Stapleton-Spence Prepares for BRC Certification, a Global Food Safety Initiative

Stapleton-Spence is dedicated to food quality and safety. Food Safety Certifications and compliance are taken very seriously, and we understand the growing importance of certifications to our distributors, private label retailers, co-pack customers, and end users. In addition to the USDA, FDA, Organic, and Kosher Certifications Stapleton’s holds, our staff has been hard at work preparing for BRC Certification. BRC Certification is scheduled for late summer/early fall.

“We are dedicated to producing high quality, safe and consistent products. The rigorous requirements of BRC certification demonstrates Stapleton’s commitment to our customers to do just that,” says Tom Thornton, VP of Operations for Stapleton Spence. “Our excellent Quality Control Department has been working diligently, preparing and conducting self-audits to ensure the plant will receive certification this year.  Becoming certified takes a commitment to continuously improve our food safety program. We are proud of this upcoming achievement.”

Why is BRC Certification Important?

BRC certification helps in the protection of the consumer by providing a common basis for auditing companies supplying or manufacturing packaging for food products to retailers. BRC certification will also help suppliers show “due diligence” by assisting them in putting appropriate systems and controls in place to ensure the suitability of their packaging for safe food use. This assists retailers and food manufactures to ensure that their premises and practices are safe for the production of packaging materials that come in contact with food.

What is the BRC?

In 1998 the British Retail Consortium (BRC), responding to industry needs, developed and introduced the BRC Food Technical Standard to be used to evaluate manufacturers of retailers own brand food products. It is designed to assist retailers and brand owners produce food products of consistent safety and quality and assist with their ‘due diligence’. Many UK, North American and many European retailers, and brand owners will only consider business with suppliers who have gained certification to the appropriate BRC Global Standard.

Following the success and widespread acceptance of the BRC Food Technical Standard, the BRC published the first issue of the Packaging Standard in 2002, followed by Consumer Products Standard in August 2003, and finally by the BRC Global Standard – Storage and Distribution in August 2006. In 2009, the BRC partnered with the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) to develop the Global Standard for Consumer Products North America. To learn more about BRC, go to http://www.brcglobalstandards.com/