Background
Puffin Produce Ltd is the largest supplier of Welsh produce in Wales. Since 1995 they have supplied Welsh produce to multiple major retailers and wholesalers. Alongside a large own label potato offering, Puffin Produce also supply a range of potatoes, seasonal vegetables and daffodils under their ‘Blas y Tir’ brand. The company remains 100% grower owned and employs around 150 team members at their Pembrokeshire headquarters.
Puffin Produce has had a long standing working relationship with ZERO2FIVE Food Industry Centre since 2012. During this time the business has employed and supported the continuous development of two knowledge transfer affiliates who supported the development and maintenance of the site technical and quality systems and the packaging control and waste management systems.
Support from ZERO2FIVE
ZERO2FIVE has continued to support Puffin Produce one day a month as part of Project HELIX to supplement the company’s internal audit and technical team.
This support has allowed Puffin Produce to have an ongoing independent technical resource, a support mechanism for technical queries, mentoring for the company’s technical and quality assurance teams, and a structured programme for supporting the company’s internal audit schedule.
One of ZERO2FIVE’s key roles is carrying out internal audits for Puffin, independently reviewing the company’s food safety procedures and practices against BRCGS and retailer standards.
Benefits of the support
Thanks to ZERO2FIVE’s independent advice, Puffin Produce has identified non-conformances and areas for improvement against BRCGS and retailer standards. This has helped Puffin Produce to maintain their safe practices and as a result their third-party accreditation and ultimately retailer listings.
Due to the knowledge and resource of the team at ZERO2FIVE, Puffin Produce has been able to keep up to date with ongoing industry standards and codes of practise that are vital to the business. ZERO2FIVE has been able to help the team at Puffin with training in areas such as internal auditing and sensory analysis.
Huw Thomas, Managing Director, Puffin Produce:
“As a result of the knowledge & expertise of the ZERO2FIVE technical team, we have been able to adapt and strengthen our quality management systems at Puffin Produce; resulting in maintaining our BRCGS and Red Tractor accreditation. The support we have received from ZERO2FIVE has been invaluable and we look forward to continuing to work with them."
