Food logistics : securing and accelerating
your food supply chain
Guided picking, Put-to-Light, Put-to-Spot and batch picking :
Balea secures your food order picking operations, from inbound to dispatch, across all environments.
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Food logistics operates within an exceptionally demanding framework
Batch traceability, regulatory compliance, use-by date management, cold chain integrity: every link in the food supply chain must be reliable, fast and fully documented. A picking error does not just mean rework; it can trigger a product recall, a compliance breach or a loss of traceability.
Balea designs intelligent order picking solutions for food and beverage logistics flows :
- Guided picking
- Put-to-Light
- Put-to-Spot
- Multi-order batch picking
- Legal metrology
Equipment built for all environments (ambient, chilled and frozen) and for every operator profile.
What is food logistics ?
Food logistics covers every operation involved in receiving, storing, picking and dispatching food products, from raw materials through to the point of distribution. It stands apart from other industrial logistics by the sensitivity of the products handled and by one of the most stringent regulatory frameworks in any sector.
Balea solutions operate across the three main food logistics environments: ambient, chilled and frozen, including in thermally demanding conditions for both operators and equipment.
Specific constraints
- Cold chain : temperature compliance across the entire chain, including frozen warehouse environments.
- Perishability : use-by date / best-before date management and FEFO rotation (first expired, first out).
- Upstream and downstream batch traceability, a core requirement of food regulation.
- Contractual weight : the dispatched weight commits the shipper. Legal metrology secures the weighing operation before transport.
- Hygiene and food safety across all operations and equipment.
A structuring regulatory framework
- European regulation (EC) No 178/2002 (the "Food Law") mandates traceability at every stage.
- Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 generalizes the HACCP approach.
On top of this, legal metrology applies : weighing instruments used in commercial transactions must be certified.
An efficient food logistics operation therefore produces reliable, certified and time-stamped data at every step.
Why automate food and beverage logistics flows ?
In the food industry, compliance comes first.
A wrongly picked item, a poorly traced batch or a non-compliant shipment can result in a commercial dispute, waste or a product recall.
Automation addresses these challenges by securing every stage of the flow, without slowing throughput.
Balea solutions for food and beverage logistics
Balea Pickeur: case-level picking, Put-to-Light and Put-to-Spot
The go-to solution for food and beverage flows, the Pickeur equips material handling equipment with intelligent guidance and on-board weighing: the expected weight is compared to the actual weight at every pick, in real time.
In Put-to-Light or Put-to-Spot configuration, light-guided indicators show the operator the exact destination for each product: a particularly effective approach for batch picking (grouped preparation of multiple orders in a single round, sorted along the route).
The Pickeur operates in all environments (ambient, chilled and frozen) and integrates easily with other technologies such as voice picking.
Material handling range : on-board weighing and weight certification
The Balea material handling range retrofits existing handling trucks with on-board weighing to verify weight during operations. A label output validates and certifies the weight before transport, in compliance with legal metrology.
This solution operates autonomously, without any Balea software. It is designed for environments that do not require integration with a WES.
Balea Station : order picking or end-of-line verification
A fixed intelligent weighing workstation, the Balea Station adapts to two use cases :
paired with a third-party system for single or multi-order picking, or recording the total gross weight before dispatch to guarantee a reliable, legally binding weight compliant with legal metrology.
Depending on the use case, it pairs with Connect, Smart or Solea according to the level of integration required.
Balea Shopeur : multi-order item-level picking
A multi-order smart picking cart driven by Solea, the Balea Shopeur enables the preparation of numerous orders in a single round with intelligent guidance and weight verification. Suited to item-level food distribution flows.
Connect, Smart, Solea : le bon logiciel selon votre besoin
For the Balea Pickeur, Balea Station and Balea Shopeur, each piece of equipment pairs with the software that matches your use case :
- Connect for communicating weighing data to your WMS (pre-transport weight, weight verification)
- Smart for guided picking with line-by-line weight verification,
- Solea the WES (Warehouse Execution System) from Balea, for fully optimized order picking.
| Equipment x Software | CONNECT | SMART | SOLEA |
|---|---|---|---|
| BALEA PICKEUR | Material handling with weight verification, connected to the WMS. | Guided picking with line-by-line weight verification, connected to the WMS. | Fully optimized order picking: complete WES, on-board PC. |
| BALEA STATION | End-of-line weight verification. Gross weight recording for transport. | Line-by-line weight verification. Count-by-pick. Compatible with third-party systems. | Optimized order picking. |
| BALEA SHOPEUR | — | — | Optimized multi-order picking with Solea. |
* The material handling range operates without Balea software: on-board weighing and label output are built directly into the truck.
- Food logistics case study
Real-world deployment
Magne Distribution : Balea Pickeur in Put-to-Light configuration
A local food distributor operating across ambient, chilled and frozen environments, Magne Distribution deployed the Balea Pickeur in Put-to-Light configuration to secure and accelerate its order picking.
The software drives batch picking: orders are grouped, and light-guided indicators show the operator the exact destination for each product, reducing sorting errors.
The system works alongside a voice picking system : a combination that demonstrates Balea solutions’ ability to integrate with technologies already in place.
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They trust us
Leading food and distribution companies rely on Balea solutions to secure their flows.
Who is food logistics for ?
Balea solutions are designed for every flow where food compliance and speed are critical :
Food and beverage manufacturing and processing
Food distribution and buying groups, as exemplified by Magne Distribution
Food e-commerce and drive-through fulfilment
Chilled and frozen logistics platforms (cold chain)
3PLs handling sensitive food flows, such as FM Logistic
Why choose Balea for your food and beverage logistics ?
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They analyze your setup and propose the solution best suited to your flows, your constraints, and your performance objectives.
FAQ
Food logistics
Find answers to the most frequently asked questions about our services.
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What is food logistics ?
It covers every operation involved in receiving, storing, picking and dispatching food products (ambient, chilled and frozen) subject to batch traceability, cold chain integrity and strict food safety regulations.
What are Put-to-Light and Put-to-Spot ?
Light-guided technologies that show the operator the exact destination for each product during batch picking. Put-to-Light displays on illuminated shelving; Put-to-Spot indicates directly on the target locations. Both enable multiple orders to be picked simultaneously, with a minimal error rate.
What is batch picking ?
The grouped preparation of multiple orders in a single round, sorted along the route by light-guided indicators (Put-to-Light, Put-to-Spot) or voice. A major productivity lever in food logistics.
Why is legal metrology important in food logistics ?
Because the dispatched weight commits the shipper : a certified weighing before transport guarantees a reliable, legally binding weight and secures both commercial transactions and regulatory checks.
What equipment is needed for food logistics ?
The Balea Pickeur (case-level picking, Put-to-Light, Put-to-Spot, batch picking), the intelligent material handling range, the Balea Station (end-of-line verification, transport weight) and the Balea Shopeur (multi-order item-level picking). All driven by Connect, Smart or Solea depending on the requirement.
What software should be used to manage a food supply chain ?
It depends on the need : Connect to communicate weighing data to the WMS, Smart for guided picking with line-by-line weight verification, Solea (the WES from Balea) for fully optimized order picking.
Do Balea solutions work in frozen environments ?
Yes. Balea equipment is engineered to operate across the three food logistics environments: ambient, chilled and frozen.