Potato Packing Plant Preva Produce acquires top accreditation

The Norfolk potato industry now has its first British Retail Consortium (BRC) Global Standard for Food Safety accredited potato packing facility.

This is a unique achievement within the County and is a major step forward in putting more Norfolk grown potatoes into specialist and high value market outlets across the UK and beyond.

This prestigious mark, at the highest possible standard - Grade A - for quality control systems, production standards and food safety has been awarded to Preva Produce Ltd for their new potato storage &packing facility at Snetterton, Norfolk. This BRC accreditation has been the culmination of 12 months of intensively audited production of packed potato products that are being supplied to a wide range of UK &European customers.

Preva Produce Ltd opened this highly automated facility at the end of 2010 to serve their expanding portfolio of specialist food service, wholesale and retail customers who demand the very highest standards of traceability, food safety, hygiene, quality and accountability. This certification reflects the investment of over £3 million that Preva Produce Ltd has made in this site, from automated pallet stacking robots to the most Eco-efficient refrigeration units, and demonstrates their support for potato production and employment in the region. The business has a specialism in high value &market leading quality small potatoes, including salad and baby new potatoes, the majority of which are grown by a dedicated group of Farmers from across Norfolk &Suffolk.

Preva Produce managing director Ian Anderson on achieving the BRC accreditation: "Achieving this award will not only help maintain the current portfolio of business but will also open the way for a substantial increase in throughput for the 2012 season and beyond, particularly with customers who have specific requirements for all of their potatoes to have been sourced and packed through BRC accredited facilities. The prospective increases in volume will allow the next phase of expansion at the facility to include running an additional packing shift, creating further employment, as well as further development to increase the storage and handling capacity on site required to serve this business. The vast majority of this additional production will be sourced from Norfolk and Suffolk providing further secure, long term outlets for the regions Potato growers."

Source: Preva Produce