Mid Wales cracker company, Cradoc’s Savoury Biscuits, is celebrating after attaining the all-important SALSA accreditation, with the support of the Welsh Government’s Food and Drink Wales.
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Cradoc’s received help from the Welsh Government and EU-funded Project HELIX, a pan-Wales strategic initiative delivered by Food Innovation Wales, which is a partnership of three food centres based in North, Mid/West and South Wales. The SALSA accreditation demonstrates that approved suppliers are operating to standards that are recognised and accepted across the industry, and exceed the minimum standards expected by enforcement authorities.
Based in Brecon, Cradoc’s Savoury Biscuits began in 2008 with a strong focus on baking of the highest quality. But after recently winning the Welsh Food and Drink Innovation Den prize of £10,000 worth of media support and a listing with CH&CO Group, a food wholesaler, there was a requirement to obtain the SALSA accreditation.
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Allie Thomas owner of Cradoc’s said, “Growth in our business has led us to acquire new premises this year and the accreditation was a vital part of our relocation. Our business adviser made us aware that there was mentoring support available from the Welsh Government through Project HELIX to help us achieve the accreditation and that was the start of the journey.
“We were given a Food Innovation Wales mentor to help us identify the gaps in our current HACCP (hazard analysis and critical control points) and put a plan together to develop a workable system and build our growing business around SALSA.
“Our mentor Jackie Evans also became part of our team. As a Food Technologist she has all the knowledge and ability to work with companies beginning their journey or upgrading it. Thanks to her support we were able to create a secure and reliable system.”
The Welsh Government, through Project HELIX and Food Innovation Wales’s ZERO2FIVE Food Industry Centre at Cardiff Metropolitan University, supported the cost of the mentor, from start to finish, over a period of nine months.
Allie Thomas added,
“It is excellent news for us on receiving the accreditation as we will now satisfy major food suppliers like Castell Howell, CH&CO, BaxterStorey and Elior, who serve some of the largest food consumers in the UK.
“We very much look forward to the difference this will make to our distribution.”
Commenting on Cradoc’s success, Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs, Lesley Griffiths, said:
“Cradoc’s Savoury Biscuits is an excellent SME business, with genuine drive and ambition. They have proven themselves in the food sector and will continue to build on this achievement.
“The potential to build momentum in the food sector with the right support is clear. They will be able to work with their target food wholesalers and aim to grow as a result of all this hard work.
“Cradoc’s is a wonderful example of our ambition to further develop the Welsh food and drink industry through working collaboratively within the sector in order to grow businesses’ scale, value and productivity, through targeted investment, support, innovation and co-operative activity.”
