Markem‑Imaje and iFoodDS Partner to Simplify FSMA 204 Traceability Compliance

SEATTLE and KENNESAW, Ga. — iFoodDS and Markem‑Imaje announced a partnership designed to reduce the compliance burden of FSMA 204 by making case labels a key mechanism for automatically capturing required traceability data, especially for small to mid-sized suppliers who lack dedicated IT infrastructure, iFoodDS said. 

Turning a printed label into a "data bridge" for FSMA 204

Under the partnership, iFoodDS said that suppliers can use Markem‑Imaje labeling solutions to create and print a GS1 compliant barcode on every case that encodes the traceability lot code, location, product information and other required Key Data Elements (KDEs). 

Today, those labels can be generated using standardized templates provided through iFoodDS Trace Exchange and used within Markem‑Imaje's CoLOS software. As part of a planned integration, data generated through CoLOS can be automatically captured in iFoodDS Trace Exchange and as a result the supplier doesn't have to enter records manually. 

Enabling supplier readiness at scale

The partnership provides standardized, FSMA-aligned label templates within Trace Exchange, which can be used directly in CoLOS, iFoodDS said. These templates also provide pre-defined data fields, built-in GS1 logic and formatting. 

Compliance assistance without complexity

FSMA 204 readiness is quickly becoming a requirement for doing business — but many suppliers on the FDA's Food Traceability List are not large enterprises with dedicated IT teams, iFoodDS said. This partnership is designed to remove the most common barriers to adoption:

• Instant access to FSMA 204 aligned labels
• No manual data entry
• No ERP integration required to begin
• One platform to share with all customers

From labeling to data sharing — without duplicate work

iFoodDS said that this partnership and approach eliminates duplicate effort, reduces errors and allows suppliers to participate in traceability programs using tools and processes they already rely on.

"Suppliers shouldn't need enterprise IT projects to comply with FSMA 204," said Andrew Kennedy, chief traceability cfficer at iFoodDS. "By making FSMA-aligned labels readily accessible today and automatically capturing KDEs when the CoLOS integration comes online, we're giving suppliers a practical, low‑lift path to share traceability data with every customer — without forcing complex integrations on day one."

Stephen Gryczka, strategy and corporate development director at Markem-Imaje, added: "CoLOS has helped thousands of customers design and print GS-1 compliant labels and connect their enterprise data systems to the factory floor to ensure the right label goes on the right product at the right time. We're excited to be integrating CoLOS with the iFoodDS Trace Exchange platform to help food suppliers leverage existing labeling infrastructure to comply with FSMA 204 traceability requirements."