At Upper Crust, quality, continuous improvement, health and food safety are top priorities, as demonstrated by all our manufacturing plants earning a BRCGS “AA” rating and our commitment to gain our ISO 22000 certification.
Not only are all of our facilities audited annually by a third-party auditing firm to maintain our BRCGS certification, but we also have various levels of internal auditing to ensure that we have effective policies, processes, and procedures, including:
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Allergen Control — Pre-op inspection checks, visual inspections and periodic ATP swabs and test kits are used to test for the presence of allergens and assure proper cleaning and sanitizing procedures. Our allergen control program also includes supplier approval, incoming material allergen identification & labelling, and rigorous employee awareness training.
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Pathogen Monitoring Plan
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Finished Product Testing — microbiological or chemical sampling under our Quality Assurance Department
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Foreign Material Control — including ingredient inspection and screening as well as metal detection on production lines
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Glass and Brittle Plastic Policy — we strive to eliminate these materials as much as possible in our manufacturing areas and keep an audited registry where they cannot be eliminated
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Proper Calibration of Equipment
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Raw Materials Sourcing — sourced from reputable vendors and approved by meeting all requirements of our quality program
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Supplier Approval & Performance — supplier approval process is followed for all new ingredients and new suppliers and includes hazard assessments for all materials. Supplier performance is evaluated regularly.
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Accurate and Readily Available Regulatory Documentation
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Food Security — physical plant security, plant operation, food security systems, information technology systems, suppliers and incoming material, material storage, transportation of finished goods, access and movement of employees and visitors, and emergency procedures
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FDA Food Facility Registration
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SFCA Licenses — all facilities have registered with the CFIA as a food manufacturing facility
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Good Manufacturing Practices — requirements for hair coverings, hand washing, employee health, uniforms, and gloves. Employees are trained in GMPs upon hire and annually. Visitors and contractors must also comply with GMPs and are given a document to review and sign upon entering our facilities
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Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) Plan
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Hold & Release Program
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Recall Procedures
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Traceability & Lot Coding — trace products produced and sold one step back to suppliers/manufacturers and one step forward to customer
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Water Quality & Testing — water analysis is done on a quarterly basis using a third-party laboratory for evaluation
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Employee Training — all employees receive training upon being hired and before they commence their first working shift, then on an annual basis in the areas of allergen, food and health safety, food defense, GMPs and HACCP