Starting from 2013, Gujranwala Food Industries (Pvt) Ltd., the Pakistani confectionery manufacturer, has partnered with SGS for food safety management system (FSMS)’s certification. Today, the company holds two globally recognized certificates: FSSC 22000 and BRCGS.
Business growth and consistent quality go hand in hand
Gujranwala Food Industries (GFI) was established in 1984 and is now one of the leading Pakistani producers of sweet confectionery products (like candies, toffee, bubble gums, chocolate, wafers) and extruded snacks.
Apart from selling products in the local market, the company has been actively expanding internationally: GFI’s brands have been registered in South Africa, Europe, South America and Middle East.
This growth would not have been possible without delivering consistently safe and quality products.
Starting the food safety management journey in 2013
In 2013, the decision was taken to implement FSSC 22000 requirements at the GFI’s plant to establish a robust food safety management system. The aim was:
- To maintain high hygiene compliance
- To improve productivity
In 2014, GFI implemented BRCGS Global Food Safety Standard in addition to FSSC 22000, as it was required by some international buyers.
Since then, Gujranwala Food Industries has been thoroughly maintaining those two GFSI-recognized certifications with the assistance of SGS auditors.
Challenges to overcome during implementation of international standards
Ten years ago, when GFI first started to develop the food safety management system as per international standards, these requirements were new to the company. As initial step, they established a food safety team and assigned responsibilities.
It took time for people to dive deep into the standards specifics. The company heavily invested into staff education and training.
They also had to overcome some infrastructural constraints to comply with international requirements.
Certification as the ongoing process
With the first FSSC 22000 certificate obtained in 2013 and BRCGS certificate in 2014, it was just the beginning of the food safety management journey.
Since then, every year GFI is being visited by SGS auditors who verify compliance and search for way to improve the GFI’s management system jointly with the GFI’s team.
In late June 2023, Gujranwala Food Industries successfully went through another surveillance audit by SGS.
This latest achievement proves once again that the company has been maintaining and developing their food safety management system as per FSSC 22000 Scheme and BRCGS Global Food Safety Standard.
We have learnt a lot from SGS auditors. Their advice helps us scale our business efficiently and constantly improve our system. Zero product recalls and seamless achievement of FDA regulatory assessment demonstrate some significant outcomes of this work.
The achievement of FSSC 22000 and BRCGS certifications is a testament to GFI's commitment to providing safe food products to consumers worldwide. We are pleased to be helpful to GFI in their pursuit of excellence in food safety.
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