Yorkshire sprout producer hails benefits of BRC food safety standard award

by hortweek.com - 01/04/2010

"East Yorkshire Brussels sprout producer W Clappison has been awarded the British Retail Consortium (BRC) Global Standard for Food Safety."

Gaining the standard means the firm can start to supply larger retailers such as Morrisons and Tesco.

The Regional Food Group (RFG) for Yorkshire & Humber helped the firm gain the standard - working with its managing director John Clappison, who contacted the RFG after a Tesco supplier insisted he should be BRC certified.

The RFG helped the firm secure £35,000 of Yorkshire Forward funding, which went towards improving its grading facilities. It gained the BRC certification six months later.

Clappison said: "Working with the RFG has been very productive and the implementation of the grading unit has been invaluable due to the sheer volume of sprouts we produce. Receiving support to achieve the BRC certification will bring huge benefits to our business allowing us to supply retailers with stringent guidelines and expand our client base."

RFG commercial director John Hendy said: "We are delighted that W Clappison has achieved this top grade. It is well deserved and it further highlights the potential that Yorkshire produce has. We will continue to work with producers on gaining this certification because it reassures retailers and manufacturers of the capability and competence of a supplier, reducing the need for their own audits."

W Clappison has been growing Brussels sprouts on its 235- acre plot in Beverley since 1976. The company is responsible for four per cent of the UK's total sprout production, which is worth £54m a year.

More Details: http://www.hortweek.com/channel/EdiblesProduction/article/993548/Yorkshire-sprout-producer-hails-benefits-BRC-food-safety-standard-award/