DE SMAAKSPECIALIST IS NOW OFFICIALLY IFS CERTIFIED

Quality is of significant importance to social venture de Smaakspecialist. In combination with sustainability, quality is the basis of the business operations. From that perspective, a naturel next step has been made by obtaining the International Food Standard (IFS) certification.

Food safety and quality
“Food safety and quality plays a crucial role in the industry where we operate. Customers and consumers must be able to rely on the market supply. That is why we have chosen to go through the IFS process in addition to the BRC-food certification. In this way we continue to challenge ourselves as an organisation to go all the way and have everything in place, “says Operational Manager Daphne Mul.

Widely supported within the organisation
IFS is particularly pleased with the fact that the leading themes at de Smaakspecialist (sustainability, safety and quality) are very broadly supported and safeguarded within the organisation. The organisation has shown that there is complete control over the so-called ‘critical control points’. Work instructions and frequent inspections on the floor are guaranteed and are carried out consistently. Daphne continues, “Besides that it is great to have successfully completed the IFS audit, it also makes all our colleagues proud again. It gives energy to our organisation and also gives our customers trust. From a commercial point of view, it also has added value because our international customers, in addition to the existing certifications, increasingly want IFS as a standard.”

Data quality
In addition to food safety and quality, product data also plays an important role. With the IFS certificate being achieved, the loop is closed, as de Smaakspecialist  together with GS1 Netherlands, successfully completed the intensive Data Quality 2.0 program in 2017.

GS1 Netherlands has started the program to ensure that the quality of product information in GS1 Data Source is sustainably reliable. An important part of the program is the monitoring of all new and altered products. The aim is to help the suppliers to achieve 100% data quality.