We have to admit, storage and fulfillment of bio-certified goods can be tricky. Such products are usually strictly controlled, have to be clearly marked, and, in most cases, also stored and processed separately from the first moment they arrive in the warehouse. This means that companies that want to include bio-certified products in their offer have to follow many specific rules and requirements. Let us take a closer look at this question.
A preliminary remark first: The rules that we are going to address in this article apply to the entire European Union. If your store is EU-based, and you’re thinking about selling bio-certified products, you should read on.
Organic farming
Generally speaking, bio-certified products come from organic farms, and they are cultivated using natural substances and processes only. The main idea behind this agricultural method is to limit the possible adverse environmental impact of such farms. Organic farms have observe many strictly regulated aspects of their business, just to mention:
- Responsible usage of electric energy and other resources
- Keeping biodiversity and high standards of animal welfare
- Maintaining a high quality of water
- Preserving the ecological balance in the environment
These rules have been designed to ensure the high quality of organic products all over the EU and transparent regulations for every farm in the European Union. Interestingly, these principles also apply to imported organic food. Such food is also subject to control procedures, and these products have to be produced and shipped according to organic principles.
And we should note that these rules are not just on paper. Every country in the European Union appoints a 'competent authority' that's responsible for ensuring EU organics rules are followed. It's called "the organic control system," and you can read more about it here.
Rules regarding products that have been certified as organic
There are specific rules that apply to products that have been certified as organic. You can find the entire list in the Council Regulation (EC) No 834/2007. When it comes to fundamental rules, companies producing and selling bio-certified products have to ensure that:
- All organic products can be identified without any doubt
- These products cannot be mixed, confused, or contaminated with other non-organic products
- They are stored in the original containers
- Organic products are clearly labeled with the organic logo
THE ORGANIC LOGO
According to the European Commission, the organic logo has to be used for all pre-packaged EU food products, produced and sold as organic within the EU. Optionally, the logo can be used for:
- Imported products where the product conforms to the EU rules on the import of organic goods
- Non pre-packaged organic products
- EU organic products placed on the third countries markets
The product has to be made/cultivated with at least 95% of organic ingredients in order to be labeled as organic.
These rules regarding the storing of bio-certified products also apply when you run an eCommerce company and want to sell organic products online. It really doesn't matter whether you have one or 100 organic products in your offer. Moreover, according to the judgment given by the Frankfurt Higher Regional Court, online traders who wish to sell organic products have to obtain EU organic certification.
Face it, modern customers want to know whether the organic goods ordered online are stored, packaged, and shipped in accordance with organic criteria. And it's your job to ensure full compliance with these rules. The good news is that you are not on your own. Many companies offering organic products online decide to work with a fulfillment company that deals with every logistics process. What does it look like in real life?
Omnipack’s fulfillment of the bio-certified/organic products
If you are looking for a trusted fulfillment partner and a company that will help you with storing and shipping bio-certified products, Omnipack is at your service! We are fully prepared to provide service for food products that do not require refrigeration or freezing.
See what we can do for you
MONITORING OF PRODUCT EXPIRATION DATES
Taking care of product expiration dates is crucial in food logistics. We thoroughly monitor every food product we store in our warehouse and their expiration dates. In terms of food and organic products, we use the FEFO system (First End First Out). According to this rule, products with short expiration dates have to leave the warehouse first. Moreover, we fully acknowledge that products with an expiration date shorter than seven days cannot be shipped to customers and adhere to this rule. All of that is possible thanks to our advanced WMS system that monitors every food product in our warehouses. The entire process is very efficient, and the store’s owner has constant insight into the current stock and expiration dates of every product.
CERTIFICATES
In order to store foods lawfully, you have to obey several formal requirements that make it accessible to obtain necessary certifications. At Omnipack, we have full Sanepid (sanitary-epidemiological authority in Poland) consent to store food products in the original packaging and place them on the market. We also act in compliance with modern standards: Good Hygienic Practice (GHP) and Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP).
PROPER TEMPERATURE
Fresh food products require low storage temperature, but there’s also the other side of the coin. You have to know that food and organic assortment cannot be stored at too low temperature. That’s why our warehouses are appropriately heated, which is particularly important in the winter months. All in all, we maintain the recommended temperature for a given product all year long.
Summary
If you want to sell organic products (or food products in general) and are afraid that you won't be able to meet all the requirements imposed on food retailers, think about logistics outsourcing. We can provide you with a comprehensive fulfillment service. If you want to find out more, drop us a line today. Our experts are eager to show you what the fulfillment service looks like, especially in the food/organic products niche. We are at your service!
