Multi-Brand | 1450 restaurants | 47 states, Puerto Rico, Guam and 20 countries
Bloomin’ Brands, Inc. (BBI), which includes Outback Steakhouse®, Aussie Grill®, Carrabba's Italian Grill®, Bonefish Grill®, and Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar® - is one of the world’s largest casual dining companies. Bloomin’ Brands was named to Forbes’ list of the America’s Best Employers for Diversity in 2019.
With multiple brands, 93,000 Team Members and more than 1400 restaurants throughout 47 states, Puerto Rico, Guam and 20 countries, it's safe to say BBI has a complex operating environment. Ensuring the quality, safety, and consistency of the food they source and serve is no small task.
Before CMX began working with the QA Team at BBI, they identified a number of challenges to address:
CMX began working with and launched BBI's Global Quality and Compliance (GQAC) solution in 2016 to manage supply chain transparency, compliance and quality.
BBI leverages the CMX1 platform in the following ways:
CMX1 provides a single source to manage and store all of BBI's supply chain master data including their Suppliers, Distributors, and Brokers. This includes their corporate offices, facilities, contacts, data, and related documents. Change Management controls allow for partners to initiate information updates, and QA Approvers review and accept those changes. These controls ensure the integrity and completeness of their master data.
BBI uses CMX1 to author, review, and approve their product specifications across the 4 brands. The team is able to collaborate across regions, departments, and with suppliers to create data-driven specifications.
Specifications are created utilizing intelligent forms that can include header information, product formulations, processing control points, packaging, storage and shelf life requirements. Revision and Variation capabilities allow BBI to manage and track specification changes over time and keep impacted suppliers informed of updates.
CMX1 is utilized to coordinate the onboarding and approval process for adding new suppliers and facilities and approving those partners to produce specific menu item ingredients.
Partners interact with the system to provide information and documentation during the evaluation and approval process. The process includes the execution of legal agreements and the evaluation of supplier qualifications using a "desk audit". Product category and sub-category specific requirements dictate the collection of facility audits, graphics for labeling and packaging, nutritional values, certifications, and allergen declarations.
Workflow automation automatically assigns tasks to regional and departmental Subject Matter Experts (SMEs), who are responsible for reviewing and approving information and documents submitted during each step of the process.
BBI also leverages the CMX1 platform to manage ongoing partner performance and product quality and compliance leveraging the following modules:
BBI leverages CMX1's Document Management module to collect, manage, and maintain compliance related documentation. Automated notifications, tasks, and workflows ensure that documents that require signatures, acknowledgement, and/or renewal upon expiration, are kept up-to-date and organized for easy access. Automated record keeping provides an audit trail for each step of the process.
Through the use of CMX1’s ActivitiesX1 , BBI's QA Team performs Supplier Facility Audits when visiting supplier facilities. The audit is comprised of sections for Food Safety, Pest Control, Personnel Hygiene, Education And Training (GMPs), Sanitation Programs, Foreign Material Control , Raw Material Control, Quality Process Control, Environmental Control Systems, Product Complaints & Recall Procedures, Facility Conditions, and Food Security.
At the completion of the audit, suppliers are provided the results in the form of a .pdf report. Out of Compliance Observations are automatically turned into Corrective and Preventative Action Plans (CAPAs) to ensure closed-loop issue resolution and continuous improvement by partners.
BBI receives and incorporates test results from their 3rd Party Lab partner who performs ongoing Physical Product Tests for proteins. Labs are able to upload test results, giving BBI continuous insight and status on product quality and compliance.
Additionally, CMX1 automates the collection and calculation of nutritional values and declarations for allergens for ingredients produced by one or more approved facilities for BBI. This information is reviewed and approved by staff nutritionists to identify risks. As product specifications, formulations, and suppliers change, these values are continually being maintained by the system.
The implementation of CMX1 has had a significant impact on BBI's ability to manage and monitor supply chain quality, risk and compliance as their business continues to grow rapidly.
For more information and other Client Stories, please visit www.cmx1.com or call 1-858-866-8888.