Hannah Mai

This guide covers what VMI is, how it works day to day, and how it differs from consignment inventory. Every stockout and every overstocked warehouse traces back to the same root problem: whoever's making the replenishment decision doesn't have the full picture. Vendor Managed Inventory hands the replenishment decision to whichever party has the most inventory expertise and the most at stake in getting it right, which is usually the vendor.

Trace a recalled product, a failed audit, or an FDA warning letter back far enough, and you usually land on the same thing. There probably aren’t good manufacturing practices in place. GMPs shouldn’t be a checklist you pull out once a year before an audit. In a prepared food plant, GMPs get repeated every shift, on every line, by every person who touches product. This guide covers what GMPs actually require, how the regulatory framework fits together, and why documentation is what determines whether a GMP program survives an audit.

You shouldn't have to walk the floor to find out if a machine is running. Machine monitoring answers that question automatically. Here's what it actually is, how it's captured, and what changes once you have it.

A standardized recipe is a tested, version-controlled formula that delivers consistent output, in taste, yield, cost, and compliance, every time it runs. This guide covers the key components, how it maps to a bill of materials, and what breaks down when you try to scale without one.

Building a food production line involves more than buying equipment. This guide covers every stage of setup: production type, layout, food safety requirements, material flow, and scheduling, plus the software infrastructure that keeps it all connected.

Becoming a food grade warehouse means more than passing a single audit. Here's what the transition actually requires, from facility upgrades and pest control to lot tracking, FEFO enforcement, and documentation that holds up under scrutiny.

Most food supply chain problems trace back to the same root cause: not knowing what's actually happening inside your own operation. This guide breaks down the biggest challenges manufacturers face and the specific strategies that fix them.

If you're still tracking inventory on clipboards and production moves on whiteboards, you're not alone. Most mid-size manufacturers start there. Here's what a barcode system actually changes, and how to implement one without a six-month IT project.

Contract manufacturing is how brands bring physical products to market without building a factory. This guide covers what contract manufacturing actually is, how the process works from spec handoff to shipment, the five main types of arrangements, and which industries rely on it most. It also covers what to look for when choosing a CM partner and how contract manufacturers track production, lot traceability, and documentation across multiple client accounts.

Batch manufacturing produces a defined quantity of product in grouped runs common in food & beverage, chemicals, pharma, and cosmetics. This guide covers how it works, how it compares to continuous and discrete manufacturing, and what it takes to run it well: lot tracking, batch records, scheduling, and the systems that hold it together.

Managing a manufacturing business across spreadsheets and disconnected tools only works for so long. We've reviewed the best manufacturing ERP systems available right now so you can find the best one for your specific manufacturing workflows and scale.

Stocky is shutting down on August 31, 2026, leaving Shopify manufacturers without essential features like bills of materials, production tracking, and accurate COGS calculations. This guide covers what you're losing, why Shopify Admin falls short for manufacturing operations, and how to find a replacement built for businesses that actually produce what they sell. 

NetSuite is powerful, but often too complex and expensive for mid-market manufacturers. This guide breaks down the best alternatives in 2026, comparing real MRP, inventory, and production capabilities without enterprise overhead.