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Creating a HACCP Plan
For a lot of us bakers, the idea of creating a HACCP Program sounds tedious and costly. That’s honestly what I used to think as well. Turns out the opposite is true.
If you still haven’t heard what a HACCP Program is, check out our blog answering common questions about HACCP Programs. But the basic idea is that your bakery has a plan to reduce hazard risk in your facility.
Getting Started on your HACCP Plan
If you’re starting from scratch you will spend lots of time and money that you don’t need to. You can do it all on your own, but I don’t see why you would. Many bakers have done it already, and that’s what RPIA is all about—sharing the knowledge.
We recommend you consider our free HACCP Program that is included for RPIA Members. The materials include 33 Binders with over 1,000 files for you to use as needed. This includes the forms, schedules, programs, inspection sheets and meeting sheets. This is something you can download immediately upon joining.
What to Do with all the Info?
Once you have your files, you might wonder how to make sense of all of it. It’s a questions I’ve gotten a few times before, so I’ll answer it here. These are the next steps to take after receiving the files:
- Take a HACCP Class – AIB is a good source. Take the class where you must write your HACCP plan as part of the class. That is a huge benefit.
- Get my files–read and then call me for a complementary 30 min consultation.
- Hire a summer intern from a college. A food science student is best.
- Students have amazing computer skills.
- Being in food science, they will already understand the basic concepts
- An internship is part of their requirement to graduate. A win-win.
- They may finish school and join you to help train and implement.
Note: The first plan I made cost me $ 80,000 and had some mistakes. I reworked the program with a Food Science Student from Purdue–finished in 10 weeks. The total cost was less than $ 8,000.
is All This Worth it?
Here is the BIG benefit that you do not get to see when you are worried about a plan: Our Productivity increased 20% once the plan was up and working (as measured by $ per labor hour). If for nothing else, do it for the increased productivity.
Not only that, my job got so much easier and enjoyable—I did not believe it. Running a 26,000 Sq Ft Plant with the HACCP Systems and programs was a delight and I could spend my time of CEO type issues.
Custom Cakes—to sell or not to sell?
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