GUANGZHOU: The Guangzhou store of METRO Group, one of the leading international retailing companies based in Germany, has got an internationally-recognized HACCP certificate this week.

HACCP, or hazard analysis critical control point, is an international food safety system that has been widely used in food industry and institution since 1960.

"By implementing the HACCP system, METRO has become the first retailer here on the Chinese mainland to use the world highest standard of food safety," said Huib Kraaijeveld, METRO's South China business unit manager.

METRO's Guangzhou store started HACCP project in September last year and applied for the certificate in July this year, Kraaijeveld said.

"The certificate issued by SGS, an international testing and certification company, indicates that the store has established the highest standard food safety system. And as a retailer, we always take food safety as a great concern for our consumers worldwide," the manager said.

Under the HACCP system, all products can be ensured safety standard through the very first transportation step, he said.

"That is to say we must implement the following: hygiene control, good manufacture practice, effective staff training system, proactive system for equipment maintenance and product recall system at the store," the manager said in an interview with China Daily.

Besides food safety procedures, METRO will also promote the HACCP system in food supply chains.

For example, tools and containers with different colors are used for different departments at the Guangzhou store, to avoid cross contamination.

Also, all tools are made up by non-wood materials, which can prevent bacterial and foreign material pollution.

By implementing the high standard system, Kraaijeveld believed that METRO will continue to have strong growth in the Chinese market.

"As food safety has become a great concern for Chinese consumers, we are trying our best to meet their consumption needs," the manager said.

With a 24 percent jump in China sales last year, the company, with 34 stores in 29 Chinese cities, achieved a sales volume of 9.4 billion yuan.

(HK Edition 08/24/2007 page6)