Supplier Approval

So, I've been working on my Supplier Approval program and making sure that everything we purchase is from approved suppliers. However, I was wondering about some of the things that we purchase from places like Walmart, CO-OP, etc. Can I approve the product itself instead of the supplier? For instance, if I get the SDS sheets, allergen statements, etc.? Thanks in advance! 

it's frowned upon, as it's SUPPLIER APPROVAL and not just material approvals

 

make sure your program is clear on what you're going to do, and it should be ok, depending on the materials in question

Are these raw materials, ingredients, packaging, or services? Not sure how BRC handles it, but SQF calls those things out for supplier approval. In my supplier approval program, I do mention other low risk suppliers (Zorro, grainger, Airgas, etc.) and give a general blurb of what is typically purchased from them. And for chemicals will say 'see chemical approval' which is listed separately.

Like I said, this is SQF..might be different than your BRC.

If the material you're buying has any impact on food safety, it should not be purchased through basic retailers.  You have no downstream traceability in the event of a recall and cannot control how the item was handled prior to you grabbing it.

Yes you can achieve this. There are some smaller manufacturers that do this who cannot order some of their raw materials in sufficient quantities from a supplier, so they go through a retailer instead.

Approve those products through clause 3.5.1.7 and make sure to define what your criteria for testing is.

You need to do supplier approval to make sure the supplier recognizes, minimizes and addresses risks, but you also need to ensure the products you receive work for the intended purpose and is of a consistent and good quality.