Walmart has announced enhanced food traceability requirements for all of its suppliers. These requirements are in line with the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) 204. This new regulation aims to ensure the safety and quality of food products sold across Walmart and Sam’s Club by requiring food suppliers to provide comprehensive data elements, including detailed lot/batch numbers, production dates, and shipping information.
These requirements will help Walmart track and trace food items more effectively and quickly respond to any safety concerns.
For many suppliers, meeting these demands might seem overwhelming. Kezzler’s Connected Products Platform (CPP) is here to help make compliance not only manageable but also a valuable opportunity to improve supply chain efficiency and transparency.
What are Walmart’s enhanced traceability requirements?
Walmart designed its new food traceability requirements to comply with FSMA 204. Suppliers must transmit traceability data via Advance Shipping Notices (ASN) or EPCIS standards. They also need to provide information on numerous Key Data Elements (KDEs) and Critical Tracking Events (CTEs), such as:
- Lot and batch numbers
- Production and expiration dates
- Gross and net weights
- Location information for shipping and receiving points
These data requirements apply to all Walmart suppliers, regardless of the product type or channel. They set the compliance deadline for January 20, 2026.
Challenges suppliers face in meeting FSMA 204 compliance
The new traceability requirements involve capturing and sharing detailed product data across various points in the supply chain. However, this level of data collection and management can be particularly challenging for suppliers that are still using paper-based methods or have siloed data systems. Without an efficient system in place, providing timely traceability records during audits or recalls can be nearly impossible.
This is where Kezzler comes in.
How Kezzler’s Connected Products Platform can help
Kezzler’s Connected Products Platform is a fully integrated, digital traceability solution. It is designed to help food suppliers meet FSMA 204 compliance requirements seamlessly. Here’s how:
- Comprehensive data integration
Kezzler’s platform helps suppliers centralize and harmonize data from multiple systems. Whether your data is siloed across different stages of the supply chain or exists in various formats, our platform brings it all together to provide one-click, real-time access to product data.
- Serialization and lot tracking
Kezzler’s scalable serialization engine uniquely identifies each item, case, or pallet, ensuring full traceability from the source to the consumer. With the ability to generate and manage batch and lot numbers efficiently, suppliers can meet Walmart’s stringent KDE requirements with ease.
- Real-time visibility
Our platform offers real-time visibility into your entire supply chain. From production through to the retail shelf, Kezzler’s solution enables suppliers to keep track of each product and ensure full compliance with FSMA 204’s data requirements. This level of visibility not only ensures compliance but also helps improve operational efficiency.
- Seamless data transmission
Kezzler’s integration with GS1 standards ensures that suppliers can easily share required data elements through EPCIS or ASN, as per Walmart’s requirements. This helps facilitate seamless data sharing between suppliers and Walmart, making traceability effortless and efficient.
- Beyond compliance—value for your business
Compliance with FSMA 204 and Walmart’s requirements is just the beginning. By adopting a proactive approach to traceability, you not only ensure compliance but also unlock additional business benefits. Kezzler’s platform helps reduce product recalls, improve inventory management, minimize waste, and build consumer trust by offering end-to-end transparency.
Taking the next steps with Kezzler
Meeting Walmart’s enhanced traceability requirements doesn’t have to be daunting. With Kezzler’s Connected Products Platform, food suppliers can turn compliance into an opportunity to strengthen supply chain operations, improve efficiency, and foster transparency.
To learn more about how Kezzler can help your business meet FSMA 204 and Walmart’s requirements, contact us for a demo or download our FSMA 204 guide.
Expanding FSMA 204 traceability with Provision
Meeting FSMA 204 compliance is a complex challenge, especially for businesses handling fresh produce from multiple sources. To further streamline the compliance process, Kezzler has partnered with Provision Analytics. By integrating Provision’s grower-focused data capture tools with Kezzler’s Connected Products Platform, we provide a unified view of traceability data across the entire supply chain. This collaboration simplifies data aggregation and accelerates the traceback process for suppliers, packers, and retailers, making compliance with FSMA 204 easier and more efficient.
Kezzler is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or in collaboration with Walmart Inc. The information provided in this post is for informational purposes only and references public information regarding Walmart’s enhanced food traceability requirements for suppliers. Kezzler offers traceability solutions that can help businesses meet industry compliance standards similar to those set forth by Walmart and other major retailers.