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YNA QA

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Posted 19 November 2020 - 06:04 PM

I'm needing some guidance about our vendor approval program.

 

I am the QAM at a mid-size dry goods packaging facility.  We handle products from drinks, soups, baking, seasoning mixes, and and literally anything in between.  We very rarely turn down the opportunity to package something within our capabilities.

 

My question revolves around vendor approval.  We utilize many distribution centers/companies (DCs) because of the very wide array of raw materials we receive in.  Its not unusual to receive in 10LB of 30+ different flavors weekly, in addition to spices, vegetables, processing aids, flours etc.  Therefore we mostly go through large distribution companies who can supply a vast array of products on one shipment.

 

I was under the impression that our purchasing department required the DCs not only be approved as a supplier with GFSI certification (and all other required materials), but I have written into our program (and could have sworn we had gone over this) that they also asked for the GFSI and required materials for each company that the DC utilizes for products shipped to us.

 

I've been told no, that the GFSI stretches to the suppliers the DC utilizes (which I don't believe it does), and that it would take a full extra employee to request this information (that I don't doubt).

 

Am I correct that we should be going one step further.  I've had auditors ream me before saying that GFIS is never good enough, and even a thorough investigation of any supplier isn't good enough and we always have to dig deeper.  

 

Do I need to push for this further step, or does the DC being GFSI and an approved vendor also mean that the companies that they pull from are by extension approved.

 

Any input would be super helpful.

 

Thanks!!

 

 



olenazh

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Posted 20 November 2020 - 02:57 PM

We work with DCs, and it's always been obvious and as per regulatory (CFIA) requirements: only MANUFACTURER's GFSI is acceptable due to simple reason of being a producer of the goods and consequently responsible for their food quality, safety and legality. DC could only provide you with Letter of Guarantee for the goods they distribute.



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AC2018

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Posted 20 November 2020 - 03:38 PM

A lot of times if the distributor is GFSI certified they have the manufacturers documentation already and can receive approval to send you a copy to have on file. 

 

My interpretation and understanding is that you need documentation from the actual manufacturer as well as the appropriate documentation from the distributor. I could be wrong though. 


Edited by AC2018, 20 November 2020 - 03:40 PM.


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liberator

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Posted 25 November 2020 - 08:45 PM

For our BRC certification requirement for DC's (Brokers/Traders etc) is that you need to know the identity of the last manufacturer. If the DC's are GFSI certified then that is acceptable to the BRC standards. This means they have their own vendor approval program and all of their suppliers/manufacturers have been risk assessed and approved for supply to that DC so you won't/shouldn't need to do anything for their suppliers, just have the DC on file as your GFSI approved vendor. However it wouldn't hurt to have that info for your own peace of mind.

 

If your DC's don't hold a GFSI certification (which means they may not have a vendor approval program in place) then the last manufacturer needs to be reviewed, risk assessed and approved by your own company.

 

We have companies that supply us ingredients from many different manufacturers. These companies (the DCS/Traders/Brokers) don't hold a GFSI certification so we have to review and risk assess their suppliers and assess them as if they are supplying us directly.

 

We ask for certification, have them complete questionnaires and we then complete our own risk assessments on their suppliers before we can approve the company to supply the materials to us from their suppliers and that is on top of the information we request from our direct supplier.



Charles.C

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Posted 25 November 2020 - 08:52 PM

For our BRC certification requirement for DC's (Brokers/Traders etc) is that you need to know the identity of the last manufacturer. If the DC's are GFSI certified then that is acceptable to the BRC standards. This means they have their own vendor approval program and all of their suppliers/manufacturers have been risk assessed and approved for supply to that DC so you won't/shouldn't need to do anything for their suppliers, just have the DC on file as your GFSI approved vendor. However it wouldn't hurt to have that info for your own peace of mind.

 

If your DC's don't hold a GFSI certification (which means they may not have a vendor approval program in place) then the last manufacturer needs to be reviewed, risk assessed and approved by your own company.

 

We have companies that supply us ingredients from many different manufacturers. These companies (the DCS/Traders/Brokers) don't hold a GFSI certification so we have to review and risk assess their suppliers and assess them as if they are supplying us directly.

 

We ask for certification, have them complete questionnaires and we then complete our own risk assessments on their suppliers before we can approve the company to supply the materials to us from their suppliers and that is on top of the information we request from our direct supplier.

Hi liberator,

 

Thks for input but should also note that the OP is (apparently) working with SQF


Kind Regards,

 

Charles.C


YNA QA

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Posted 25 November 2020 - 08:54 PM

Hi liberator,

 

Thks for input but should also note that the OP is (apparently) working with SQF

Correct SQF Plant here.



liberator

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Posted 25 November 2020 - 09:03 PM

Thanks Charles,  Not overly familiar with SQF but  I'm thinking that SQF, BRC etc are all GFSI aligned certifications so should have similar requirements. Happy to be corrected on that though.



Charles.C

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Posted 25 November 2020 - 09:06 PM

Thanks Charles,  Not overly familiar with SQF but  I'm thinking that SQF, BRC etc are all GFSI aligned certifications so should have similar requirements. Happy to be corrected on that though.

I agree that this was unquestionably the original GFSI Grand Philosophy but then ..........


Kind Regards,

 

Charles.C


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Posted 26 November 2020 - 03:38 PM

I have a similiar question in regards to a vendor approval program.

Currenty, my company has a purchasing department+ qa team. We supply freshly prepared meals and require materials to be ready at all times. I went through and created a Supplier Approval program, requiring all the documentation necessary. 

I wanted to add to the NEW supplier SOP I created to pass onto our purchasing department. 

Please comment or add anything you see that would be necessary. 

Thank you!

 

 

 

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