BRC Ingredient and Supplier Risk Analysis
Hello to all from New Zealand Aotearoa
I work for a bakery over here, making mostly meat pies which are sold baked / frozen around NZ.
We currently operate under a Risk Management Programme (RMP) / custom Food Control Plan (cFCP) in New Zealand.
We are working toward BRC certification. My query is that under the programmes that we have, all ingredients and suppliers have already been assessed as suitable (Approved). This is done by checking that the suppliers are food safety certified under one or more standard, and then consider that ingredients are covered by this also (after spec sheets / PIFs are supplied for the ingredients).
For our BRC audit, would Members think that we would need to reassess all existing suppliers and ingredients using a BRC risk analysis format, or continue with what we have but put a new process in place for any future new suppliers and ingredients?
I'm unsure what an auditors expectation would be, whether they would consider that enough risk analysis has been done already.
It would be bit of a process to do this, but we have a little time to work through it if we need to.
Thank you
Nga mihi
Paulie B
Napier
New Zealand
The requirements in 3.5.1.1, 3.5.1.2 and 3.5.1.3 are pretty specific as to what you have to do to risk assess and approve suppliers and materials.
If what you have already done (RMP, cFCP) meet the requirements of the BRC clauses, there should be no reason to reassess.
If what you have already done does NOT meet the requirements of the BRC clauses, then you will have to.
Conduct a gap analysis of your current assessment program vs. the BRC requirements. If it aligns, you are good. If not, just assess the specific gap finding and tweak your current risk assessment/approval document (or however you document it)
Marshall
Hello to all from New Zealand Aotearoa
I work for a bakery over here, making mostly meat pies which are sold baked / frozen around NZ.
We currently operate under a Risk Management Programme (RMP) / custom Food Control Plan (cFCP) in New Zealand.
We are working toward BRC certification. My query is that under the programmes that we have, all ingredients and suppliers have already been assessed as suitable (Approved). This is done by checking that the suppliers are food safety certified under one or more standard, and then consider that ingredients are covered by this also (after spec sheets / PIFs are supplied for the ingredients).
For our BRC audit, would Members think that we would need to reassess all existing suppliers and ingredients using a BRC risk analysis format, or continue with what we have but put a new process in place for any future new suppliers and ingredients?
I'm unsure what an auditors expectation would be, whether they would consider that enough risk analysis has been done already.
It would be bit of a process to do this, but we have a little time to work through it if we need to.
Thank you
Nga mihi
Paulie B
Napier
New Zealand
Hi Paulie,
Previous post has excellent suggestions. I predict the Gap Analysis will indicate a lack of compatibility since IMO BRC's vision (rightly or wrongly !) exceeds that of many other Standards to a considerable extent.
For an illustration of 1 approach to BRC's basic requirements can see this (oldish) Post -
Also, dont forget 3.5.1.3. There shall be a documented process for on going supplier performance reviews...….