As John Knotwell described in his recent blog, “In Food We Trust,” food safety is critical for the sustainability of any food service organization. What I find interesting is that when asked the question, “Whose responsibility is food safety as it relates to contaminated food?” the answers vary depending on who is asked: growers, food service companies, or suppliers.
Whether the contamination was product-driven or behavior-driven, it is ultimately the responsibility of the restaurant to ensure that all food products are 100% safe. When this responsibility is compromised, legal implications quickly follow — and not just out-of-court settlements, but also the possibility of federal law violations. Whose reputation is hurt the most? Historically, it is where the food was consumed. However, stricter regulations backed by increased funding may help the increasing food safety saga.
FSMA and Self-Regulation
The FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) was signed into law on January 4, 2011. In November 2015, the FDA released additional regulations for farmers and food importers to prevent food safety problems. These added requirements are expected to reduce foodborne illness, rebuilding trust in the food supply and increasing trust in chains serving food products. It doesn’t mean, however, that food retailers should sit back and let the suppliers take on all the burden.
The FSMA provides strong incentives for self-regulation. If you consider the potential sales declines and dramatic loss of consumer confidence in your brand, the financial incentives to protect your markets and reputation are just as important as protecting public health. Unfortunately, many organizations implement changes after a situation happens, or when regulators put new laws into place like the FSMA.
FSMA Title 2 requires all facilities — including those that transport, hold or receive food — to keep records of internal audits, food safety plans, and recalls. The FDA must have access to these on-demand. This regulatory accountability makes it vital for food service enterprises to systematically track and report on internal audits and inspections.
One recent example is in the case of the restaurant chain that experienced both E.coli and NoroVirus outbreaks. After the devastating outcome that continues many months later, they have decided to go to a central supplier (versus a distributed supply chain) to reduce their risk. Of course, the organization recognizes the importance of customer safety, but they are now intensely reacting, trying to regain broken trust. Like others before them, they realize that having a centralized point of internal audit documentation — from supplier through preparation and point of sale — is critical.
Strengthen the trust between your brand and the consumer
We have all learned that life can be altered in an instant, and the food safety arena is no different. Your company may be enjoying growth and revenue success, but it can just as quickly become negative. In my previous article titled Food Safety: Are You in Control?, I spoke about how adverse publicity can have an impact on shareholder value and with your customers. Although the FSMA is designed to increase food safety across the supply chain, the ultimate responsibility lies with you and your team. Your goal of providing a safe food product and quality of service is critical. You must have a “unified source of truth” where you can identify issues, manage corrective actions, enhance business processes and assure compliance. By closing the gap in food safety compliance, you will live up to your brand promise and increase guest satisfaction. To learn more, visit https://rizepoint.com/solutions/foodservice/.
About the Author
Frank Maylett is President and CEO at Steton. he brings more than 20 years of experience leading, selling and expanding software service organizations. Prior to Steton he was Executive Vice President for Global Sales, Services and Alliances at Workfront/AtTask Inc. In that role he dramatically grew SaaS revenue and increased productivity, positioning Workfront as the leader in Enterprise Work Management. Frank has also worked for inContact, Kabira Technologies, IBM and Novell. Frank is a 2014 recipient of Selling Power Magazine 50 Best Companies in America to Sell For award, ranking at number 20, and the 2013 recipient of Utah Business Magazine Sales and Marketing Executive of the Year (SAMY Award) for excellence in sales leadership.