Responsible Manufacturer Benchmark - First Call dba the PROgram

By CommonShare

First Call Trading Corporation, operating under the name the PROgram, is a leading wholesale supplier of frozen ingredients, specializing in frozen fruit. With over 30 years of experience, the company has established itself as a trusted partner in the food industry, delivering top-quality products at affordable prices. The PROgram prides itself on its commitment to providing customers with the ingredients they need for their unique creations, offering a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, including organics, to meet the diverse needs of the market.

The PROgram has solidified its position in the industry as a $30 million wholesale supplier, known for its quality products and excellent customer service. What sets the company apart is its hands-on approach and passion for service, despite its growth and success. Noteworthy achievements include opening new sales channels for suppliers and offering a wide range of frozen fruit options, from strawberries to dragon fruit, at competitive prices. The company's target markets include food manufacturers, bakeries, and other businesses in the processed foods industry.

Founded as a start-up bakery supplier, the PROgram has evolved into a key player in the frozen ingredients market, with a strong presence in the Lehigh Valley, PA area. The company's mission is to supply the food industry with top-quality ingredients while maintaining a smaller company's personalized approach to customer service. With a focus on quality products, wide variety, and exceptional customer service, the PROgram is well-positioned for continued success and growth in the future, as it continues to meet the evolving needs of its customers and the industry as a whole.

Overall Rating

1.0

Under-Performing

Traceability

An increasingly important factor in global supply chains, traceability assesses the manufacturer's capability to track products and materials from origin to delivery. The Sustainable Manufacturers Benchmark® explores this through the lens of tiered supplier verification, culminating in end-to-end traceability with real-time monitoring and complete transparency.

Digitized Products

The digital landscape has transformed B2B interactions. This facet assesses the extent to which manufacturers have digitized their product offerings. The spectrum ranges from manufacturers without any online product catalog to those boasting advanced B2B e-commerce platforms, providing clients with order customization, real-time tracking, and an integrated view of the supply chain.

Preferred Materials

This aspect gauges the extent to which manufacturers incorporate sustainable, circular, and regenerative materials in their supply chain. It assesses whether companies merely use standard materials or whether they actively prioritize sustainable and preferred materials in their product range, even going so far as to offer digital verification of material certificates.

Facility Verification and Services

This dimension evaluates the openness and commitment of manufacturers regarding their facility's conditions and services. It covers a spectrum, from providing no facility details at all to showcasing comprehensive third-party audits, ensuring transparency in worker welfare and showcasing a clear commitment to maintaining top-tier facility services.

Readiness to Contract

Before entering a partnership, it's pivotal to understand a manufacturer's business legitimacy. The Sustainable Manufacturers Benchmark® checks for the presence and verification of essential documents, ranging from basic business licenses to comprehensive documentation, client testimonials, and even third-party attestations that verify a manufacturer's reliability and readiness to contract.

First Call dba the PROgram

United States

Learn More About This Company

How our Responsible Manufacturer Benchmark® Works?

By CommonShare

The Responsible Manufacturer Benchmark is a comprehensive framework designed to evaluate and rate manufacturers based on their commitment to sustainability, digital integration, readiness for contracting, material sourcing, and facility standards. It provides a clear, standardized metric for assessing manufacturers in a B2B environment, helping businesses make informed decisions aligned with their sustainability objectives. The benchmark covers crucial areas like end-to-end traceability, the digital verification of supply tiers, utilization of preferred materials, and verified social audits for facilities. By incorporating both depth and granularity across its criteria, the benchmark not only promotes transparency but also encourages continuous improvement in responsible manufacturing practices.