Today’s Post is by Eli Razov, Senior Account Manager at SafeSourcing Inc.

What’s the difference between Natural and Processed cheese? Processed cheese consists of emulsifiers and food coloring and other substitutes that may prove to be harmful for your body. Natural cheese, on the other hand, is the purest form of processed milk and may not be harmful for the body as it does not contain any chemical or preservatives to keep it fresh. Processed cheese has a longer shelf than natural cheese, majorly because the latter has a large amount of salt and preservatives to keep it fresh. It is recommended that both processed and natural cheese is good only if eaten within limits. Processed cheese is generally consumed in fast foods; hence it is imperative to take care of the amount of fast foods you eat.

What is Processed Cheese?

Processed cheese is basically made from natural cheese; however, it varies in degree and sharpness of flavor. It is a product made from cheese, emulsifiers (two insoluble liquids), sodium citrate, calcium phosphate, sorbic acid (preservative), enzymes, cheese culture, vitamin D3, milk fat, extra salt, saturated vegetable oils, whey and artificial food colorings. Generally, to make processed cheese, a portion of natural cheese is melted, emulsified and held together with preservatives, artificial ingredients and double the amount of salt used than that of natural cheese. It is then poured and reformed into various other forms of cheese products.

Here are some of the processed cheeses that you may or may not have heard of before:

• Brie cheese
• Camembert
• Brick cheese
• Muenster cheese
• Stilton cheese
• Cheddar cheese
• Blue cheese
• Mozzarella cheese
• Swiss cheese
• Parmesan cheese
• Gorgonzola cheese

Natural cheese is made of products using only simple and natural ingredients including fresh high quality milk, salt, enzymes and natural colors. The major differences between processed and natural cheese are that natural cheeses have the whey (watery part of the milk) pressed out of them, while processed cheese does not; and processed cheese has a longer shelf life as compared to natural cheese.

Here are some natural cheeses:

• Cottage Cheese
• Cream Cheese
• Brie
• Camembert
• Muenster

Knowing about your products and who to get them from can help you make educated decisions. At SafeSourcing, we have a growing database of Natural & Processed Cheese manufacturers and distributors. We work directly with these vendors to help our clients save on these products. Contact SafeSourcing and let us help you save on your cheese costs today!

For more information on how SafeSourcing can assist you or on our “Risk Free” trial program, please contact SafeSourcing  we have an entire team waiting to assist you today

Citation:

https://food.ndtv.com/food-drinks/processed-cheese-versus-natural-cheese-your-guide-to-cheese-1680557

Today’s post is by Gayl Southard, Administrative Consultant at SafeSourcing, Inc.

I recently read an article about a gentleman that found a ten-year old claim check for a shoe repair. He went to the store and presented the ticket. He explained he just came across it and had no expectation that the shoes were still there. The store clerk went in the back and said he found the shoes. The gentleman asked how much did he owe him. He was told they weren’t ready, but he could have them in a week.

When asked about service, most people will write about a poor experience. On rare occasions, people will write about amazing service. Harvey McKay gives an example in the envelope manufacturing businesses which he’s been part of for 50-plus years. “We win or lose customers by pennies per thousand. When most of our customers are purchasing between tens of millions to, in several instances, over 500 million envelopes annually, the pennies do add up to thousands of dollars of cost difference.”1 When the cost of product and pricing is so close, it does come down to quality of service. Keeping personnel motivated to consistently provide high-quality service is key for any company. Some basic considerations are:

1. Hire the right people. It is important to recognize the skills and attitude you want.Ask yourself would you want that person working for your competitor. If the answer is no, you know your answer.
2. Keep score. Measure performance and let employees know what they are being measured on and how it is relevant to them.
3. Recognize employees. Make sure to reward desired outcome.
4. Practice what you preach. If you desire a motivated customer-service rep, you need to be motivated first.

Mackay’s Moral: There is no such thing as too good where customer service is involved.

SafeSourcing strives to give excellent customer service. If you would like more information on how SafeSourcing can help you, please contact a SafeSourcing Customer Service representative.  We have an entire team ready to assist you today.

References…………………………..

Harvey Mackey, The Arizona Republic, 11/4/2019

Today’s post is from our  SafeSourcing Archives

Most problems don’t have solutions as simple as yes or no, such as “if A, then ‘yes’. If B, then ‘no’”. Solutions are more often evaluated through multiple sets of dependencies, such as “if A+B is greater than C, then find the average of X-Z”. Of course these statements aren’t intuitive, so if we don’t understand how to use them formally in logic equations or computer code, we are much less likely to get them right in real life situations. So here’s a crash course in Excel “IF” statements:

The basic description of the “IF” function is “If something is True, then do something, otherwise do something else”. To see it in action, start with typing “=IF” in an Excel cell of your choice. You’ll see Excel suggest the full formula as “=IF(logical_test, [value_if_true], [value_if_false])”. Each of those statements within the parentheses is a variable that does something specific, and they have to be separated by a comma so that Excel knows when you are entering a new variable. Here is how each variable behaves within the function:

• “logical_test”: This means there must be an active function. Let’s go with an example of “A1>B1”.
• “value_if_true”: Whatever value you include in this variable, will populate the cell you’re programing the formula for, if the “logical_test” variable is true. Such as if A1 = 2, and B1 = 1.
• “value_if_false”: Whatever value is in the false variable, will be populated if “logical_test” is untrue. Such as if A1 = 1 and B1 = 2.

So if we insert some example variables into the formula like so: “IF(2>1, “Yes”, “No”)”

This function would insert a “Yes” into the cell being programmed, and is one of the more simple ways to use the function. However, you can swap any of the aforementioned variables for other formulas as well. This is called “nesting”.

For example, you could write a formula like this: “=IF(K5<K6,”YES”,IF((COUNT(H7:H10>2)),”HIGH”,”LOW”))”

Let’s describe what this function is doing in sentence form, with a context of evaluating vendor proposals: If Vendor 1’s cost is lower than Vendor 2’s cost, enter “YES” into the cell, if Vendor 1 is not lower than Vendor 2, then if the number of DC’s the new vendor carries is greater than 2, enter “HIGH” into the cell, otherwise enter “LOW” into the cell. This tells me either to select Vendor 1, or to evaluate several other dependencies to make a final decision.

This level of specificity is not normal in everyday speech, but is absolutely critical in procurement. If you have a vendor proposing an agreement, a full evaluation of the value proposition can’t be based on just one variable. Practicing this and other logic functions in Excel and other tools is an excellent way to hone your ability to evaluate complex procurement problems.

For more information on how SafeSourcing can assist your team with this process or on our “Risk Free” trial program, please contact a SafeSourcing Customer Service Representative. We have an entire customer services team waiting to assist you today.

Today’s Post is by Eli Razov, Senior Account Manager at SafeSourcing Inc.

Cellphones and smartphones have become such an integral part of our daily routine. Most people wake up roll over and grab their phone, whether to check social media or the news, our first waking moments are spent on screen. This continues throughout the day into the office. A survey has found that most employees spend roughly 56 minutes a day on their phones. While managers surveyed assumed their employees were looking at social media, many employees said they were actually reading and responding to personal emails. In addition, 58 percent of workers reported using their cell phones to visit websites that were blocked or banned by their employer.

Because of the constant use, employers are constantly developing and changing policies that address usage at work. Most employers do not think about a cell phone policy in the workplace until they realize they have a problem. Regardless of popularity, it is an absolute necessity to use a call phone policy once it reaches this tipping point. While this does not need to be an extremely detailed or no-phone policy, employers should consider incorporating their own unique policy based on the nature of the business, i.e. security, safety, or other companies of a confidential nature. There’s nothing wrong with laying out a policy clearly states to your employees how you’d like them to use their cell phones during work hours. Perhaps limiting phone calls to emergency-only is a reasonable solution. You could ask employees to keep their phones in desk drawers on vibrate. If you’re in a setting that involves heavy interaction with the public (like retail or service), you could ask employees to keep their phones in their lockers.

SafeSourcing has helped many clients put together cellphone use policies, as well as sourcing employer-provided cell phone plans. We can help you by structuring cell phone plans, as well as incorporating usage policies customized to your needs. Contact a SafeSourcing representative to help today!

For more information on how SafeSourcing can assist you or on our “Risk Free” trial program, please contact SafeSourcing  we have an entire team waiting to assist you today.

Citation:

https://fortune.com/2017/07/25/cell-phone-lost-productivity/#targetText=The%20average%20worker%20spends%20a,work%20for%20non%2Dwork%20activity.

Today’s post is written by Ivy Ray, Senior Procurement Specialist at SafeSourcing Inc.

I was recently quite surprised to find out that there is an “Ugly Produce” movement which was originally started as a way to combat the massive problem of food waste. It has now become a big business and start-ups have sprung up selling less than perfect fruits and vegetables that would otherwise be thrown away due to imperfections in their appearance. One California farmer states, “Ten million tons of unharvested food is lost each year. If we used all of the food that is produced in this country, we could end world hunger. It’s not a supply issue, it’s a distribution issue.” There are debates about whether this is disingenuous given the complexity of the nation’s food system. Critics are saying this is not the answer, but farmers say it is the way of the future.

This produce is being packaged and sold to customers at a fraction of the cost. One company, Imperfect Produce, is a service that delivers seasonal, cosmetically imperfect produce for affordable prices. They and similar companies such as, Misfits Market and Hungry Harvest market themselves as solutions against food waste. The company defines “imperfect” in several ways: cosmetic damage, surplus or excess inventory, undervalued or lack of demand, or doesn’t meet a strict specification from the buyer, usually in the way it’s harvested or packaged.

USDA guidelines separate produce into grades based on size and color, so “imperfectly” good vegetables that don’t make it to store shelves, due only to irregularities in appearance, end up going to waste. Some of this produce does get distributed to food banks and soup kitchens, but the costs to ship is sometimes more expensive than the actual product. A significant portion of the country’s produce is grown in California, so the majority of Imperfect’s fruits and vegetables come from there. They work with over 200 growers nationwide and source most of its produce (78%) from family farms or cooperatives.

About one-fifth of produce is trashed simply because it’s unattractive. And while food waste experts have said tossing perfectly edible produce is a global issue, Americans are particularly bad offenders. Some 60 million tons, or $160 billion worth, of fruits and vegetables gets thrown away in the United States every year, and the Environmental Protection Agency estimates that the average American family of four throws out an annual $1,600 worth of produce.

Almost half of all produce harvested in the United States is never eaten. Fruits and vegetables go unpicked in fields or get thrown away at the store, simply because they don’t look good. I’m not sure when we started the habit of throwing out edible food that isn’t the most attractive, but there are definitely too many people going hungry in this world to just overlook the possibility of supplying where there is a demand.

For more information on how SafeSourcing can assist you in exploring your procurement solutions for your business efforts, or on our Risk Free trial program, please contact a SafeSourcing Customer Service Representative. We have an entire team ready to assist you today.

References:

1. https://www.imperfectfoods.com/
2. https://www.misfitsmarket.com/
3. https://www.hungryharvest.net/
4. https://www.ams.usda.gov/grades-standards/vegetables

Today’s post is by Dave Wenig, Sr. Vice President of Sales and Services at SafeSourcing.

Many (most) of the topics featured on this blog focus on eProcurement and the savings generated by the use of it. Today’s blog certainly follows that theme, but with a bit of a twist. As you might have gathered from the title, I’ll dig more into when and why it makes sense to use eProcurement to achieve your savings objectives and other goals.

Timing 

When you have been doing business with a vendor for an extended period of time, typically at about three years, it is time to assess the market conditions. One of the best ways to do so is through eProcurement. Over time, vendors will very naturally work to improve their margins. eProcurement works by keeping those margins within reason based on competitive levels.

Cost Avoidance 

The day you receive that notification of an unwanted price increase is the day you should prepare to take that category to market. Often, our clients receive two benefits in this case. One, their pricing is reduced as compared to the new increase from their incumbent. Often, this pricing is even better than the old price. Two, often, new vendors will offer more favorable terms such as fixed pricing or other terms to help avoid costly increases in the future.

Quality or Supply Chain 

Another common reason for leveraging eProcurement is quality issues or issues or interruptions in your supply chain. These type of issues typically warrant a fresh look at alternate sources of supply. eProcurement will satisfy this need and take the additional step of providing compressed pricing from well vetted alternatives to your current source of supply.

There are many times when eProcurement makes good practical sense as well as financial sense. If you find that any of these examples ring true, reach out to us here at SafeSourcing and we’ll help you understand your options.

Sometimes, savings dollars just makes sense. We look forward to your comments.