Izdanje Srbija
Serbische Ausgabe
Izdanje BiH
Izdanje Crna Gora
News
Access to supermarket shelves of large retail chains secured - IFS and BRC certificates presented to Metro's suppliers in Serbia
Monday, 04.04.2011.
16:11
Comments
(Holders of certificates)
The first group of 30 local suppliers of the company Metro Cash&Carry were presented with globally acknowledged IFS and BRC safety control and food quality certificates on March 30. The plan of Germany's market chain, which operates in 31 countries of the world, is to present these international certificates to all suppliers of private trademarks in Serbia until the end of 2012. Currently, over 60 domestic companies produces over 430 articles for Metro, some of which are also exported to Croatia, Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Czech Republic, Poland, Ukraine, Russia, and Slovakia. The list of Serbian products available in Metro markets abroad includes frozen fruits, olives, confectioneries, detergents and cosmetic products.
- The number of Serbian products in foreign markets is constantly growing because more and more manufacturers meet the export standards set by Metro, the most important of which are IFS/BRC - said Veronika Puncheva, chairman of the Managing Board of Metro Cash&Carry.
Ms. Puncheva said at the ceremony occasioned by the presenting of aforementioned certificates that the aim of introduction of the International Food Standard and other standards acknowledged by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) was to increase the safety of food, protect consumers and strengthen their trust. The process of certification was carried out by the certification body ISA Cert.
(Veronika Puncheva)
- By introducing these certificates, manufacturers in Serbia become competitive in domestic and foreign markets and comparable within the entire market chain, thus joining an international chain of suppliers and getting an opportunity to offer their products world wide. In the future, each new company wishing to become part of our portfolio of suppliers will have to meet the IFS criteria within six month from the day it submits the application. Our previous experience shows that it takes few months for suppliers to meet all standards. However, it is difficult to say how much time and money are required because that primarily depends on the size and state of the company, but it is important to stress that the invested money is definitely returned in a very short time. Serbian food products are very good and I am of the opinion that companies' additional investments in production plants will increase the demand for their articles within Metro market chain. Our plans concerning private trademarks are very ambitious and we hope that 30% of the total of 500 food suppliers of Metro will soon have certificates - said Ms. Puncheva, adding that each certificate was valid for one year.
Franciesco Fiamingo, purchase and supply director and member of the Managing Board of Metro Cash&Carry Serbia, reminded that the company had organized a presentation of IFS/GFSI standards in 2010, which had been attended by over 400 suppliers.
(Franciesco Fiamingo)
- Cooperation with the company Metro Cash&Carry makes it easier for Serbian suppliers to make contact with certification bodies that will monitor the process of certification. Prices of GFSI certification that Metro offers its suppliers are the lowest in the domestic market - said Mr. Fiamingo.
Most products in Metro's assortment are either made in Serbia or imported by Serbian companies. As much as 90% of all food and 80% of all non-food products available in distribution centers are purchased locally because Metro cooperates with over 1,000 suppliers.
- A small percentage of our offer comes from outside the borders of Serbia. We mainly import seasonal goods and production lines for certain groups of our professional customers, such as Gastro products – Ms. Puncheva said in one of earlier interviews for eKapija.
What is IFS?
Introduced primarily for the sake of control and harmonization of the quality of private trademarks, IFS is today widely applied global standard for monitoring food safety control and the quality level of producers of retailer branded food products. The introduction of IFS standard offers the manufacturers who are ready to meet high requirements of this standard an opportunity to earn the trust of consumers and ensure their protection by producing safe and quality products, and it also enables them to improve cost-efficiency in the chain of food production and sale.
Metro's suppliers that received certificates on March 30
Agranela Valjevo, Min Komerc Zemun, Kuc Kragujevac, Milimlin Veliko Gradiste, Interkomerc pivnica Pivnice, Sigma az Ruma, Lazar Dairy Blac, Yumis Nis, Zitopromet Zajecar, Cermat Macedonia, Vekic Temerin, Global Trade Business Kraljevo, Venac Stara Pazova, Eko food Nis, Swisslion Vrsac, Foodland Belgrade, Nansi Zemun, PK Produkt Surcin, Swisslion Agroplod Skopje, Povikom Nis, ADS Interkomerc Novi Sad, Ekofarm Usce, IN sistem Belgrade, Superpozitiv Belgrade, Mitsides Point Sremska Mitrovica, SZTR Pons Cacak, Gombit Indjija, Topiko Perutnina Ptuj Backa Topola, Swisslion Agroplod Resen, Macedonia.
Metro cash and carry d.o.o. Beograd
Agranela d.o.o. Valjevo
Min-Commerce d.o.o. Beograd
Kuč Company Kragujevac
Interkomerc Agrar d.o.o. Vrbas
Sigma-az d.o.o. Beograd
Lazar doo Blace
Yumis d.o.o. Niš
Vekić Chocolate d.o.o. Temerin
Venac Stara Pazova
Swisslion d.o.o. Vršac
Foodland d.o.o. Beograd
Nansi d.o.o. Beograd
Povi-Kom Niš
ADS-Interkomerc d.o.o. Novi Sad
Ekofarm d.o.o. Beograd u stečaju
In Sistem d.o.o. Beograd
Mitsides Point doo Sremska Mitrovica
Pekara Pons Čačak
Gombit d.o.o. Beograd
Perutnina Ptuj-Topiko Bačka Topola
Isacert d.o.o. Subotica