SALSA Star - Ayesha Foods

Long-time member, Ayesha Foods passed its 11th SALSA audit earlier this month. We talked to their Health & Safety Officer, Safina Tai, about their commitment to SALSA and how it has helped develop their business.

Why did you choose SALSA Certification?

At Ayesha Foods, safety and quality is our number one priority.  With this in mind and wanting to grow our network of customers we began our journey with Salsa in 2013.  Since then, there has been no looking back, safety and integrity in Ayesha Food products is very important to us.  SALSA was a reputable standard giving us food safety and quality for our customers, as a small business we felt it was one we could achieve and maintain.

How did you find implementing the Standard?

We have implemented SALSA in-house with no mentoring support.  During the first audit we relied on the tools and tips and advice from our Environmental Health Team in Bradford.  The tools and tips resource has always been useful providing in-depth information and templates to get you started.  Having exceptional auditors has been invaluable providing us with the knowledge and training required to provide quality and safe products. 

How has SALSA helped your business grow?

Salsa has given us a benchmark against our competitors, one we look forward to achieving year on year.  With the SALSA standard working with the Ayesha Foods brand, we feel we have grown from strength to strength, mainly due to the stringent safety procedures we follow and the quality we maintain.  Our senior managers are committed to implementing and continually improving the Ayesha Foods product range.  We began as a small business supplying restaurants, we now service a number of sectors.  These range from the education sector, food service, stadiums and hotels. SALSA has allowed us to do business with those retailers, manufacturers, ingredients companies and food service organisations who specify certification as part of their approval process. 

How has the Standard changed in the past 11 years?

The standard continues to change enabling us to continuously exceed our customer expectations.  The changes allow us to demonstrate that we are properly managing allergens, HACCP, product testing and promoting best practice for training as well as continually improving quality and safety.