© SALSA 2012

STEPS TO A SUCCESSFUL SALSA

What SALSA approval can mean for your business

June 2015

About SALSA – our credentials Launched in 2007 following small producer demands for a

more appropriate alternative to the BRC Global Standard

Joint Venture between four industry partners: The NFU, FDF, BHA and BRC

The IFST operates SALSA on behalf of Scheme owners

Self-funding, not-for-profit organisation

What is SALSA?

Recognised as the food safety certification scheme for the UK’s smaller, specialised producers

A scheme (not only a standard)

Provides a support structure for members, offering integrated guidance, advice and training services

Affordable for the smaller business

For Buyers, a credible alternative to BRC

Scheme Structure

SALSA Auditors & Mentors

What background and training do they have?

Independent food safety professionals

All approved through IFST-RPFAM

Sector-specific qualifications and experience

Compulsory induction training and annual training workshops

Auditing consistency and calibration within the cohort routinely monitored by SALSA Operations

Wide Acceptance

The need for SALSA in the UK

Consumer interest in locally produced food and drink remains high

Significant increase in small start-up food and drink businesses

Majority of national and regional buyers have an active interest in local sourcing

Greater interest in artisanal products, provenance and regional origin

Of mutual interest to both Suppliers & Buyers:

Are products manufactured in a safe and legal manner?

What food safety certification is available for the product?

Where can technical guidance and support be found?

How do suppliers get noticed by national buyers?

How do buyers find local products?

Industry Response

‘Local sourcing is important to both our customers and our business. We now have over 2,500 locally and regionally sourced products from over 600 suppliers. SALSA approval assures the safety, legality and quality of suppliers which has supported our growth in local and regional products.’

Jane Duddle, Product Safety Manager, Waitrose

Key Numbers

End of May 2015:

Active buyers 692

Active members 1093

Approved members 844

About SALSA – Membership

Who is eligible to become a member?

UK-based small food and drink businesses

Designed for small (<50) & micro (<10) producers

Must operate from a commercial kitchen or dedicated production unit

Suppliers whose products are made or packed in the UK

About SALSA – Members

A ‘typical’ SALSA member?

Size of company (F/T employees)

ProductTop three categories in 2014

1. Bakery products2. Dairy chilled & frozen3. Ready to eat or heat products

The SALSA Standard

Where does it fit?

Between legal and BRC requirements – where BRC may be a step too far

Includes ‘best practice’ proportional to scale of activities of the smaller producer

Written by experienced food safety professionals?

The SALSA StandardWhat it covers:

Pre-requisite controlsincludes cleaning, temperature control, training,

pest control, labelling

HACCP and management systemsincludes traceability, complaints handling,

product recall

Documentationincludes specifications, work instructions

Premisesincludes site location, facilities, condition of building

SALSA membership

How the Scheme works....

Cost to Members Membership

£100 Certification audit

£495 SALSA Package Deal – membership & audit

£545 (£50 saving) SALSA Package Deal Extra – membership, audit & day’s

mentoring £910 (£85 saving)

Mentoring fees (optional) £400 per day (hourly pro rata) Funding opportunities

Travel costs included in audit fee; no extra cost

SALSA Membership

Simple steps:

Supplier registers and joins online at www.salsafood.co.uk

Company profile & membership status activated; immediately visible in online Buyers’ Directory of over 660 names

Member has immediate access to all online resources and a telephone helpline

Member prepares for SALSA audit with or without mentoring

Scheme Resources

What support and advice is available?

Online Resources

Guidance Documents Tools and Tips

Buyers Directory

Industry Updates

SALSA MEMBER

Scheme Resources

‘Our scheme resources are a valuable online reference library for SALSA members – especially for start-ups and those wishing to grow their business. Members can draw on the essential guidance and support needed by small businesses with limited technical support. And a telephone helpline is there to support these resources.’

Sally Ball, Scheme Manager

Scheme Resources

Guidance Notes & Documentation

Easy to follow, clearly written documentation

Guidance notes, self-assessment checklist

‘The SALSA standard was backed up with superb detailed guidance notes which took you step-by-step through the process, all of which helped us evaluate our business.’

Clare Stewart, Kezie Foods, Duns

Scheme Resources

Tools & Tips

Worked examples and templates for clauses

Easy to understand, practical guidance

‘The SALSA audit documents are easy to understand and maintain for small businesses. The Tools & Tips section of the website was a very useful aid.’Ray Spiers, Turners Dairies, Sussex

Scheme Resources The online Buyers’ Directory

Company profile immediately visible to over 660 buyers

For buyers, a valuable, easy to access local, national and specialist producer sourcing tool

Buyers have 24hr online access to validated approval certificates

‘The Buyers’ Directory provides the perfect situated shop window to showcase your company and its products to interested buyers throughout

the UK.’Sally Ball, Scheme Manager

Scheme Resources Industry updates & Telephone Helpline

Emails on industry news and notifications including monthly bulletins on... aka the 3-minute update

Information also carried on ‘front page’ of website

Featured Supplier articles – successful audits

Telephone helpline – guidance & support

‘The SALSA team are very efficient and show a professional manner, offering friendly advice and support to members at all times’

J&I Smith, Bakers, Aberdeenshire

Scheme Services

What services does SALSA provide?

SALSA Services

HACCP Training Courses

MentoringFIC/Labelling Workshops

SALSA Member

Scheme Services

Mentoring A unique element of the Scheme

Optional; but strongly recommended

Mentoring options GAP analysis Technical support HACCP training

Capped rates Locally-based mentors Travel costs inclusive Access to funding streams

Scheme Services Mentoring

47% of suppliers audited in 2014 had mentoring support

Mentored suppliers are better prepared at audit

‘Our mentor was extremely helpful, providing

invaluable advice and support. We are very proud

to have gained our first SALSA approval and would

have no hesitation in recommending SALSA.’

Mike Danyluk, MacCorns Popcorn, nr Edinburgh

Scheme Services HACCP Courses

Essential for all UK food and drink producers

Practical interactive courses

Matched to needs of smaller producer

L1 and L2 courses accredited by the IFST

‘Excellent course, very good for small business.

Small, friendly interactive group with training

tailored to our needs’Ryan Baker, Gills Puddings. Shropshire

Scheme Services

FIC regulations/Labelling courses

Offer valuable, clear guidance on the FIC regulations

NEW! Label-checking service and workshop - launch April 2015

‘Excellent workshop for the smaller business,

outlining specifics and being able to look at

our own labels and address any particular

queries we had.’

Suzanne Kinsey, Darlington & Daughters, Crewe

Case Study – Cheshire Farm Chips

Quick steps to SALSA

Joined SALSA in 2011 and used a range of resources including; mentoring, Tools and Tips and HACCP courses

Gained approval 6 months later and has successfully maintained since securing new contacts with Waitrose and Booths

‘Without SALSA it would have not been possible

to grow the business as we have since launch in 2010 .’

Lucy Jackson, Cheshire Farm Chips, Cheshire.

Audit Process

What happens? Member arranges and books their audit when ready

SALSA then matches supplier to a local auditor with the same sector qualifications and experience

Auditor books audit date to suit both parties but must be able to audit within 28 days of payment, if required

If a member takes the pre-paid option, the audit can be booked any time within one year of joining

Audit Process

The audit Onsite inspection; generally for a half-day

Auditors are approachable and supportive

Auditor will use a checklist to record findings

Auditor raises and discusses items for action or improvement, and if needed, prepares an action plan with member

If applicable, auditor and supplier sign Action Plan

Supplier has 28 days to prepare a response

SUPPLIER APPROVALThe review process Corrective action submitted to SALSA Operations by member

Operations make the approval decision based on Auditor’s recommendation and a review of documentation

When approved, a certificate is uploaded online, in the Buyers’ Directory, and a report/copy emailed to the member

Approval – Key Benefits for Members

Member is listed in the Buyers’ Directory as an ‘approved’ business

Confidence that they are manufacturing to a nationally recognised Standard; opens up opportunities for growth

Wide recognition of SALSA certification; opens up new business opportunities and has significant cost benefits

Stepping stone to BRC

Case Study - Country Puddings

Opening markets

CP produce a range of handmade British puddings

Joined SALSA in 2008, successfully maintained approval since

‘Gaining SALSA has helped us to secure new

contracts; we’ve seen a 23% growth year on

year over the last five years.’Lynne Mallinson, Country Pudding, Cumbria.

The Scheme of Choice

In a nutshell – the benefits for members:

AFFORDABLE and ACHIEVABLE even for the smaller producer

TECHNICAL SUPPORT for the business which cannot afford this as an in-house resource

SECURITY of approval

CONFIDENCE to go out and seek and secure new contracts

PROVEN CREDENTIALS to put in front of prestigious buyers

Success with SALSA‘SALSA has enabled us to continue to grow our business, from supplying 15 local outlets in 2008 to now over 400.  In 2014 we secured UK-wide distribution with Waitrose stores, and a major own label contract. We even signed to supply overseas this coming year! 

Without SALSA approval they wouldn’t have contemplated doing business with us.’

Sally Newall, Simply Ice Cream, Kent

Success with SALSA

‘Our SALSA approval has opened doors for us and enabled us to supply prestigious food retailers and distributors including Selfridges, Harrods, Wholefoods, Harvey Nichols and Picturehouse Cinemas as well as many important independent stockists in the UK.’

Adam Sopher, Joe’s Gourmet Food, Essex

The food safety certification scheme for the UK’s small and micro-sized

food and drink producers