Independent grocery store owners and managers can get training on an in-store food safety system through the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers (CFIG), backed by almost $285,000 in federal funding.
Federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz announced the funding Tuesday in Ottawa. CFIG’s program will train store owners and managers to introduce the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) system in their stores.
The program is part of a larger retailers’ food safety program developed by CFIG and the Canadian Council of Grocery Distributors, funded in part by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.
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The U.S.-developed HACCP food safety model involves analyzing the entire production process for hazards and identifying critical control points where a control mechanism or process could be put in place to help cut down or even eliminate safety or quality risk.
CFIG represents independent and franchised grocers across Canada, whose members include stores and local- or regional-level chains such as Overwaitea, Thrifty Foods, Quality Foods and Pete’s Frootique.
CFIG CEO John Scott said the program “will be of great assistance as retailers augment their existing superb food safety standards.”
In the same announcement, Ritz also confirmed $75,000 in funding for the “Destination Canada” pavilion at the Grocery Innovations Canada trade show earlier this week in Toronto, allowing 28 small producers and processors to network and showcase their wares at the two-day event.
