Southampton Fruit Handling Ltd has received the new BRC global standard certification for storage and distribution issued by SGS.
SFH’s temperature-controlled, fully insulated 14,000 square metre warehouse on Southampton's Western Docks has been a vital link in the supply of tomatoes and other fruit from the Canary Islands for 20 years into the port of Southampton.
The company said the BRC standard reassures its customers in the Canary Islands - Fedex y Aceto Las Palmas y Tenerife - that their produce maintains its quality prior to entering the UK supply chain.
Specifically, the BRC standard ensures against poor handling, careless stock control and temperature abuse. As a result, retailers receive fewer customer complaints and they feel more confident in dealing with their Canary Islands-based supplier.
"Certification is a major part of our customer's requirement," said Margaret Jenkinson of SFH Ltd. "Their reps are here every day, as well as the retailers, and having the certification in place means we can continue to do business with them."
The new BRC standard encourages auditors not only to look at quality manuals, but also to talk to people about their work practices. Auditors must now check, for instance, on hygiene issues such as pest control and carry out internal and external checks on the store.
"We were very impressed with SGS. They were willing to work with us through the entire process," said Jenkinson.
