SALSA plus
ICE CREAM
WHAT IS SALSA CERTIFICATION ?
The Ice Cream Alliance have teamed up with SALSA (Safe and Local Supplier Approval) to offer our sector a bespoke standard and technical guidance that will achieve the certification and credence that goes beyond the scores on the doors.
SALSA is a robust and effective food safety certification scheme which is appropriate for smaller food producers and suppliers. It is a non-profit making organisation, that exists to encourage and support small and micro businesses in implementing practices and controls, that ensure food is consistently safe.
The scheme’s wide acceptance by retailers and food service providers has assisted in SALSA becoming the food safety scheme for small businesses with big ambition! Approved suppliers can demonstrate that they operate to standards that are recognised and accepted across the industry and exceed the minimum standards expected by enforcement authorities. SALSA approval is only granted to suppliers who are able to demonstrate to an auditor that they are able to produce and supply safe and legal food and are committed to continually meeting the requirements of the SALSA standard.
To start your journey to certification with the ICA and SALSA you are first required to be members of both associations.
We are here to make the journey as easy as possible for you, let us guide you through the steps…
You can either visit our new website where you will find a page where you can register your interest. This page will also give you access to download the SALSA plus Ice Cream Standard to ensure it’s a good fit for you and your business, OR, you can pick up the phone and speak to one of team members at head office who will talk you through what’s involved and send you the SALSA plus Ice Cream standard for consideration.
We will ask you a few questions to ensure you are eligible – these will include:
- Are you a Small/Micro (SME) business with a turnover of less than £10 million and have less than 50 members of staff?
- Do you operate from commercial (not domestic) premises?
- Do you have a HACCP plan in place?
- Have read or received the SALSA standard?
If you answer yes to the above, you will have started your path to certification!
If you are a member of SALSA and have undertaken SALSA audits in the past and wish to participate in the SALSA plus Ice Cream Standard, then you should book your next audit and renew your membership of SALSA through the ICA Head Office Team. Remember to also renew your ICA membership if required!
If you are an ICA member but have never undertaken SALSA certification, contact the ICA Head Office Team to pay your audit subscription and start your journey.
If, for whatever reason, you are not a member of the ICA or SALSA, then contact the Head Office Team to become a member of the ICA and pay for your SALSA plus Ice Cream audit subscription.
Once we have received payment, we will ask you to register with the SALSA website (link available on our website).
Once complete we will send you the SALSA plus Ice Cream Interpretation Guide to explain in detail what each section of the standard requires from you.
You can complete a self assessment questionnaire to see how far away you are from being ready to undertake the audit.
The ICA have developed a generic Quality Manual template which you can adapt to your business to make the journey toward your audit easier. This is available from the Head Office for £395.
You may also wish to purchase the ICA’s Industry Code of Practice for £95. To make procedures and principles more clear.
Once you have paid your fees and completed your registration SALSA will contact you within a week to allocate you with an auditor and book a day for your audit, normally within 28 days but you are given up to a year from payment to arrange the audit… whenever you think you are ready.
Once you have the date of your audit, your allocated auditor will arrive and go through your procedures and check you are complying to each section of the audit.
Nobody’s perfect… if you do have a few corrective actions from your audit you will have up to 3 months to correct them and demonstrate your compliance.
You will then be sent your full audit report and SALSA Approval Certificate. This will be published on your directory page of the SALSA website. You will be issued with the full SALSA plus Ice Cream Logo pack to use in your correspondence, business marketing, social media as well as your premises!
Well Done!!! Just keep up the same level of compliance over the next year and re-book your annual audit with the ICA the same time next year!
BENEFITS for members
- AFFORDABLE & ACHIEVABLE even for micro-producers
- TECHNICAL SUPPORT for the business which cannot afford this as an in-house resource
- SECURITY of Approval
- CONFIDENCE to go out and seek and secure new contracts
- PROVEN CREDENTIALS to put in front of prestigious buyers
As members of the scheme suppliers also receive a range of valuable benefits:
- Access to an extensive library of tools and resources, designed specifically to assist a business in its audit preparation and meeting the SALSA Standards for food safety
- Access to mentoring support from our cohort of professionally qualified and trained mentors
- Special membership rate for SALSA training courses
- A company profile which is immediately visible to regional and national buyers through the directory
- Once members have been audited to ensure they are meeting the SALSA Standard, they receive a food safety certification recognised by leading food buyers and retailers nationwide
- SALSA certification provides a stepping stone to further food safety quality certification schemes, such as BRCGS, should this be required in the future.
How to register for SALSA CERTIFICATION?
HOW TO GET STARTED!
Once you join, we will issue a welcome pack
- SALSA plus Ice Cream Interpretation Guide FREE
- ICA Quality Manual for a fee of £395
- ICA Code of Practice for a fee of £95
Check the list below before registering for SALSA plus Ice Cream Certification:
YOU MUST MEET ALL THE REQUIREMENTS BELOW BEFORE REGISTERING FOR SALSA PLUS ICE CREAM
- Fit Small/Micro (SME) definition – turnover less than £10 million, staff less than 50
- Operates from commercial (not domestic) premises
- Have a HACCP plan in place
- Have read the SALSA standard – if not refer to SALSA Overview shown above
- Be registered with the SALSA website
FAQs SALSA CERTIFICATION
A: Small and micro food producers and suppliers who operate from commercial premises (not domestic) in the UK, Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.
A: It will cost £815 + VAT for the SALSA plus Ice Cream Certification.
Not an ICA Member? Find out about ICA Membership
A: This depends on how ready you are to take your audit. Typically, after preparing for your audit (and paying for your audit and membership), approval takes between 1 and 3 months.
A: We match our members to local auditors with the appropriate sector qualifications and experience. Once payment has been received we will assign an auditor to you, based on our allocation policy. They will then make contact with you directly to arrange a mutually convenient date.
A: Annually. Your anniversary date is set on the date of your first audit and to ensure continual certification you should take your next audit within the audit window stated on your SALSA certificate.
A: A SALSA audit typically takes approximately 5-6 hours. The auditor will inspect the premises and production and review your food safety management system against the SALSA standard. A nominated responsible person will need to accompany the auditor at all times.
A: You have up to 12 months to take your first audit. Once a date is agreed you may postpone your audit twice, as long as you give your auditor at least 3 full working days’ notice. Please see SALSA’s Audit Postponement Policy – DOWNLOAD HERE
A: Following your audit, SALSA will make the approval decision, and notify you of this decision.
A: Yes, if you do not provide sufficient evidence that you comply with the SALSA standard.
A: You are entitled to follow the appeal procedure which is detailed in the SALSA’s Complaints, Conflicts and Appeals document – DOWNLOAD HERE
A: No, the details of your audit are confidential. Buyers may ask you for your audit report and the decision to share this is yours.
A: SALSA Approval is recognised by a growing list of over 1500 registered UK buyers.
A: Your SALSA Certificate is only valid for the site where the audit took place. The address is on your certificate and can only be changed if you have another audit at the new premises. If you are planning to move please contact the SALSA Team.