A Simple Solution for Offering Custom Easter Baskets

 

As Easter approaches, candy shops can soon expect shoppers looking to build custom Easter baskets for loved ones. For some, creating and selling custom Easter baskets can be a time-consuming process that requires detailed staff training and complicated pricing structures.

This week we’re sharing a simple solution from RCI member, Juliet Chocolate Factory, that can save candy shops time and effort while still offering customers the opportunity to create custom Easter baskets.

Pictured: Juliet Chocolate Factory shared their idea for "Load & Go" Custom Easter Baskets at Candy Clinic during RCI's 2022 Annual Convention & Industry Expo.

Near the register at Juliet Chocolate Factory in Romeo, Michigan customers can take their pick from a selection of pre-assembled Easter baskets—three different sizes of themed baskets serve as the base. Each basket is filled with paper shreds and a coordinating bow (with tie) which is packaged inside a clear cello bag that is closed with a twist tie.

The baskets are empty, representing a blank canvas of sorts for customers to shop your store for the perfect mix to fit the intended recipient. Once shoppers are done selecting the contents of their custom Easter baskets, staff at the register can simply stuff the basket while ringing up each individual item, along with the gift basket, itself, which has its own product code/price.

This approach to offering custom Easter baskets can help you save time and effort this Easter. It’s a win-win solution that allows candy shops to focus on delivering quality products and excellent customer service while still providing customers with the opportunity to create their own unique Easter baskets.

Crave more? Click here to subscribe and start receiving weekly tips, like this, delivered straight to your email inbox. RCI's blog is just one of the many resources we offer to help candy makers refine their craft and build upon their business and marketing practices. Follow us on Facebook for even more sweet inspiration.

Not a member? Click here to learn how RCI can help you build your sweet business.

Are your packaged products FDA compliant?

Requirements for the nutrition facts label on packaged foods were updated in 2016 to help make it easier for consumers to make better informed food choices. As a producer or seller of food products, businesses of all sizes are now responsible for listing the contents of their products. Unfortunately, with an extensive list of updates to the nutrition facts label, plus a global pandemic thrown into the mix, meeting the requirements has not been an easy task for many manufacturers over the last few years.

Although the FDA announced it would work cooperatively with manufacturers, as of February 2021 (read more), it’s important your business is compliant and prepared for the FDA to begin enforcing label requirements. Keep reading for a refresher on such requirements, as well as answers to common questions and actionable steps to ensure your nutrition labels are compliant.

The what if?

If a new customer comes into your store and purchases a product without a label on it, how are they to know if it contains potential allergens? If they are allergic to an ingredient that is not listed, who’s at fault, the consumer or business? A food label with proper nutritional information serves as insurance to the business, and also notifies the consumer of a potential health risk. Without proper labeling, similar items can get shuffled on a shelf and become a guessing game of what’s inside.

Who needs it?

All too often business owners believe they are too small in production volume to require labels on their products. However, if you are selling product to a customer that they can pick up and bring to the register, the product must be labeled for the protection of the consumer and your business. Proper labeling must include a product name, ingredients/allergen statement, sell by date, and weight using a minimum of 6-point font. Well-labeled products allow the consumer to make an educated decision on whether the product will adversely affect their health by consuming it.

FDA Nutritional Label Changes in Effect

Manufacturers with $10 million or more in annual sales were required to update their labels by January 1, 2020; manufacturers with less than $10 million in annual food sales were required to update their labels by January 1, 2021.

The FDA website provides an in-depth explanation of the new nutrition label requirements, but for now, here are the important points producers need to know to ensure they are on the right path to label compliance.

Pictured above is the original nutrition facts panel on the left and the revised issue. Notable changes include larger serving sizes, added sugars and a footnote defining daily value.

FDA Nutrition Label Revision Explained:

Easy Access to Information

• The well-known look of the nutrition label will remain the same, but important updates will be made to ensure consumers have all the information they need to make mindful decisions about the food they buy. These changes include increasing the type set size for data like calories per serving and serving size.
• Food producers will be responsible for declaring the actual serving amount and percent daily values like calcium, vitamin D, iron and potassium.
• The label footnote will be revised to better define what daily value means, “The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.”

Serving Size vs. Package Size

• Certainly, one of the most interesting changes to the FDA nutrition label updates is the serving size requirements. Until recently, serving sizes were determined based on amounts of foods and beverages that people “should” be eating. Moving forward, nutrition label updates must reflect the amount of food people are “actually” eating. Serving sizes have changed since they were suggested and published in 1993, with individuals eating larger single-serving portions.
• Many packaged foods are generally consumed in a single serving, though intended for several servings. The FDA requires packaged foods to list nutritional information for the total consumable package, apart from the recommended serving size. An example of multi-serving products generally consumed in a single serving would be “Big Grab” potato chips and packaged nuts. This new label format is termed “dual column” and aims to help consumers better understand portion sizes.

Next Steps: Reviewing & Editing Your Labels

Reviewing your product labels may seem like a daunting task depending on the number of items that you produce. It’s important to review any recipes that have changed in the past, or ingredients that have been substituted to make sure that they match on the label. Review and edit your labels in small groups to make the process of additions and revisions much more manageable. Here's some more tips to consider while updating your labels:

• Make sure each label is legible, ingredients should not be hidden or use smaller than six-point font.
• MUST HAVES: product name, net weight, sell by date, and ingredients that can be clearly read.
• Items do not have to be labeled if a product is being served to the customer from behind/over the counter.
• Software is available that will allow you to input recipes and ingredients to produce a nutrition fact panel. Look for software that is compatible with your current method of printing labels.
• Shelf talkers, or product information listed on the shelf is not a viable means of labeling products. This refers back to items being shuffled on shelves.
• Being transparent with customers on ingredients and contents is always a best practice.

Applying an accurate and up-to-date label to your products will not only help you remain in good standing with the FDA, but also help strengthen your brand and provide your customers a sense of security.

Crave more? Click here to subscribe and start receiving weekly tips, like this, delivered straight to your email inbox. RCI's blog is just one of the many resources we offer to help candy makers refine their craft and build upon their business and marketing practices. Follow us on Facebook for even more sweet inspiration.

Not a member? Click here to learn how RCI can help you build your sweet business.

4 Things to Know Before Purchasing A Metal Detector For Your Facility

The call for safety is at an all-time high. Many things need to be taken into consideration when it comes to the safety of our products. One of the most dangerous, yet furthest in the back of people’s mind, is metal detection. We all work with surfaces of either stainless steel or copper. These surfaces have the ability to be chipped, scraped and gouged, producing minute particles of metal that can be dangerous to human consumption. In this excerpt from an article in RCI’s Kettle Talk magazine, Caleb Ramm with Candy House Gourmet identifies four considerations when adding a metal detector to your facility.

Purchasing

When purchasing a metal detector, make sure to buy from a company that supplies ample training and support to ensure you get the most out of your investment. For a metal detector to be truly effective, constant observation and calibration are key.

Placement

Another consideration when purchasing a metal detector for your facility, is to determine the best placement based on your needs. Companies that only enrobe candies or produce on a line may want to place a metal detector at the end of the line, so that the product will pass through before packaging.

Others run their packaged products through the metal detector, which will detect metal that may be in or on the box itself. Placing the metal detector away from the enrober, in its own designated area may make it easier to access it at all times.

Calibration

When you set up a new product, you are given test cards that have ferrous, non-ferrous and stainless-steel samples to use to calibrate your machine. The smaller the particle you calibrate to, the smaller the particle the machine has the ability to detect.

Elimination

When a product is identified as contaminated, it is recommended to pull the entire batch and re-test it until all particle have been located and removed from the finished product.

We all want the best for our customers, and look for any way to improve upon this. Safety in confectionery doesn’t just stop in production. Pass on the safety to your customers as well.

Crave more? If you like what you read here, look for the "Subscribe now" box on the right to enter your email address and start receiving weekly tips, like this, delivered straight to your email inbox. RCI's Tip of the Week blog is just one of the many resources we offer to help candy makers refine their craft and build upon their business and marketing practices. Follow us on Facebook for even more sweet inspiration.

Not a member? Click here to learn how RCI can help you build your sweet business.

Tip #330: COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Guidance for Retail Confectioners

Small businesses are currently facing unprecedented operational challenges. Due to recent cancellations of major sporting events and festivals, school closures and more people working from home, there’s no doubt consumers are reluctant to leave their homes—let alone visit their favorite local businesses. Not only does COVID-19 (coronavirus) pose a threat to public health, it will have an unprecedented impact on small businesses and the economy.

What you can do now:
Keep reading as we review five steps you can take now, as business owners and operators, to protect your business, staff, customers and local communities based on recommendations by The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other authoritative health and governmental agencies.

•  Educate yourself and your team.
•  Create a communication plan.
•  Protect your business.
•  Embrace new forms of commerce.
•  Stay connected with fellow retail confectioners.

Educate yourself and your staff: Guidance for Businesses and Employers from CDC

As a leader of your business, it is crucial to obtain information about COVID-19 (coronavirus) from authoritative health and governmental agencies, such as The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The CDC offers the most up-to-date information on COVID-19. Click here to view guidance from the CDC for employers to help prevent workplace exposures to COVID-19. This guidance also provides planning considerations if there are more widespread, community outbreaks.

To prevent stigma and discrimination in the workplace, the CDC recommends using only the guidance provided on its COVID-19 web page to properly determine risk. Do not make determinations of risk based on race or country of origin, and be sure to maintain confidentiality of people with confirmed COVID-19. There is much more to learn about the transmissibility, severity and other features of COVID-19 and investigations are ongoing.

Open communication with employees is key to educate and train your team on how to best prevent exposure to COVID-19 in the workplace. See below for links to additional resources addressing common questions:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/2019-ncov-factsheet.pdf

https://www.fda.gov/emergency-preparedness-and-response/mcm-issues/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19-frequently-asked-questions.

Create a communication plan

According to the Small Business Administration, “it’s critical to communicate openly with your customers about the status of your operations, what protective measures you’ve implemented, and how they (as customers) will be protected when they visit your business.”

The U.S. Chamber has compiled a Coronavirus Response Kit for businesses and workers across the country, encouraging American businesses to follow data-based guidance from the CDC and state and local officials. See examples of how RCI members are communicating their new and ongoing protocols in their businesses below.

Protect your business: Guidance from SBA

The Small Business Administration (SBA) is working directly with state governors to provide targeted, low-interest loans to small businesses and non-profits that have been severely impacted by COVID-19. The SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan program provides small businesses with working capital loans of up to $2 million that can provide vital economic support to small businesses to help overcome the temporary loss of revenue they are experiencing.

Find more information on the SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loans at: SBA.gov/Disaster. To view a full list of other local and national resources available through the Small Business Administration, visit their website.

Embrace new ways of commerce.

By providing creative and safe alternatives for consumers to continue to do business with you, may help alleviate some of the financial strain caused by current health concerns, while also helping to reduce the risk of exposure to you and your staff by consumers. Remind patrons that stocking up on a few sweet treats from their favorite, local candy shop may be just what they need to provide comfort and a constant during this time of uncertainty.

Many businesses are encouraging patrons to place orders online for home delivery and offering new grab-and-go options so customers don’t even have to leave the comforts of their vehicle. While others are encouraging consumers to support local businesses by purchasing gift cards. See below for examples of creative ways RCI members are embracing new forms of commerce to ensure business as (sort-of) usual goes on.

Stay connected.

For over 100 years, RCI has been a community for retail confectioners and their suppliers to connect with each other and learn from shared knowledge and experiences. If you have questions about what fellow retail confectioners are doing, we encourage you to subscribe RCI’s online forum, List Serve, to post questions and reply to others’ questions. We invite you to also follow RCI’s Facebook page for industry and association updates. As always, feel free to direct your questions to RCI staff at info@retailconfectioners.org

Crave more? If you like what you read here, look for the "Subscribe now" box on the right to enter your email address and start receiving weekly tips, like this, delivered straight to your email inbox. RCI's Tip of the Week blog is just one of the many resources we offer to help candy makers refine their craft and build upon their business and marketing practices.

Not a member? Click here to learn how RCI can help you build your sweet business.

Throwback Tip #249: How To Make The Inspector’s Nice List (Part 3 of 3): Equip Your Staff

This week marks part three and the final addition to our series on how to make the health inspector’s “nice list” this holiday season, inspired by a past article published in RCI’s Kettle Talk magazine by Patrick Huffman, former president of The Warrell Corporation. reading the new federal and local regulations and keeping your staff updated on new requirements is critical. Consider conducting brief meetings to cover a specific topic or provide updates on a regular basis.

IN-HOUSE INSPECTIONS

Get ahead of the inspector by designating a manager to perform weekly inspections. Contact your local health department to request the form they use to during inspections as a reference.

GET ORGANIZED

Every time we have to search for the right tool to do a job, we lose time and money. By keeping tools clean and stored properly, they are ready for use and keep us productive. More important, a neat manufacturing area immediately tells inspectors that we know what we are doing.

LEAD BY EXAMPLE

Getting the buy-in from your employees can be a constant struggle. It’s important to recognize that a commitment to food safety begins with an organization’s managers and owners. Every time we walk by a dripping faucet or step over a scrap of paper or a chocolate spill, we fail to teach our employees. By witnessing management who are as dedicated to keeping equipment clean as they are making quality candy, they teach their team by example.

FRIENDLY REMINDERS

Signs, reminders, and brief, yet, oft-repeated videos, keep the message in the forefront of every employee’s mind, but nothing works better than setting an example personally.

One of the best ways to ensure your business makes it on the inspector’s coveted “nice list” is to assemble a team of trained and confident staff, who understand the big picture of why maintaining clean stores and manufacturing facilities is so important. After gaining this understanding, it is critical that your team be given proper guidance and tools to efficiently and effectively manage your business’s food safety initiatives.

Crave more? If you like what you read here, look for the "Subscribe now" box on the right to enter your email address and start receiving weekly tips, like this, delivered straight to your email inbox. RCI's Tip of the Week blog is just one of the many resources we offer to help candy makers refine their craft and build upon their business and marketing practices.

Not a member? Click here to learn how RCI can help you build your sweet business.

Throwback Tip #248: How To Make The Inspector’s Nice List (Part 2 of 3): Take Control of Pests

In continuation of a three-part series on how to make the health inspector’s “nice list” this holiday season, we’re sharing tips on how to take control of potential pest infestations.

Food manufacturing and retail facilities are a haven for certain unwanted guests. Can you blame them? Who wouldn’t want to live in a candy factory? However, when pest control can account for up to 20% of your score during a health inspection, a poorly managed pest control program could land your business on the inspector’s naughty list, or even worse, the recall list!

According to foodqualityandsafety.com, “Up-to-date pest control documentation is one of the first signs to an auditor that your facility takes pest control seriously.” They recommend making the following important documents readily available should an inspector come a-knocking:

• Scope of service
• Pest activity reports
• Service reports
• Corrective action reports
• Trap layout maps
• List of approved pesticides
• Pesticide usage reports
• Applicator licenses

RCI member, Patrick Huffman, former president of The Warrell Corporation, offered the following advice in a past article published in Kettle Talk magazine:

GO PRO

In today’s world of ever-changing regulations, hiring a pest control service may be your best option. When looking to outsource this service, look for a reputable company with food processing experience. A residential pest control service may not have the necessary experience or training to handle food establishments.

KEEP IT REGULAR

 At a very close second, the next most important element of pest control is regularity. Whether you perform this task yourself or hire a service, checking traps and applying pesticides in a safe and proper manner and on a regular basis is critical to success. Making sure that pesticides are stored away from food preparation areas and keeping good records of how they are handled are elements of an effective program.

These simple preparations can be your best defense against pests. Showing your inspector that you are in control of your pest control program will certainly help your business earn its spot on the nice list.

Crave more? If you like what you read here, look for the "Subscribe now" box on the right to enter your email address and start receiving weekly tips, like this, delivered straight to your email inbox. RCI's Tip of the Week blog is just one of the many resources we offer to help candy makers refine their craft and build upon their business and marketing practices.

Not a member? Click here to learn how RCI can help you build your sweet business.

Throwback Tip #247: How To Make The Inspector’s Nice List (Part 1 of 3): Don’t Forget that Spot!

Food safety never takes a holiday. In fact, the holidays are an especially important time to ensure food manufacturers and retailers are taking necessary precautions to ensure their products are not only delicious, but safe for consumption.

Whether a confectionery supplier or candy maker, your company should be prepared for an inspection from your perspective regulations agency at anytime of the year. In a past article published in Kettle Talk magazine, Patrick Huffman, former president of The Warrell Corporation, shared the following tips that could mean the difference from your candy business making it on the inspector’s naughty or nice list.

OVER, UNDER AND BEHIND

Areas over, under and behind equipment can be missed and will always attract the inspector’s attention. Simple installations that can be easily cleaned are always better than equipment with lots of hoses and wires that can get built up with chocolate.

TUNNEL VISION

The inside of a cooling tunnel is another area you can expect an inspector to look, in addition to air filters and any area with tape on it. These areas can collect dirt, insects (and their offspring) and cause problems if not checked and cleaned regularly.

SPOT CHECK

Regarding your retail stores, nothing sells better than a well-lit and spotlessly clean display. Fingerprints can be a normal problem every time a customer points to a product in a glass case. Keeping floors, air vents, and the entire store neat may be the best way to convince customers that they are in the right place. Cleaning behind fixtures is just as important as cleaning the front of fixtures.

Keep your business on the nice list this holiday season, by checking your list twice to ensure you don’t forget that spot!

Crave more? If you like what you read here, look for the "Subscribe now" box on the right to enter your email address and start receiving weekly tips, like this, delivered straight to your email inbox. RCI's Tip of the Week blog is just one of the many resources we offer to help candy makers refine their craft and build upon their business and marketing practices.

Not a member? Click here to learn how RCI can help you build your sweet business.

Tip #320: Protect Your Business from Email Scams

Would you ignore an email from your boss or CEO?

A staff member at Dietsch Brothers Fine Chocolates & Ice Cream in Ohio recently received an email from who he thought was one of the owners of the company requesting he purchase five $200 Best Buy gift cards to reward some of the team. This particular co-owner had just celebrated their retirement, so the request didn’t seem unreasonable. However, after further communication, the Dietsch staffer realized the email was not coming from the owner at all and was actually a sophisticated email scam.

As it turns out this is a real-life example of a growing financial fraud known as Business Email Compromise (BEC) or “CEO Fraud.” BEC is an email phishing scam using fake email addresses that look like they’re coming from the CEO or leadership of the organization. As stated by the FBI, BEC scams are “more sophisticated than any similar scam the FBI has seen before and one—in its various forms—that has resulted in actual and attempted losses of more than a billion dollars to businesses worldwide.”

CEO fraud specifically resulted in $2.3 billion in losses to U.S. businesses between October 2013 and February 2016, according to a 2016 report from the FBI. This type of fraud has tripled in the last three years and jumped another 50% in the first three months of 2019.

Common tactics may involve a scammer impersonating the CEO or someone in another leadership role requesting a wire transfer, gift cards or employee tax information. These types of email scams are effective because they rely on “fear the boss” thinking; all employees want to do their job and what is asked of them. Therefore, a request from their CEO or highest leader in the company is something they likely won’t decline. “[Scammers] know how to perpetuate the scam without raising suspicions,” FBI Special Agent Maxwell Marker said. “They have excellent tradecraft, and they do their homework. They use language specific to the company they are targeting, along with dollar amounts that lend legitimacy to the fraud. The days of these emails having horrible grammar and being easily identified are largely behind us.” 

How to Spot a CEO Email Scam

Thankfully, for Dietsch Brothers, the target of this scam recognized a red flag that ultimately saved the family-owned business $2,000. Protect your business by educating your staff on how to identify this type of email fraud. Below are common trademarks of a CEO fraud email scam, identified by Fraud Watch International:

• Spoofing legitimate email addresses, using a domain similar to that of the targeted business.
• Using an urgent tone, commanding request is done “ASAP”.
• Stating the CEO or CFO cannot be disturbed during a meeting or may be busy and unable to respond during the email exchange.
• Implying the sender is using a mobile device to write the email, by including the phrase “Sent from my iPad”, in lieu of the corporate email signature.
• Note: This trick is particularly effective, because implying that the email is sent from a mobile device excuses poor English, misspelling, or lack of a legitimate email signature, which are usually triggers to recognize phishing emails. It also helps strengthen the sense of urgency: if it wasn’t pressing, the sender would have waited until they were back at their desk. Hackers might also do their homework to find out when the executives are travelling for business, making their scam even more credible to their victim.
• Cyber criminals do the research to know what type of request is most legitimate-looking to avoid raising suspicion.

Train Your Team

Create awareness of potential scams that may pose a threat to your business. Share the Better Business Bureau’s Scam Studies with your team. Click here to download.

• Create a clear policy for your team regarding how money and sensitive information is shared. Always require a check-in with leadership before steps are taken.
• Train staff to double-check email addresses, not just the sender’s name. Look for email addresses that are close, but not exact — For instance, a phishing address may come from an email with @gmail.com at the end or ".co" rather than the expected ".com" or ".ca"
• Encourage staff to always question emails requesting fast actions, whether they seem unusual or not. The Better Business Bureau suggests most fraud cases could have been avoided with a phone call to the individual believed to be sending the email.
• Keep computers updated with antivirus software and consider investing in anti-phishing software to help protect your network and email systems. 

With businesses of all sizes being targeted, and this type of fraud activity continuing to grow, your business can never be too prepared. Educate your staff today by sharing this blog post. For more information read our sources:

• fraudwatchinternational.com
• quickbooks.intuit.com
• clearedin.com

Crave more? If you like what you read here, look for the "Subscribe now" box on the right to enter your email address and start receiving weekly tips, like this, delivered straight to your email inbox. RCI's Tip of the Week blog is just one of the many resources we offer to help candy makers refine their craft and build upon their business and marketing practices.

Tip #301: 5 Ways to Attract & Retain Great Employees

“Cultivating a powerhouse team is key to the success of any business,” said Denise Kestner of ClearPath HR, a presenter at RCI’s 2018 Annual Convention & Industry Expo. Even the most successful businesses are on the lookout for ways to better ensure the right candidates are hired to join their teams. Keep reading as RCI member, Rebecca Craig of Marie’s Candies, shares what she learned from Denise’s presentation.

5 WAYS TO CULTIVATE TALENT:

Lead with Culture

During interviews, skip the complete company history as your intro. Instead begin by sharing benefits that are unique to our organization and appealing to potential candidates. If you offer an exceptional employee culture, that’s a great place to start. If your company history is important to you, stick to the highlight reel.

Start with Why

When crafting role descriptions for an open position, grab candidates' attention in a way that will attract people who share your purpose and values. Click here to check out Simon Sinik’s TED Talk based on his book, Start with Why. 

Be Creative with Benefits

Health insurance, life insurance, retirement, vacation, and etc. are important, but people also value fun things like popsicle breaks during the summer, fun birthday celebrations or even Manicure Fridays.

Try Working Interviews

“A working interview gives the employer a chance to see the applicant’s skills in action," according to employment solutions provider, Friday Staffing. "This arrangement can benefit both parties. Candidates get to see if they like the job. Hiring managers get to see how well the candidate will actually perform in the position. Not only does the working interview give the employer an opportunity to assess the work, but it also gives the job seeker an opportunity to ‘try out’ the job that they will be performing and to get a feel for the office culture.”

Don’t Stop Recruiting

Seek out the server at the restaurant who is passionate about the menu, the teller at the bank, who goes above and beyond to help and approach them about joining your team. You never know where you might meet your next rock star team member!

Give these tips a try and see how they impact your company culture! We want to know what great tips you have for cultivating talent within your business! Share in the comments below.

Crave more? If you like what you read here, look for the "Subscribe now" box on the right to enter your email address and start receiving weekly tips, like this, delivered straight to your email inbox. RCI's Tip of the Week blog is just one of the many resources we offer to help candy makers refine their craft and build upon their business and marketing practices.

Not a member? Click here to learn how RCI can help you build your sweet business.

Throwback Tip #230: Refresh Your FSMA Knowledge

It has been eight years since the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) was signed into law, which also means if you manufacture food and operate with less than $1 million in sales, September 2018 was the deadline to comply with the FDA's regulations. This week's tip offers a refresher on FSMA in an excerpt from an article written by Michael Koch of Morley Candy Makers/Sanders Candy for RCI's Kettle Talk magazine, plus tips for next steps.

WHAT IS FSMA?

FSMA was designed to shift the focus on food safety from responding to contamination issues to a more proactive approach of preventing contamination before it happens. Through the passing of this law the FDA has gained more leverage in its ability monitor and control the safety of our food supply chain.

In September of 2015 the FDA published its "Preventive Controls for Human Food" guidelines. As part of FSMA, it outlines the mandatory requirements being placed on all food manufacturers to have and implement a written food safety plan. FSMA requires that your plan be written and managed by a qualified individual. Individuals must complete a certification course to become a qualified food safety administrator.

PREVENTATIVE CONTROLS

Hazard Analysis and Risk-Based Preventive Controls (HARPC) is a documented food safety program that addresses hazard risks with preventive controls for every food product you handle in your facility to ensure it will not become contaminated and unfit for human consumption.

VERIFY EFFECTIVENESS

Continuing to verify the effectiveness of your plan ensures preventive controls are consistently implemented and sufficient. Verification includes evaluating the accuracy of process monitoring, calibrating instruments, such as thermometers, and reviewing records to verify monitoring and corrective actions are completed. Product testing and environmental monitoring by a certified third party are also reliable verification methods.

RECALL PROCEDURES

Your plan must contain details on your recall procedures. If a contaminated product is shipped, you must be able to identify where the product has gone and have the ability to perform a recall. A recall plan should include the procedures for identifying the contaminated product. Having important contact information in the plan will help move the process forward. Contacts should include the local health department, local FDA office, news media and anyone else that you may deem important to the process.

FSMA covers a much greater spectrum of the food chain and more details than covered in this brief post. The realm of information and procedures that you are responsible for also cover such things as your supply chain management, good manufacturing practices, corrective actions and etc. The FSMA is no small task and it is designed to protect the consumer from obtaining contaminated products.

WHAT NOW?

Co-chair of the FSMA Operations Team Steering Committee and director of FDA’s Food and Feed Program in the Office of Regulatory Affairs, Joann Givens shares next steps for food facilities now that compliance dates have passed for most small businesses.

“The best thing that people in the food industry can do is take the measures required by the new rules – not just the letter of the law but what it represents in terms of transforming the food safety system. They should look at the big picture, at areas in which they could be vulnerable and proactively take action. Promptly responding to problems, even if they aren’t yet violations, can prevent them from getting to the point at which there is a concern about the safety of the food.”

Joann also stresses the importance of a thorough system for documenting what you do. “The better the records, the more a company can demonstrate that it is meeting the legal standard.” With the right processes and procedures in place you’re better equipped to prevent problems before they arise. Joann recommends creating some redundancy in your system, “if one measure fails, another can take its place.”

In order to operate a successful candy making business, it is essential that you are knowledgeable on federal regulations and take the proper action to ensure you are in compliance with FSMA guidelines. Click here for more resources and updates.

Crave more? If you like what you read here, look for the "Subscribe now" box on the right to enter your email address and start receiving weekly tips, like this, delivered straight to your email inbox. Plus, review past blog posts for quick and actionable tips to apply to your business. RCI's Tip of the Week blog is just one of the many resources we offer to help candy makers refine their craft and build upon their business and marketing practices.

Not a member? Click here to learn how RCI can help you build your sweet business.