A case study of quality assurance in cold chain management

The issue of Return on Investment (ROI) on Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology has been discussed extensively in the literature. However, this discussion has focussed almost solely on the use of passive RFID tags for product identification and location tracking. In cold chain management time-temperature monitoring is a key aspect of quality assurance. This case study from the confectionery industry is part of a broader research project, and seeks to understand factors associated with the adoption of active RFID for time-temperature monitoring across a number of supply chains and industries that deal with perishable foods. The analysis of this case indicates that ROI is not the most important issue for the quality assurance of the company, but rather the focus is on quality assurance for brand name protection.