BICO Limited is one step closer to maximising revenue from its Harbour Cold Store.
Local food safety consultancy C&G International Inc. announced last week that BICO had passed a “gruelling” third-party HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) certification audit.
C&G said this meant it helped a fifth Barbadian food company achieve HACCP, which is an internationally recognised food safety system that protects consumers by ensuring the safety of food products stored or processed within food and beverage companies.
BICO has invested $1 million to refurbish the cold store and executive chairman Edwin Thirlwell and general manager Jo-anne Pooler recently said that they expected the work to redound in the form of increased business this year.
In announcing BICO’s progress, C&G’s principal consultant Dr Glyn Williams said: “We are exceptionally pleased to have worked with the management and employees at BICO Harbour Cold Store to assist them to achieve HACCP certification and to complete the task within six months.
“For food companies who are serious about safeguarding their customers, then HACCP is the minimum requirement, and for food exporters to Europe or North America it is increasingly becoming a mandatory requirement.”
Director Cheryl Collymore said: “There are many people who understand the theory of HACCP, but have little idea of how to turn theory into action.
“C&G International’s strength lies not only in our comprehensive food safety knowledge, but in our pragmatic, hands-on, systematic approach to progressing projects. It also significantly helps that our consultants are excellent communicators who are at ease liaising with employees at every level of a company, from the boardroom to the shop floor,” she said.
“HACCP is not a simple undertaking; it requires an absolute commitment from management as well as from employees. There is a substantial amount of training involved and attention to detail is critical.”
C&G said that in addition to the Harbour Cold Store it had “successful faciliatated HACCP implementations within BICO Ice Cream Factory, Portvale Sugar Factory, Star Chick Limited [and] Baker’s Choice Limited”. (SC/PR)
