6 replies to this topic

[Procu1234]

Hi all - apologies in advance if this is a really stupid question but I'm doubting myself...!

 

We manufacture frozen ready meals at our own site. These are then transported (frozen) to a third party company who stores them (frozen), picks, packs and despatches them (still frozen) to customers (either e-commerce customers or a few independent retailers).

 

I am in the process of updating/reviewing our HACCP and I'm getting stuck at the point at which the product leaves our site. My understanding is that, as the ultimate supplier of the product, we need to include in our HACCP everything from ingredients entering our production site to the finished products being despatched to customers. Therefore, this would include the frozen storage/pick and pack/despatch process carried out by our third party supplier.

 

First question: is that correct? Or does HACCP end when the product leaves our production site? I would have thought that, since there are risks involved right up until the point the customer receives (ie. product could defrost in the final stage transit), we should be covering the entire process. But let me know if I've got that wrong!

 

Second question: if the above is correct, how detailed do I need to go when it comes to our third party partner's processes? I have their own internal documents - can I just copy & paste their HACCP into our own for the part which they are owning? Since nobody from our company is actively on site/working at the third party, the only control we really have over them is the contract in place which requires them to act according to the processes we have approved (I have done a supplier approval process and am due to renew our audit of them, plus they are BRC certified).

 

I hope that makes sense - any advice/insights greatly appreciated! Apologies if that's a really dumb question!

[Scampi]

What certifications does your warehouse have?  Then we can cross the other bridges

[SQFconsultant]

1. YES.

 

You have your haccp plan, they have their haccp plan - your haccp plan would need to encompass their processes and their haccp plan.

[G M]

What is the stated _scope_ of your certifications?

 

A single food safety management team can cover multiple locations, but this is not usually the case.  Generally a HACCP plan is going to be limited to the facility the food safety team has decision making authority over.

[SQFconsultant]

I should have said, references to the contracted suppliers haacp plan, my bad, need more Everyday Dose coffee!

[Procu1234]

Hi all, thanks for your feedback!

 

 

The third party warehouse has BRC storage & distribution (AA rated), have attached image of scope.

 

 

Is there a general best-practice here when dealing with a third party for storage & distribution with regards HACCP? Local authority haven't been very helpful but vaguely implied that, because we predominately to direct-to-consumer e-commerce, we should be 'tighter' in terms of the entire end to end process, including those parts managed by the warehousing company/final mile delivery etc (than for example if we were selling only into retail/foodservice) - I guess their logic being because, from the customer perspective when they order online, they are buying 'direct' from us - the fact it comes through a third party service is irrelevant (whereas if you buy from a retailer, the retailer has their own safety plans in place to protect the product while it is in their hands). 

 

I can absolutely include the storage/picking/despatch process in our internal HACCP but just conscious that, aside from our contract and audit process, we don't  have direct control over what happens there so would essentially be saying 'this is the process once the product has left our site - this is managed by a third party provider who we have audited and approved'?

 

 

 

 

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[Scampi]

Use a HACCP form 10-hazards not controlled by the establishment