities, protecting category share, and improving performance across pricing, inventory, and advertising, all by knowing what to look for in the data.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How to use search and shopper behavior to guide product strategy

• Why category management looks different in the age of marketplaces

• The data brands overlook and how it impacts sales performance

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Introducing Next Level Supply Chain

(02:07) Chris Barnes on his career journey

(04:38) Transforming strategy with data and intelligence

(05:55) Category management in-store vs. online

(09:23) AI's impact on search and consumer behavior

(13:04) Dude Wipes' growth and success

(15:35) Leveraging data to understand consumer needs

(19:17) Power of data analytics in product development

(20:48) Top strategies for maximizing growth

(27:37) The future of agencies and AI in business

Connect with GS1 US:

Our website - www.gs1us.org

GS1 US on LinkedIn

Connect with the guest:

Chris Barnes on LinkedInCheck out Jungle Scout