Food Safety Throughout The Supply Chain
Increasingly, the most demanding, quality-conscious foodservice operators are recognizing the importance of quality assurance throughout the entire supply chain. Recent media coverage has highlighted the critical issue of food safety. Related concerns over liability have further heightened the need for improvements in all segments of the food service industry.

As a result of these pressures, leading multi-national restaurant chains and major healthcare institutions are carefully auditing not only their own operations, but are beginning to more carefully scrutinize the food safety records and practices of their suppliers. In many cases this includes formalized quality assurance programs. These programs may include audits of manufacturing facilities and processes. Perhaps even more critical is the recognition of the need for careful scrutiny of warehouse and distribution facilities, equipment and procedures.

Advances in technology have facilitated the ability of foodservice distributors to implement the required improvements, systems and procedures. However, technology and facilities must be supported by training, management commitment, and ongoing inspection to ensure strict adherence to standards.

Summit has made a corporate commitment to be leaders in food safety as a point of differentiation from our competitors.

 
Quality Assurance Practices & Procedures
At all of our warehouses we have a complete set of written procedures that pertain to specific topics that together ultimately protect the integrity of the food. The procedures in place are as follows:
  • Administration:
    Category Managers, Customer Feedback, Complaints, Customer Surveys, Disaster Program, Emergency Phone Numbers, Identification: Segregation and Disposition of nonconforming Items, Internal Damage Report, Inventory Control Systems, Training Programs, Recovery/Withdrawal Program
  • Distribution Protocol
  • Equipment and Facility Safety and Emergency
  • Pest Control Program
  • Product Protection
  • Sanitation
  • Temperature Control/Transportation Audit

The key to the quality assurance practices and procedures is in part the on-going review and checks to ensure that teammates daily complete the approved forms that accompany each of the respective sections outlined above. The cross- functional meetings that are held between the Department Managers further support the company-wide commitment to quality and food safety.
 
HACCP - Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points
HACCP is a concept familiar to most who work in the foodservice industry. It is most commonly related to facilities and institutions that serve food to the general public as guidelines to assist them in safe food handling practices.

The process follows any given product through a facility from the time it is received to when it is served to the end customer, who may be a resident, patron, patient, student, etc. It identifies all areas throughout the handling of the item. The whole concept of HACCP is based on taking preventative measures to prevent food-borne illness due to contaminated food products.

Summit Foods has made a significant and ongoing commitment to safe food handling and storage.  Our London facility is federally inspected by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and all distribution centers are HACCP certified.  We recognize that safe food handling at our locations is paramount in ensuring our customers that they are receiving product in peak condition.

HACCP procedures have been a part of our day-to-day operations for several years now, and we will continue to implement new tools and procedures as they become available.