Easy ways to provide HACCP information to your customer

Providing HACCP information to your customers is essential in maintaining a good relationship. In this context, your customers could be food retailers, food manufacturers or food brokers/importers. This post shares the different types of HACCP information that you may be required to provide to your customers along with different methods to do so.

Types of HACCP information

There are many different types of HACCP information that your customers may either request from you or they require to help them comply with their own HACCP or food safety compliance. Common information includes:

Third-party certification

If your food business is third-party certified for HACCP or any of the GFSI recognized standards, you would receive a HACCP certificate. These certificates generally have expiry dates. Your customers may use your current HACCP certificate as part of their approved supplier program.

Food Safety Controls

Some food laws and third-party food safety HACCP standards require information on what food safety controls your business has in place to ensure a safe and suitable product. Again, your customers may require this information as part of their own approved supplier program, HACCP and legal compliance.

Certificate of Analysis (C of A’s)

A certificate of analysis provides information on specific food characteristics. These can moisture, protein, sodium or absence of certain micro-organisms. Your customers may then use this information as part of their own processing activities.

Product information

Finished product information is one of the most common types of HACCP information required. This specification should include information relating to product description, allergens, ingredients, nutritional, claims, country of origin, storage and handling, sensory, chemical, physical or micro parameters and shelf life.

Business questionnaire

Customer may request that you fill out questionnaires as part of their supplier management process. These questionnaires can be extensive and time-consuming to complete. Take the most asked questions and answers and type these into a single document. Request that the customer extracts the information that they need from this document.

Supplying information

There are a few different ways to supply HACCP information to your customer.

Web-based: Having relevant information available for download directly from your website is efficient for both you and your customer. They can visit your website at any time to get the required information.

Secure web login: This is the same as web-based but in a secure online portal. This may be useful if you do not want your HACCP information freely available for all to see.

On-demand: Whenever you get a request for information you can then send it out. This method can be very time-consuming especially if you have many customers.

Delivery documentation: Provide the requested information as part of your delivery documentation. This method is not environmentally friendly and does require additional time to implement.

Currency is king

It is essential that the HACCP information you provide is always current. You can set all your customers to receive emails that let them know when information has changed or been updated.

Share your process

How do you provide HACCP information with your customers? Share your insights with the HACCP Mentor community by leaving a comment below.

5 thoughts on “Easy ways to provide HACCP information to your customer”

  1. Amanda, would you please set up a Food Fraud educational program with how to get an up dated list of the Fraudulent protein & ingredients. This is a topic witch is going to be a big concern in GFSI audits.

    1. Amanda Evans-Lara

      Thanks Dave, I am working towards releasing an online food fraud training program in the coming months.

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