Customer Refusing Recommended Storage Temperatures

Hi Everyone,

Does anyone out there have any experience with customers/stores refusing recommended storage/transport temperatures?  Could this affect the manufacturer's SQF certification at all?

Thanks in advance!

AANNFF

Hi Everyone,

 

Does anyone out there have any experience with customers/stores refusing recommended storage/transport temperatures?  Could this affect the manufacturer's SQF certification at all?

 

Thanks in advance!

AANNFF

Hi ANF,

Perhaps you could quantitate a little on  "refusing recommended storage/transport temperatures" ?

I've got some downstream customers that insist on using curtain vans to transport products. We could refuse based on the sanitary transport rule, but since our products are sealed and shelf stable it doesn't apply.

Ultimately we rest the liability on the customer, for customers who insist on deviating from your shipping instructions, make them sign a contract that indicates they are responsible for any product damage/quality issues that arise from transport so they don't try to bill you back for it later. Obviously refuse if this is a food safety rather than a quality issue, mostly from an ethical standpoint but also because that customer isn't representing your brand by selling it after inferior storage.

And it could, in theory, hurt your SQF compliance. But in practice, something like this it would be hard for an auditor to know about the practice unless you were actively loading refrigerated items into a normal trailer during the audit.

And it could, in theory, hurt your SQF compliance. But in practice, something like this it would be hard for an auditor to know about the practice unless you were actively loading refrigerated items into a normal trailer during the audit.

Interestingly enough when I was an SQF Auditor I watched shipping employees loading non-refrigerated trailers, passenger cars and vans with RTE products in several facilities.

In general the audits at these locations did not go too well after observing this.

So, if you take that risk consider that the auditor might just see what you dont want them to see.