Quality always comes first at Pauwels Sauces. This will also be the case in 2022. It is therefore with great pride and satisfaction that we can announce that both our production sites have obtained very high scores in recent weeks in the (unannounced) BRC and IFS audits.
HIGH SCORES
Every year, the production sites of Pauwels Sauces in Oelegem and Herent (both in Belgium) are audited by the independent BRC and IFS. The British Retail Consortium (BRC) and the International Food Standard (IFS) contain a series of strict (food safety) requirements that a food producer must comply with. The annual checks at Pauwels are always unannounced, which means that we give the best of ourselves every day of the year to guarantee the safety and quality of our activities at all times.
During this unannounced inspection, our site in Herent obtained a very nice A+ for BRC and a Higher Level certificate for IFS. This is the second highest score and confirms the high quality and food safety at this site. Our other site, in Oelegem, even obtained the maximum score in the audit. For BRC that means AA+ level, while for IFS we obtained the ‘Higher Level‘.
CONSTANT QUALITY
However, these high scores on a BRC/IFS audit are not a first for our production sites. It goes without saying, however, that we attach great importance to the results achieved in recent years.
“Food safety, product quality and traceability of raw materials remain crucial elements for Pauwels”, says Paul Smet, Plant Director in Oelegem. “We always do our utmost to meet the highest standards in these areas. We have always succeeded in doing so in the past. The fact that we have achieved this maximum score in the economically challenging context of the past two years is a great source of satisfaction to everyone in the company. Moreover, we have been investing in the continuous improvement of our processes for years. We have continued to do so over the past two years. The fact that we are able to bring all these investments to a successful conclusion, particularly in these times, while continuing to meet the evolving quality requirements, is fantastic.”
FOOD SAFETY CULTURE
Besides the many processes, procedures and technical quality requirements that the auditors look at, Plant Director in Herent Kris Baeckelandt also points to the knowledge and commitment of our own employees.
“That is an important factor in achieving these scores,” says Kris. “From the various interviews that took place in our facilities, the auditors got a reassuring feeling that people know the procedures well and follow them closely. In other words, at Pauwels there is an ingrained sense of food safety and quality in all layers of the company. This is one of the most important criteria that has been added in the new evaluation standard; the so-called Food Safety Culture. That’s an extra compliment for all our employees, especially our Quality Department that oversees it all.”
