Southern Barcode is providing state-of-the-art label makers to help cruise lines manage food information, expiration dates and passenger-facing grab-and-go items.

“We take away the human element; the shelf-life of everything is predetermined. When you produce a label, it is right there on a product,” said Simon Vinall, CEO. “Throw a product away too soon and you are throwing away margin, too late and you risk food poisoning.”

Operators have embraced Southern Barcode’s Freshmarx 9417+ labeler, with some big ships equipped with as many as 10, taking over from a previous black marker system in most cases.

The mobile label makers don’t require a back office system and can print at a high speed, Vinall said, and have predetermined templates for various food items ranging from steak to fish.

Admin rights allow chefs and management to update products, templates and information in the label makers across a ship if necessary.

“It can include additional information, ranging from prep date, use by date, the operator that labels it, even bar codes, product names and allergens,” he said, noting that attending the annual Marine Hotel Association (MHA) trade show and conference has been key in connecting with the cruise industry.

The company also provides all label media, and some cruise operators have asked for water soluble labels that will simply dissolve when food containers are run through dishwashers.

A new trend has been more lines offering grab-and-go items for passengers, which require their own customer-facing labels with product names, bar codes, ingredients and price.