In this article, learn about:
Common stock statuses in use at Dot Foods
How Dot Foods handles product recalls
Definitions for Dot Foods’ cut codes
Founded in 1960, Dot Foods is a food redistribution company headquartered in Mount Sterling, Illinois. The company is the largest of its kind in the United States, offering over 125,000 products from more than 1,000 food manufacturers.
With that quantity of supply, product shortages and recalls are inevitable. However, Dot Foods has detailed systems in place to help its customers navigate shortages and receive the products they ordered on time and in full.
This article explores how Dot Foods handles shortages and recalls; additionally, it provides definitions for the company’s most common cut codes that a customer might encounter.
Shortages
As with any grocery supplier, shortages are a complex issue. Dot Foods provides its buyers with a “stock status” for each product so that its vendors are aware of any stockouts or related issues.
Dot provides each item’s stock status on its website, along with real-time product availability notifications. Additionally, Dot emails each of its vendors an availability status report each weekend to inform them of changes to the availability status of any of the products they ordered.
Here are Dot’s typical stock statuses, along with an explanation as to their meanings:
Reported stock status | Explanation |
Stocked | Dot Foods actively stocks the product in one or more of its warehouses. However, the inventory levels will vary. Dot Foods prioritizes orders with forecasts.
|
Restricted Supply—Supplier | The supplier’s inventory allocation to Dot might not meet customer demand. Shortages are therefore likely.
|
Supplier Shortage | This product’s supplier has repeatedly shorted orders. Dot Foods expects the inventory levels for this product to be low.
|
Temporarily Unavailable | This item is fully out of stock or has a very low inbound fill rate. Dot Foods is not currently placing orders for this item.
|
Special Order | Special order items are not actively stocked by Dot Foods. If a U.S. customer places an order for these items, they can expect them to arrive in 14-21 business days.
Forecasts can’t be submitted for special order products. However, customers can request these products be stocked by Dot Foods by clicking the button labeled “Request This Item To Be Stocked” on the product detail pages. |
Dot Foods lists a few ways in which its customers can help to ensure timely delivery of its products:
Provide forecasts: Sourcing and service issues make it a challenge for Dot Foods to understand demand for all of its available products. Providing forecasts to the company gives them guidance to source the appropriate levels of inventory for its customers.
Order with a full lead time: Some items might be unavailable for extended periods of time. If this is the case, or if it’s your first time ordering a product, place the order with a full lead time to help increase the chances that the order is filled in full.
Stock Status: The Dot Foods website provides information on stock statuses, which can help customers stay informed about product availability.
Future Refill Orders: Some customers plan to place a large order once a certain product becomes available. If that’s the case, Dot Foods recommends that these customers inform the company and update their forecasts, to help Dot Foods differentiate between immediate need and ongoing demand.
To add or update a forecast, go to the product detail page on the Dot Foods website and click “ADD” in the Active Forecast box:
Enter the case forecast, frequency, start date, and review date.
After you submit the updated information, your Dot Foods CSR will follow up with further details.
Related Reading: What is CPFR? Collaborative Planning, Forecasting, and Replenishment
Recalls at Dot Foods
Due to the nature of food products, occasional product recalls are inevitable. To help mitigate their impacts, Dot Foods uses a team dedicated to recalls to check inventory data and sales history to notify all customers who have purchased that recalled product through Dot Foods. Dot Foods’ goal is to notify all impacted suppliers within four hours of the recall.
Once a customer has received a recall notification, federal regulations require them to follow the instructions Dot Foods provides. Each recall requires different procedures, which Dot Foods will enumerate through these instructions. If you have any questions, make sure to reach out to your Dot Foods CSR for further information.
Related Reading: What Do I Do When My Product Has a Recall?
Dot Foods’ Cut Codes
When a customer receives an order confirmation or a daily shortage report from Dot Foods, they might encounter a “cut code.” Cut codes are a standardized notification system used by Dot Foods to communicate why customers’ ordered products were not fulfilled (or "cut" from their order) and what action is needed to resolve the issue.
Below is a list of common cut codes, along with explanations for what each of those codes mean:
Dot Out of Stock
Dot Out of Stock are items which are either fully out of stock or were ordered without enough lead time. If a customer received this code due to lead times, it's recommended to reorder with the lead time specified in the code: one week, two weeks, three weeks, or the full lead time. For any lead time questions, make sure to contact your CSR.
Demand Increase/Need Forecast
If a customer receives a Demand Increase/Need Forecast cut code, it means that their order has significantly exceeded the customer’s regular demand in the Dot Foods system, and Dot Foods does not have enough product on-hand to fulfill the order. Dot Foods recommends these customers provide an updated forecast and reorder any leftover quantities.
Related Reading: What Is Demand Planning?
No Forecast or Limited History
A No Forecast or Limited History cut code indicates that the customer does not have any active demand in the Dot Foods system. Customers that order without providing a forecast are not guaranteed to receive any particular quantity of cases. Dot Foods prioritizes orders from customers who provide forecasts and recommends that customers submit a forecast if they plan on purchasing regularly from Dot Foods.
Restricted Supply - Supplier
A Restricted Supply—Supplier cut code means that the inventory that Dot Foods is receiving from the supplier may not meet customer demand. If a customer receives this code, product shortages are likely.
Repeated Supplier Shortage
Some suppliers repeatedly short ship products to Dot Foods. These suppliers have frequent product availability issues, and their products could receive a Repeated Supplier Shortage cut code as a consequence. If there are any questions regarding this cut code, Dot Foods recommends that you reach out to your CSR.
Special Order - Order w/ Leadtime
As stated above, Dot Foods requires that special order items, which are not actively stocked by Dot Foods, be placed with the full lead time, in order to accommodate the extra shipping time. If you don’t know the full lead time, reach out to your CSR, who can provide this information.
Supplier Discontinued Item
This cut code indicates that the product has been discontinued by the supplier. If you encounter this cut code, you will need to look for a replacement for this product.
Temporarily Unavailable
A Temporarily Unavailable cut code means that the item is either out of stock, or the item has a low inbound fill rate. However, unlike Supplier Discontinued items, Dot Foods is still actively placing purchase orders for this product. If the supplier provided an estimated availability date for this item, Dot Foods will list it on its website.
Limit Ship/Adjust Delivery Date
This cut code indicates that the product was either unavailable to ship or was ordered outside of the delivery window. To guarantee shipment, make sure to reorder the product within Dot Foods’ given delivery window.
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