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First Class Brands of Sweden gains control of shelf life and traceability with WMS

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About First Class Brands of Sweden

First Class Brands of Sweden, also known as FCB, is a young Swedish company operating in the food and beverage industry. The company develops its own brands and also supplies products for selected partners. FCB has a clear ambition to identify new trends early and bring innovative products to market quickly, with a strong focus on great taste experiences and healthier everyday alternatives.

INDUSTRY
Food & FMCG
Integration
Visma Business
Warehouse employees
5
Warehouse
4.200 sqm
Pallet locations
5.500
The challenge

A ticking deadline on every pallet

The pace at FCB is high. The product range is constantly evolving, and campaigns can quickly cause major fluctuations in order volumes. In the warehouse, this results in many product variants, shifting priorities, and peak periods that must be handled by a small team. This demands a warehouse operation built on structure and clear overview – even when pressure increases.

At the same time, food products come with strict requirements for traceability and shelf life. Shelf life starts counting down the moment goods arrive at the warehouse, and many customers require that 50–75 percent of the product’s remaining shelf life is still available at delivery. This makes accurate picking by batch, traceability, and expiration date critical – every single time.

“Every time we bring something in here, it’s essentially a ticking time bomb. Since the days are constantly counting down, we have to be extremely careful to pick the right products at the right time and take each customer’s specific requirements into account.”

Michael Treschow, COO

Before implementation, system support was limited, and much of the operational knowledge lived in routines and individual experience. In addition, the office and warehouse were located at separate sites, slowing communication in a business where decisions need to be made quickly.

In 2023, FCB consolidated office and warehouse operations into new facilities outside Malmö. Around the same time, the company changed ERP system. This created a clear need for new workflows and stronger structure – while service expectations remained unchanged. Customers still expected delivery within three days.

FCB needed a warehouse management system that could handle growing complexity without slowing operations down.

The solution

A WMS built for food logistics

After evaluating several solutions, FCB chose Apport as its WMS provider. The decision was driven by a strong match between functionality and practical needs – combined with a clear return on investment.

“What ultimately made us choose Apport was the combination of features we had been missing for a long time – and the fact that the value matches the price. We truly get value for money.”

Michael Treschow, COO

With Apport WMS, batch control, shelf life, and traceability became embedded in daily operations. FIFO serves as the default principle, while the system allows controlled deviations when customer requirements for remaining shelf life demand it. This gives the warehouse clear rules to work by, without sacrificing flexibility or control.

The implementation focused heavily on workflows on the warehouse floor. Employees log in on handheld scanners and receive structured picking tasks that create a steady pace throughout the day and make priorities clear. The system actively supports selecting the right products at the right time, helping FCB meet shelf-life requirements while maintaining full control of FIFO and batch tracking.

When deviations from standard flows are needed, they are handled systematically and fully documented – ensuring transparency and traceability at all times.

the future

Visibility that holds up as volume grows

With Apport WMS in place, FCB has built a strong foundation for continued growth – without compromising on quality, traceability, or customer service. The next step is to use data more actively, enabling FCB to monitor key metrics such as picking efficiency, remaining shelf life, and deviations across customers and campaigns.

This makes it easier to prioritise improvements and act before small issues escalate.

FCB is also working to further streamline warehouse workflows. One initiative under consideration is integrating label printers more closely with forklift operations, allowing pallets to be labelled directly at their location instead of being transported to a central station. At the same time, ABC classification and flexible picking rules provide a solid framework as the product range expands and new traceability or sustainability requirements are introduced.

For FCB, Apport WMS has become a foundation that delivers clarity, control, and the ability to move fast – without losing oversight.