Andrew Boakes, Operations Director explains "Our aim is to invest heavily for the future and build on the high standards of hygiene already in place. Working in partnership with Monitor and Ecolab, the team at Southern Salads are now working with experts in their recognised field allowing us to focus our resources and management time more effectively. We have the confidence that our Food Safety and HACCP programs will be enhanced with this investment and our operational efficiency will increase."

Monitor Hygiene are now responsible for managing the hygiene teams at Southern Salads over 7 days per week and 52 weeks of the year. Ecolab are the sole supplier of all cleaning solutions and will be increasing their portfolio of products and services in 2007.

The tender was released in October and several companies went through a rigorous selection process conducted by Southern Salads to ensure the right partner was selected. The selection procedure required partners who had an extensive experience in supplying the right cleaning solutions and cleaning services to high risk food processing facilities supplying ready to eat products to the foodservice and retail markets. Both had to demonstrate a proven track record within the food industry, they could provide a high quality and competitive service and their Employee Safety and Training Programs were robust.

The audit process will not end there. As part of the HACCP program in place at Southern Salads, their technical team will verify the effectiveness of the hygiene services through strict environmental controls and microbiological testing of all factory areas.

Their commitment to Food Safety, Health and Safety and Environmental Protection Systems ensures considerable investment in Supplier Quality Assurance Systems, on-site training centres and on-site testing laboratories.

Prior to production, the technical teams over a 7 day period rigorously test the effectiveness of deep cleaning through the use of hygiene monitoring products identifying whether cleaning has been effective, allowing release of production facilities and providing confidence the cleaning process is in control.

The measurement of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), present in vegetable, bacteria and mould cells is an indicator of contamination. Hygiene monitoring is completed with extensive microbiological testing of surfaces identifying levels of spoilage and pathogenic contamination delivering confidence in the process and prevention of food spoilage and potential product recalls.

Manufacturing space at Southern Salads will exceed 100,000 sq. ft including expansion of production areas, new development kitchens and on site testing laboratories to meet the demands of increased sales and product development calendars. The expansion of the manufacturing operation will ensure it meet growth plans for 2007. It is critical for the success of the business that hygiene standards are maintained and delivered at competitive levels.

Andrew Boakes, Operations Director, explains "Our Strategy is to be customer focused, safety conscious, quality orientated, competitive, innovative and profitable. Working with our partners at Ecolab and Monitor Hygiene will ensure we maintain our position providing the highest quality services at competitive and affordable prices. The management team will work closely with both Monitor Hygiene and Ecolab to deliver best practice within our food safety and hygiene monitoring systems and

enable Southern Salads Management Team to focus more direction and delivery of Product Quality, Choice and Innovation."

"Our technical and operational teams currently create salad components and meal solutions that meet every customer requirement to bring safe, tasty and nutritious food to the consumer of the highest quality and affordable prices throughout the whole fresh produce calendar. Ideas and concepts must meet the customers expectations, compliment the operational efficiency and capability of the factory and achieve the goals of the business with Food Safety and Hygiene as non-negotiable."

With products launching every month, the product range has grown to provide leafy bag salad, vegetable offerings, fruit options, pizza toppings, vegetable skewers and fruit kebabs, a salad bar range and premium range. Customers and consumers expect the highest standards of hygiene and food safety aswell as choice and variety.

Andrew Boakes, explains "Focusing resources and management time more effectively in this way and working with our partners, Monitor Hygiene and Ecolab, we will benefit from their expertise, increase our operational efficiency and deliver increased profitability.