IP Demonstrates Ongoing Commitment to Food Safety
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International Paper, Memphis, Tenn., USA, this week further solidified its ongoing commitment to improving food safety throughout the supply chain. The company announced its Shelbyville, Ill., facility has achieved food safety certification by exceeding the standards of the benchmarking procedures as dictated by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI). IP further declared the goal of meeting or exceeding the GFSI standards at all of their U.S. Foodservice Facilities by the end of 2016.
GFSI is a non-profit, international benchmarking organization created to standardize food safety rules and has been rapidly recognized as the 'gold standard' for international food safety. These global specifications promoted by GFSI address food, packaging, packaging materials, storage, and distribution. Certification is a very stringent and demanding process that requires a facility to organize its quality management system (QMS) to address components in the manufacturing process such as procedures, policies, work instructions, document control, and record maintenance. Supplier owned audits are a significant part of the process as well.
"Safety as a whole is an ingrained part of our everyday operations and our number one priority," said Tracy Pearson, VP and GM of International Paper's Foodservice Business. "We are proactively doing our part to ensure we have the systems in place to eliminate food safety risks in the packaging arena and continue to provide a top quality product."
Requests for GFSI-benchmarked audits have been quickly growing, which is no surprise given the scope of the initiative touches all aspects of the food industry. Many large retailers and foodservice industry brands are calling for this type of certification as a prerequisite to doing business. Pearson noted that "International Paper continuously strives to exceed our commitment of excellence to our customers. As the needs of our customers continue to grow, we are well positioned to meet those needs."
Based in Memphis, IP's Foodservice business is a leading global marketer and manufacturer of single-use packaging for the foodservice industry. The company's paper cups, food containers, plates, and accessories are found in leading chain restaurants around the world. The company has a solid record of bringing innovative products and brands to market including Hold&Go®, Cold&Go™, and ecotainer®, a commercially compostable product line made from fully renewable resources along with products made from FDA-compliant, post-consumer fiber. The foodservice business has operations in Kenton, Ohio, Shelbyville, Ill., and Visalia, Calif., Shanghai and Tianjin China, Winsford, U.K., and Bogota, Colombia.
Built in 1974, the Shelbyville facility currently has more than 900 employees in cup producing, printing, and distribution facilities. .A leader in innovation for sustainable foodservice packaging, Shelbyville provides top-quality products for customers in theater, hospitality, supermarkets, convenience stores, and fast food that include hot and cold cups, food containers and buckets, popcorn containers, paper plates, plastic lids, and printed plastic cups.
