Looking to grow your food business and not sure what to do? This article is about the importance of customer food safety requirements when growing your business this way.
Do you want to start working with the major retailers or food service providers? Do you have the capacity to supply their sites?
You do?
Great!
Where do you start with the technical side of their business? If you thought that your EHO was demanding, wait until you are audited by a retail technologist!
Have you been invited to complete a financial and legal questionnaire on a portal that looked ok, when you started out, but now wants to know everything about your business? So much detail and you just have to click “I accept” in the boxes that talk about terms and conditions and food safety standards…….. well, doesn’t everyone?
Nobody actually reads them, do they?
Err Yes!
I have spoken to so many business owners who inadvertently clicked on the “Agree” button without considering the consequences.
They were signing a legally binding document.
You should only click to agree once you have downloaded and read the documents.
Seriously!
What kind of things may be in a food safety standard?
These are a list of examples:
- HACCP
- Purchasing
- Production control
- Distribution
- Staff training
- Environmental and maintenance standards
- Cleaning
Many food retailers and larger food service or food supply companies have their own standards which may be freely available or may be sent as part of an approval process.
For example, Brakes publish a guide to help potential suppliers
If you are considering or are in the process of bidding for business with one of the larger food businesses in the UK, ask for a copy of their food safety standard. Be proactive.
If you want to discuss a question about your business and how to tackle a particular question, get in touch for a quick call. Free of charge. Use this link to get my details.
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