Nowadays, food retailers and consumers place high demands on food quality and safety. A certification according to the internationally recognised IFS Food standard ensures a high level of food quality and food safety. In this article, discover what IFS certification means, and what generally happens in an audit according to the IFS Food standard. And, of course, what are the benefits of certification for you as a customer.
The abbreviation IFS stands for “International Featured Standard”. The IFS Food standard is a standard for the auditing of food manufacturers and is recognised by the GFSI (Global Food Safety Initiative). Holding an IFS Food certificate therefore demonstrates that the internal processes of a company in the food industry have been inspected in accordance with this international standard, thereby ensuring the production of safe and high-quality foods. IFS Food focuses on food safety and the quality of processes and products. IFS standards also aim to ensure that certified companies produce a product conforming to specifications agreed with customers and that they are constantly implementing a continuous improvement process. The IFS certificate is usually a basic requirement if a manufacturer wishes to supply food retailers.
There is a comprehensive catalogue of requirements necessary for production to comply with the IFS Food standard and to receive the IFS Food certificate.
Certification typically looks like this:
1. Appointment
Following initial certification, an annual review takes place to check compliance with the IFS standard. This is performed by a recognised inspection authority via an audit, which can be announced or even unannounced. The certification body for Schoppe Instant Beverages is DQS CFS GmbH.
2. On-site monitoring and inspection
An extensive inspection of the location is carried out as part of the certification, with an emphasis on aspects such as in-house management system, quality and food safety management systems, operational processes, measurements, and analyses.
3. Final report and assessment
After the inspection is complete, the recorded results are evaluated. The report also lists any potential for optimisation if applicable.
4. Certification
Following a successful report, the company receives an IFS Food certificate which is valid for 12 months.
The last IFS Food certifications for our production sites in Uelzen and Ratzeburg were met to a “high standard”. We at Schoppe Instant Beverages place a high value on quality standards at all stages of the manufacturing process. In addition to our general corporate responsibility, we set a high standard for our quality and food safety processes. Detailed resource management, an optimised production process and regular checks to improve our standards are also guaranteed. As a customer, this means that your product is produced to a high standard of quality and food safety.
Our IFS Food certification shows that Schoppe sets high standards for the quality and food safety of its products. But this certification is not all you benefit from – on request, Schoppe also produces instant beverages that invest in sustainable raw ingredient sourcing, social standards and fairly traded ingredients. Working with Schoppe, you have the option of having your products produced with quality seals such as the Fairtrade seal, the Rainforest Alliance seal or the EU organic seal. Should you wish to manufacture your products ecologically or sustainably, we are the right partner for you!
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