Food safety is a critical component of a successful supplier/buyer trading partnership. As such, SQFI has created an approach for small to medium size food producers who don’t have a robust food safety program in place that satisfies buyers and retailer’s concerns. In this newsletter, we explore ways that emerging businesses can build their food safety programs and teams.
INDUSTRY UPDATES & TRENDS
WHAT WE'RE READING
1.) Architect the Perfect Food Safety Team: Does Your Next Food Safety or Quality Team Member Even Exist? - Via Food Safety News
"As a food safety leader, you’re accountable for keeping the company in line with regulations and ensuring consumer trust, yet you’re constantly asked to “do more with less”. In an environment with such a thin margin for error, it’s imperative to have a seamless, friction free, fast but effective recruitment process..." Read the rest of the story on Food Safety News
2.) The World's Leading Voices on Food Safety Tackle Emerging Challenges at the GFSI Conference - via Business Insider
"The Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI), a worldwide project to advance food safety and improve consumer trust, is holding its 18th annual conference in Nice, France on February 25-28 2019. Over 1,000 of the most influential actors in the global food industry from more than 50 countries will be in attendance, including top-tier retailers, manufacturers and service providers as well as academics, regulators and consumer advocates...." Read the rest of the story on Business Insider
3.) 'A perfect value-for-money combination': Private label's premium focus puts brands under pressure - via Food Navigator
"Responding to shifting definitions of ‘value’, private label ranges are increasingly focusing on delivering affordable premium products. This is making it harder for branded food makers to justify their price premium..." Read the rest of the story on Food Navigator
4.) Rising Expectation Around Transparency & Accountability - From Farm to Plate - via Digital Journal
"The ever-growing instance of food safety misconduct, unethical public health scares, and outbreaks of food-borne illness emphasizes the importance and need for constant vigilance for food retailers and manufacturers. Meanwhile, the scale and complexity of current food supply chains pose a great challenge to traceability, making complete transparency and quality control measures paramount almost at every step." Read the rest of the story on Digital Journal
5.) How Prepared Foods can Help Gain Health-Conscious Shoppers' Trust in 2019 - via Progressive Grocer
"Ready-to-eat foods from your stores can be the perfect solutions to shoppers’ busy lifestyles and discourage them from spending their food dollar at other competitive foodservice outlets. In fact, a report from the Food Marketing Institute (FMI), “U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends 2018,” notes that among all shoppers, 15 percent will “often” or “always” select prepared foods from the grocery store rather than fast-food places or restaurants if they haven’t cooked, with Millennials most likely to do so. " Read the rest of the story on Progressive Grocer
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UPCOMING CLASSES AND TRAINING
LEARN AND LEAD - WINTER & SPRING 2019
Webinar: Understanding the New SQF Fundamentals Code: How to Ensure Compliance
January 30, 2019- 1pm US-Eastern
Cost: Free
Learning Lunch Webinar: Accurate Labeling to Reduce Recalls
March 4, 2019- 12pm - 1:30 PM
US-Eastern
Cost: Free
Auditing SQF Systems - Shanghai, China
(4 Days)
March 11, 2019 - @ 9:00am -
March 14, 2019 - @ 3:00pm
Cost: $1,300
Auditing SQF Systems - Quebec, Canada
(4 Days)
March 18, 2019 - @ 8:30am -
March 21, 2019 - @ 5:00pm
Cost: $995
Auditing SQF Quality Systems - Quebec, Canada (1 Day)
March 22, 2019 - @ 8:30am - 5:00pm
Cost: $295
Auditing SQF Systems - Sydney, Australia (4 Days)
March 25, 2019 - @ 9:30am -
March 28 - @ 3:00pm
Cost: $1300
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FEATURED RESOURCES
SQFI YOUTUBE CHANNEL
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Learning Lunch Webinar: Edition 8 Update and Tools for Success
Learning Lunch Webinar: The NEW SQF Fundamentals Program
Learning Lunch Webinar: Statistical Process Control in Production
SQFI AUDITING SCHOLARSHIP
FMI Foundation Scholarship
The critical issue for accredited third-party auditing in North America is to source the next generation of well-trained auditors. As a way to help fill that gap, the FMI Foundation is sponsoring scholarships to students currently enrolled in food and agricultural science majors who have a true interest in the field of accredited food safety auditing.
Visit the FMI Foundation Scholarship website to access the application and additional details. Applications are now being accepted for the 2019 / 2020 Academic Year!
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SPOTLIGHT SERIES
THE SQFI FUNDAMENTALS PROGRAM
SQFI is excited to launch the comprehensive
SQFI Fundamentals Training Program!
About the Program

Our team has created the SQF Fundamentals Program to help protect smaller food producers from the risk of a recall and satisfy your buyer’s requirements. 

In line with the GFSI Global Markets Programme, the SQFI Fundamentals Program helps to facilitate retailer acceptance of small emerging food businesses and providing food safety security and acceptance along the supply chain.
Recognizing the important role that training and education play in helping small businesses successfully set up food safety programs, SQFI has developed a 3-pronged approach to learning :
  • Online course – easy access via a laptop; no need for travel; self-paced; ability to repeat lessons; knowledge checks for understanding.

  • Instructor-led training – knowledge sharing and problem solving among industry peers; immediate expert advice and guidance; activities used to aid understanding.

  • Self-directed learning – accessible and approachable; self-guided; low cost; guided resources allow for progressive development of a food safety system; modular – learn as much or as little as needed; can be accessed online or printed
Online Training Course Trailer

SQFI has exclusively partnered with Alchemy to develop the Implementing SQF Fundamentals Code for Manufacturing eLearning Course. This interactive course is designed to help small and medium-sized producers integrate food safety standards into their existing practices while creating a pathway to achieve globally accepted GFSI certification.
SQFI Quick-Poll
Q: What is YOUR favorite way to learn new skills?
A. ) In Person (group class)
B.) Online
C.) Self Study
Fundamentals Resources
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CONTACT, SURVEYS & REMINDERS
CONTACT SQFI
SQFI Customer Service
Email - info@sqfi.com
Website - www.sqfi.com

Database Assistance - SQFI
Email - database@sqfi.com

Sales, Marketing and Sponsorship
Email - smalenich@sqfi.com

SQF Compliance /Technical (Code) Questions
Email - compliance@sqfi.com
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SQFI Out and About!

Feb 12 - Feb 14 - IPPE , Atlanta, GA

Feb 25 - Feb 28 - GFSI Conference,
Nice, France

Mar 5 - Mar 7 - ANTAD 2019,
Guadalajara, MX

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