The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has recognized Laura Chenel’s Chèvre as having met one of the highest levels of food safety standards for the category.
The Sonoma-based creamery is now Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) certified, lending a stamp that is becoming an important stipulation for many major food retailers around the world to its production of fresh plain and flavored goat milk cheeses.
“Since the plant was completed in 2010, we’ve worked to establish systems that ensure our products are the highest quality and our facility exceeds food safety regulations,” Eva Guilmo, Quality Director for Laura Chenel’s and sister company, Marin French Cheese, said, according to a press release. “GFSI certification is an external or ‘third party’ audit that evaluates quality, food safety, and operational criteria, ensuring that, as manufacturers, we meet our legal obligations while providing consumer protection to retailers and our end customers.”
GFI’s certification spans requirements in both food safety and legislative requirements in a number of countries, including:
According to Laura Chenel's, it’s common that retailers require require third-party audits from food producers. This high-level GFSI certification means meeting that requirement and, in effect, streamlining Laura Chenel’s products for approval by independent and large retail chains alike.
With over 23,000 certified facilities in 123 countries, BRC is the UK’s leading certification body and is recognized across Europe and the U.S. This particular certification is renewed annually.
