SQF supplier approval and food safety program

Hi,

Hopefully someone could help me as I have been given this role of SQF practitioner coming from a more quality side of things first.

My company grows, harvests, and packages lettuce in different varieties and we are looking to expand. With this expansion, we would be receiving other items to pack (croutons, dressing,etc). I am looking through multiple sources of information, (SQF guidance, PCQI and HACCP courses I took), but wanted to know exactly what is necessary in terms of our supplier approval/ food safety program to allow this to happen without incident. Any guidance or links would be helpful, thank you!

You need to develop an approval program that works for you--

Request info from suppliers like
 

Allergen management at their facility

Lot coding

Recall/traceability

3rd party certification (GFSI/HACCP etc.)

Maybe ask if they've had any non conformances issued in the last 12 months from USDA/FDA

Product specifications

A letter of conformance or guarantee regarding the packaging they use (that it won't contaminate your finished goods)

Once you receive the docs back you need to assign a risk rating 

You could base that on things like, whether you got everything you asked for,  how robust the information given is,  how timely the responses were etc

Use the guidance found here -https://www.sqfi.com...and-checklists/   there is specific guidance for Approved Supplier programs

I would also now do an Allergen risk assessment and determine, should you approve the suppliers, how you are going to store the allergens.  That is with my assumption that most dressings may have an allergen in them and some croutons could too.  

As far as supplier approval, totally agree with Scampi on this.  Develop the process that works best for you and checks all the boxes in the code.  Also, keep in  mind that if you use the Supplier Approval program or HACCP risk assessment for some of your validations that you have in place how you use it for such.

I agree with Scampi and have added a copy of an approval document in use at one of our client locations.

Name of company redacted. 

Let's try that again with the document actually attached...

You should also review supplier status at a set frequency. We review these at our monthly management meetings. If a supplier is constantly sending us stock that is damaged in transit then this would trigger an earlier review.

Let's try that again with the document actually attached...

Hi Glenn,

Thks for yr attachment.

Not a user of SQF but I'm not quite sure what Code/Clause 2.4.4 actually refers to (= 2.3.4.SQF9 Manufacturing?)

I liked the layout of document but it looked more like what is expected in a so-called "Quality Manual" ? (ie somewhat minimalist :smile: ).

I suggest the use of the word "specifications" should be partnered with "documented".

I note that sqf 2.3.4.2 includes the word "methods", yr document mentions a (1) point awardance scheme for materials and suppliers but not how it's implemented ??( ie 2.3.4.2 -  "Methods for granting approved supplier status")

It makes no mention of any of the items in Post 2 but ,equally, these also seem to be unrequired within scope of clause 2.3.4?

Hey Charles, A) there have been some element # changes since Glenn's program was written, it's now 2.3.4, not 2.4.4

SQF requires;

2.3.4 Approved Supplier Program (Mandatory) 2.3.4.1 The responsibility and procedure for selecting, evaluating, approving, and monitoring an approved supplier shall be documented and implemented.
A current record of approved suppliers, receiving inspections, and supplier audits shall be maintained. 2.3.4.2 The responsibility and procedure for selecting, evaluating, approving, and monitoring an approved supplier shall be documented and implemented.
A current record of approved suppliers, receiving inspections, and supplier audits shall be maintained. 2.3.4.3 Verification of raw materials shall include certificates of conformance, certificates of analysis, or sampling, and testing. The verification frequency shall be identified by the site. 2.3.4.4 The receipt of raw materials, ingredients, processing aids, and packaging from nonapproved suppliers shall be acceptable only in an emergency situation and provided a receiving inspection or analysis is conducted and recorded before use. 2.3.4.5 Raw materials, ingredients, and packaging received from other sites under the same corporate ownership shall be subject to the same specification requirements (refer to 2.3.2), approved supplier requirements, and receiving inspections as all other material providers. 2.3.4.6 Supplier audits shall be based on risk (as determined in 2.3.4.2) and shall be conducted by individuals knowledgeable of applicable regulatory and food safety requirements and trained in auditing techniques. 

It may very well end up reading like a so called quality manual--mine is quite similar---the meat of the process ends up being in the actual supplier registry

Thanks above.

I do now vaguely recall that the "Supplier Registry" is a SQF quirk speciality. :smile:

Yes, I did not change the SQF Code number. But the intent was all good.