Arla Foods is not only leading the way in the UK dairy industry but also now in the accreditation stakes having successfully completed an extremely tough audit to gain BVQI accreditation - a first for any UK food company.
Oakthorpe dairy, Palmers Green, North London, the largest of Arla Foods' six dairies in the UK, completed the audit bringing the dairy into line with its Scandinavian parents who also use the same accreditation.
To supply retailers in the UK, all food companies need accreditation from the British Retail Consortium (BRC). Oakthorpe decided to go that bit further and focus on food safety and put themselves to the ultimate test with the BVQI (Bureau Veritas Quality International).
"We've gained a real competitive advantage thanks to the initiative shown by colleagues at Oakthorpe," said Rowena Marshall, UK quality manager. "It is part of Arla Foods' quality strategy to focus on food safety and Oakthorpe has now paved the way for the other five UK dairies and HT Webb & Co to follow suit."
Craig Blower, operations manager at Oakthorpe: "The project was really about taking the current system and making it simpler. People are a lot clearer about their job now and how they can have an impact on food safety, people appreciate this kind of clarity," he added.
The accreditation is planned for roll out at Arla Foods' other five dairy sites across the UK in the near future.