Country Valley Foods, a Billingham-based food service supplier, is celebrating after being awarded AA status by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) on its first assessment by the respected trade association.
The firm was assessed in a number of areas, including its food preparation, packaging, and storage and distribution areas, and was deemed to be operating at a high level in all areas.
The accreditation is part of the BRC’s Global Standards, which assesses a number of criteria, including quality, safety, operational practice, and fulfilment of legal obligations. This provides peace of mind to the consumer, and is a requirement for many leading retailers.
Country Valley Foods currently supplies fresh and frozen meat, and ambient, dried, chilled, frozen and janitorial goods to the food service trade in the North of England, and this new accreditation will allow them to supply goods to a wider market.
Edward and James Munro, Joint Managing Director of Country Valley Foods said: “We are delighted to have achieved this prestigious AA status in our first assessment with the BRC. We are aware that firms would normally work towards this status, so we are incredibly proud to have attained it straight away. Being recognised by the BRC is an honour in itself, but getting double A standard on our first attempt is fantastic.
“Country Valley Foods has supplied high quality food throughout the region for more than 40 years, and we take a lot of pride in our excellent working practices. We are pleased that the BRC recognised this and awarded us their highest status, demonstrating the excellent work all the team do.
“We are excited about the doors that will open for us thanks to the AA status, as it gives the people in the catering industry trust in us that we are a business with integrity, and that we always operate at a high standard.”