SEATTLE, WA, 27 February 2020 — The Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI), together with awards sponsor Greenfence, today announced the 2020 winners of GFSI’s Global Markets Awards.
The Global Markets Awards, now in its fourth year, recognises small-to-medium-sized enterprises that leverage GFSI’s Global Markets Programme in their path towards food safety certification. The 2020 campaign received a large pool of applicants, which were categorised into four regions: Africa, Asia, Latin America and Europe-North America. The GFSI Selection Committee praised the winners for their exemplary efforts in improving their food safety management systems and working towards greater market access through the use of GFSI tools.
The winning companies are:
- Luna Export, Ethiopia (Africa): Founded in 2004, this goat slaughterhouse began a dramatic transformation three years ago. The company updated its production line, trained its staff in animal welfare and modern sanitation techniques and significantly improved the shelf life of its products, opening itself to the possibility of development and export.
- Shanghai Mcvolf Food Co. Ltd., China (Asia): This biscuit and wafer manufacturer, which began to supply large retailers’ private-label brands in 2004, earned its GFSI-recognised certification in 2015. It has established a self-management and evaluation system in accordance with the Global Markets Programme checklist and is dedicated to becoming a trusted partner of consumers.
- Alacor, Argentina (Latin America): Alacor, a bakery that supplies pastries to retailers, began its GFSI journey in 2015 and achieved certification in 2017. The company’s facilities have received significant improvements, including a sanitary floor and roof, and all employees have been trained in various FS elements such as HACCP.
- Linya Smaku, Ukraine (Europe): Linya Smaku produces ready-to-eat Asian meals, such as noodles and sushi, for the Ukranian market, distributed through retail networks. The company used the Global Markets Programme to develop its food safety management system into an interactive process involving check-ins with suppliers, customers and even competitors.
The awards ceremony took place during this year’s GFSI Conference in Seattle, which gathered more than 1,000 industry leaders to discuss key food safety trends. The awards reflect the diversity of the Global Markets Programme and the interconnected nature of the global food supply chain.
The GFSI Global Markets Programme is a pathway to certification, providing an unaccredited entry point and step-by-step process for small and medium-sized companies striving to build capacity within production and manufacturing operations. The Programme is designed to support enterprises with maturing food safety management systems, providing customised guidance on how to meet the challenges of food production, while simultaneously reducing hazards in global food supply chains.
“I’m honoured to induct this year’s winners to our growing family of Global Markets awardees around the world,” said Erica Sheward, Director of GFSI. “These companies and the hard-working teams behind them are ambassadors for GFSI and food safety culture in their regions. I’m looking forward to watching them continue to flourish and grow at home and on the world stage.”