Foqus Brochure
Foqus Brochure
Foqus Brochure
safety from
grass to glass
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How do we manage
Every day, FrieslandCampina provides millions of production, processing and distribution. The GFSI sets
requirements for food safety by means of a benchmarking
consumers throughout the world with healthy
procedure. Examples of approved certificates (and therefore
and delicious dairy products. Our ambition is certificates that are accepted within the fundamental
demands of Foqus) are FSSC 22000, BRC and IFS. Although
to help people move forward in life with all
GFSI approved certificates provide a reliable basis, they
the natural goodness of milk. We are therefore apply in general to all food manufacturing companies.
Foqus goes beyond standard criteria and is a customised
responding to the growing demand worldwide
FrieslandCampina system.
for healthy food produced in a sustainable way.
This brochure explains what Foqus entails, how it works and
After all, milk contains essential nutrients such as
what it means for our clients, our staff, our suppliers, our
proteins, fats, milk sugars, vitamins and minerals. dairy farmers, our environment and consumers.
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quality and safety?
The same standards the world over system. We stimulate our staff members and our dairy
FrieslandCampina applies standards and regulations in farmers to continually improve by means of the plan, do,
the field of food safety and quality that apply to all our check, and act approach. We do this by investing in training
production and distribution companies, wherever in the and by actively involving those concerned in sharing best
world. The standards and regulations minutely outline how practices throughout the entire organisation. Our motto is
processes must be set up and executed and how company quality and safety are achieved by people, not by paper.
policy must be adhered to. They cover a wide range of issues
such as avoiding undesirable components in our products
(contaminants), food safety and quality and demands on Under government supervision
packaging materials. The Dutch government supervises the safety of the
products and the processing throughout the dairy chain
Transparency, inspection and monitoring of FrieslandCampina in the Netherlands. This supervision
The inspection of products and processes is, of course, an is based on national and European legislation. The
essential aspect of Foqus. These inspections form an integral competent authority is the Food and Consumer Product
part of the production process. For example, we inspect Safety Authority (VWA). The task of the VWA is to
the microbiological quality, hygiene and the composition protect human and animal health. It monitors food and
of products. We do not carry these out alone but also have consumer products to safeguard public health, animal
external, independent institutes perform inspections. health and welfare. The Authority controls the whole
Our in-house Foqus audit teams play an important role production chain, from raw materials and processing
in our organisation. These teams are made up of quality aids to end products and consumption.
managers from our locations that monitor compliance with In the dairy sector the tasks of the VWA largely are
the applicable standards and regulations of other locations carried out by the Netherlands Controlling Authority for
all over the world. An added advantage of these audits is Milk and Milk Products (COKZ). It ensures that process
that they contribute to knowledge and best practice sharing and product quality criteria are compliant with all
and thus to continued improvement of our processes. relevant laws and regulations via inspection, supervision
and certification. The Dutch authorities supervise the
Assuring sustainable production work done by COKZ within the scope of national or
FrieslandCampina aims for the lowest possible environ European legislation.
mental burden (water, air and energy consumption). It is the Export certificates are required for exporting dairy
organisations ambition to realise the projected growth of its products outside the European Union. The Food
activities in a climate-neutral way. This requires a consistent and Consumer Product Safety Authority issues the
and well-considered approach to the entire chain. veterinary certificates. COKZ issues health certificates
on the authority of the Ministry of Agriculture. Only
Continuous improvement industries under supervision of COKZ can apply for
Foqus is dynamic because learning, improving and sharing export certificates.
knowledge and experiences are an integral part of the
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What does Foqus planet have
and their livestock?
The farm is the starting point for safe, healthy FrieslandCampina is owned by the cooperative of member
dairy farmers (in the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium)
and delicious dairy products. Care for safety and
who supply the organisation with their milk. This means
quality begins with the grass and other types they feel an even greater responsibility for the quality of
the milk. The cooperative and the organisation have made
of feed for the cows. Milking the cows must
agreements on the quality, safety and sustainability criteria
be hygienic and safe, and the same applies to which dairy farmers must meet. These agreements are set
out in Foqus planet.
the storage and cooling of the milk at the farm.
The farmers responsibility ends only when the
milk leaves his farm in the truck, on its way to
the next link in the dairy chain.
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to do with dairy farmers
Foqus planet Apart from their role as professionals, dairy farmers are
Foqus planet consists of four elements: Milk, Cow, also managers, skilled at ensuring all the processes at
Production process and Environment. Foqus planet places modern dairy farms run smoothly. This includes pasture
heavy demands on our dairy farmers, which they are management, for example, feed production, livestock care,
able to meet thanks to the fact that they operate in an robotic milking and automatic feeding. In addition, they are
environment rich in knowledge and experience in the supported by FrieslandCampina advisors.
field of quality in dairy farming. This starts with the dairy
farmers training and their opportunities to request advice. Milk
The element Milk sets out the quality criteria for milk,
milking and the cooling and storage of milk. Independent
institutes analyse samples of each milk delivery on various
quality and content parameters points (see box Measuring
points for milk inspection on page 9). These institutes
are under the auspices of the national food and consumer
product safety authorities.
Cow
Excellent care for the cows results in the best quality milk.
But apart from that, the health, well-being of the animals
and responsible drug use is a priority for both dairy
farmers and FrieslandCampina.
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Independent bodies, such as Qlip in the Netherlands, The use of drugs and the health status of the animals
regularly inspect how the cows are cared for. They assess are monitored through both physical and administrative
such aspects as housing, feed, water and hygiene. Qlip and inspections. Dairy farmers are also obliged to periodically
other independent inspectors function under the auspices report on the health of their animals to FrieslandCampina.
of the national governments. This can be done by means of participation in the
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Continuous Animal Health Monitor (CDM) or via health Quality is rewarded
inspections by a veterinarian. On the basis of the quality of the milk and regular audits,
FrieslandCampina awards a qualification to each dairy
Production process farm. For example, any member who has supplied milk
The feed for the cows is mainly composed of grass or other of the highest quality for a period of five consecutive
roughage which the dairy farmers cultivate themselves. years and has received a positive assessment for all
To optimise the animals intake, milk production and audits is given the classification Excellent. In addition to
welfare they also buy concentrated feed, which may only appreciation for their professionalism, these companies
be purchased from manufacturers on a list of approved are given a financial quality premium.
feed suppliers. In order to be included in this list, suppliers The quality of the milk forms the lions share in assessing
must demonstrate that they work according to the HACCP the quality performance of a dairy farming company. If the
and GMP+ quality systems. They are also obliged to accept quality is good throughout a calendar year and a good to
liability if hazardous substances are discovered which can excellent score is achieved on the other Foqus elements,
be traced to the feed supplied. the dairy farmer receives a bonus. If the quality is poor, a
financial penalty is imposed and FrieslandCampina may
Environment exclude the dairy farm from supplying milk, a step which is,
The Environment element is aimed at making production fortunately, seldom necessary.
even more sustainable and FrieslandCampina and the
dairy farmers jointly develop initiatives and projects in this
area. One of these initiatives is an incentive programme Ten test points for milk inspection
(outdoor grazing) to stimulate dairy farmers to allow their To ensure that only good milk enters the chain, we
cows to spend at least six hours per day and a minimum of inspect each supply of a farms milk at the time of loading
120 days a year grazing outdoors. for antibiotics, irregularities, temperature and colour. And
an independent laboratory systematically examines the
milk from individual dairy farms on seven other points:
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How do we monitor the quality
from the farm?
The transportation of the milk from farm Our milk truck drivers are no ordinary truck drivers. They
play an important role in inspecting the milk they transport
to production location involves far more
from the farm to the production location. The drivers
than transport alone. When the milk arrives have been trained to carry out professional inspections
and keep their knowledge up to date with regular
at the factory, it must be just as good
ongoing training. They are also assessed twice a year by
and safe as it was when it left the farm. independent government bodies. These are announced as
well as unannounced assessments.
We achieve this by systematic inspection
before, during and after transport.
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of the milk during transport
Inspection at the farm up at the different farms. The driver has the necessary
On arrival at the farm, the driver always starts by equipment on the truck to test the sample for the presence
inspecting the so-called tank guard. This measuring of antibiotics. On arrival at the production location, the
instrument shows whether the milk in the storage tank sample undergoes final inspection. If it passes and the milk
has been stirred with the proper frequency, whether the is deemed to meet the prescribed quality criteria, it can
storage temperature is accurate and whether the tank finally be unloaded and processed.
was thoroughly cleaned after the prior delivery. In order
to pump the milk from the tank to the milk truck, the The milk samples from the individual dairy farms are
temperature of the milk cannot exceed six degrees Celsius. examined by an independent laboratory. If irregularities
are found, we can then trace which products include this
Before the milk is pumped into the truck, its odour and milk.
colour are assessed. A sample is then taken, which is
assessed by an independent laboratory. Cleaning
But it is not only the trucks contents that have to be
Tracking & tracing in shipshape order, the transport itself and the drivers
The sample is then furnished with a chip which connects must also meet stringent criteria. This applies to both the
with the GPS system via the milk truck. This facilitates transport of milk from the farms to the factories as well as
accurate tracking & tracing and allows continual retrieval the transport of such items as cream and whey between
of place, time, analysis data and all other particulars of the the factories. Each tank or truck must be demonstrably
milk supply. The dairy farmer can see the analysis results clean before it can transport raw milk or milk products
of the sample several days after the supply on milkweb, to the factory. A specially developed hosing system
a closed internet environment in which member dairy ensures thorough cleaning of the vehicles tires, efficiently
farmers of FrieslandCampina have access to all relevant preventing the spread of diseases.
data regarding their milk deliveries.
Proportional sample
On its route to the production location, a milk truck
collects milk from six to seven dairy farms. The routes
are planned in such a way that the temperature of the
milk during the trip is always sufficiently cool. A collective
so-called proportional sample is taken of the milk from
these farms. The composition of this sample is an exact
representation of the different quantities of milk picked
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How does FrieslandCampina
As a worldwide organisation, we want all our the principles, demands and requirements of governments,
clients and retail and consumer organisations. One of
production and distribution companies to
the standards FrieslandCampina insists on is that all
approach safety and quality in the same way, production locations have a certified food safety system.
All FrieslandCampina locations have either a HACCP or ISO
irrespective of what they produce and where
certificate, or both.
in the world they are located. This approach is
Targets
called Foqus Food Safety & Quality.
FrieslandCampina sets targets that must be realised in the
production processes. To a certain extent, the production
locations can decide themselves how to achieve that.
Foqus Food Safety & Quality There are, after all, major differences between the different
Foqus Food Safety & Quality is aimed at preventing production processes. For example, the production of
problems and we achieve this by ensuring our production desserts is entirely different from cheese-making or the
processes are robust and failure-proof. The same standards manufacture of milk powder. The demands with respect to
apply to all FrieslandCampina locations. They are based on tracking & tracing are therefore also different.
Sabina Sutjiarto,
QA Manager FrieslandCampina
Indonesia
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guarantee safe production?
Foqus sets targets that include change control, good Assurance
hygiene practices, good manufacturing practices, tracking Inspection, monitoring and auditing are essential within
& tracing, crisis management and supplier management. Foqus Food Safety & Quality. Only by minutely and critically
Change control entails, for example, that there must be following production and work processes can we avoid
a procedure to execute changes in processes in a secure problems. Auditing is carried out by external, independent
manner. Each change involves closely examining the parties, including the food and consumer product safety
consequences for quality, food safety, compliance with authorities and the certifying bodies.
legislation and personal safety. And all changes have to be Then there are our internal Foqus audits. During these
documented so they can be retrieved at a later stage. audits, a production locations working methods and
processes are assessed by a team of specially trained
Standards quality managers from other locations. This approach
The methods and standards of certain production provides an important contribution to the sharing of
processes with which production locations must comply knowledge and best practices among the locations and
are outlined very precisely. This applies in particular to hence to continuous improvement.
the production of infant and toddler nutrition. These
regulations and standards are included in the Foqus People
standards. We strongly believe that the successful assurance of
The standards are based on our own estimation of public quality and safety is ultimately the work of people and
health risks combined with national and international not bureaucracy, computers or machines. Naturally,
legislation, international standards (see box Standards and we therefore invest in knowledge and training. But we
principles) and standards for efficient production. Where consider self-assessment to be even more important. We
a difference exists between countries in which we produce, stimulate our people to take responsibility and reflect on
Foqus always adapts the most stringent demands. These the consequences of their actions.
then apply to all locations throughout the world.
The most important standards relate to food safety. For Foqus and international standards
instance, microbiological demands and requirements Thanks to Foqus, FrieslandCampina complies with
regarding the maximum permitted quantities of national and international regulations and standards
contaminants, heavy metals and radioactivity are all for food safety and quality through HACCP, ISO 9001
precisely laid out in Foqus. But the standards also describe and FSSC 22000. Foqus is also aligned with the Codex
the criteria concerning the composition of our products. Alimentarius and various international retail standards
In addition to safety, the quality of a product is therefore such as BRS and IFS.
also always the same, irrespective of the location where it
is produced. You can find more information on Foqus and the
standards on www.frieslandcampina.com
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How does FrieslandCampina
among its suppliers?
We set high demands on the milk our member FrieslandCampina is a major buyer of ingredients. In our
wide assortment of dairy drinks, desserts and yoghurts we
dairy farmers supply and the way they
process as many as thirty types of fruit. Other much-used
produce that milk. But we also have stringent ingredients are sugars, rennet and natural colouring and
flavouring.
requirements for our suppliers of fruit, sugars,
rennet and the many other ingredients apart When it comes to supplier management, FrieslandCampina
focuses primarily on the systems and processes of its
from milk which we use in our products.
supplying partners. This increases safety and ensures
greater efficiency in the chain. Thanks to this approach, we
minimise risks in the supply chain.
Knowledge of our
suppliers systems and
processes is a key
element. It allows us
to work preventatively
rather than reactively and
therefore increase safety
as well as efficiency.
Francis Vanrusselt,
Category Group Procurement
Manager FrieslandCampina
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ensure safety and quality
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How does FrieslandCampina
nutritional safety of its products?
Our policy is to avoid problems and minimise assurance of safe products that contain exactly what we
promise. Particularly in a world where incidents with food
risks. Needless to say, this means we cannot
are a reality, we aim to continually confirm and strengthen
and will not do without monitoring. By our reputation as a reliable organisation.
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guarantee the quality and
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How are safety and quality
the packaging of the products?
A wide range of products also means a broad As with our ingredients, we purchase our packaging
exclusively from preferred suppliers. The most important
spectrum of packaging. At FrieslandCampina,
question in selecting suppliers is whether they can
we use packaging in all shapes and sizes, from commit to supply on a long-term basis according to
FrieslandCampinas specifications. The prime focus of these
small packaging to big bags, from litre packs to
specifications is on food safety and concerns such aspects
boxes and from tiny 30 cl bottles to jerry cans. as leak tightness, hygiene during production and transport
and preventing the occurrence of hazardous substances in
But in whatever shape or size our products are
materials.
delivered, there must never be a loss of quality
We are known for our critical approach and expect our
during transport to clients and consumers.
suppliers to adhere to stringent, above average standards.
Packaging is therefore an essential link in the A suppliers production and the conditions in which it
produces are sharply monitored before and after selection
chain that deserves our full attention.
by means of regular audits.
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maintained during and after
High care and sealed high-care areas. Only specially trained staff
Packaging is all about minimising risks. That is why we members may enter these areas.
believe implementing a HACCP plan alone is not enough.
Preventative measures are another aspect we take very Inspection
seriously. For example, packaging materials that come We closely monitor our product packaging process as
into contact with a product must first be approved before even the smallest possible leak in the packaging could be
packaging takes place and must be sealed in such a way disastrous for the content quality of many of our products
that no contamination can occur during transportation. and jeopardise the well-being of our (often very young)
customers.
The standards and regulations for packaging are in line
with the vulnerability of the product. The highest safety We carry out different types of inspections depending on
standards apply to the packaging of products such as the product. Optical inspections of the production line are
infant and toddler nutrition. FrieslandCampina Domo in standard. Leak testing is carried out with so-called helium
Beilen (Netherlands) is an example of a location that packs spy. This equipment allows us to trace even the tiniest
infant and toddler nutrition. This takes place in dedicated leak. We also have the most state-of-the-art equipment for
inspecting the density of the bases and lids of bottles.
Naturally, monitoring the coding of the products is
another important factor. After all, these codes allow us to
accurately and quickly trace the product history and the
ingredients used or to determine if the expiry date is right
or the composition of a product is up to par.
People
As in the case of the other links in the chain, peoples
knowledge and innovation are decisive for quality and
safety during packaging. We train our people to always
look beyond the regulations and procedures. Our staff are
therefore keenly aware of their role in the process and
of the consequences of their actions. This means we also
achieve the best results when it comes to packaging.
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How does FrieslandCampina
quality of its products right to the
FrieslandCampina wants to bring all the The products made by our production locations are
delivered to hundreds of thousands of destinations all
goodness of milk to consumers, regardless of
over the world. They go to supermarkets, restaurants,
which type of product is involved. Following mass catering kitchens, bakers, food manufacturers and
wholesalers. A major part of the ingredients we produce,
packaging, we therefore also focus on the
such as low fat milk powder, casein and lactose, are
safe and efficient distribution of our products. shipped for further processing by clients elsewhere in the
world.
Sophisticated tracking & tracing procedures
help us manage the quality and safety of our Tracking and tracing
Our work during production and distribution is aimed
products on their journey to the supermarket
at avoiding problems. But if, despite all precautions,
shelves.
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demonstrate the safety and
end user?
something is wrong with a product, we want to be We record all relevant production data per batch, including
able to trace the cause as quickly as possible. Hence date and time, the origin of the milk and that of the other
FrieslandCampinas investments in the best possible ingredients and the conditions during production. A batch
tracking & tracing systems. can be retraced by means of the product code assigned to
European law requires that all potentially questionable each item.
products are identified within four hours. However, most of
our locations apply even stricter time limits. Forward and backward
Tracking & tracing at FrieslandCampina is based on We can trace products both forward as well as backward;
documenting data on production batches. The description in other words from ingredient to client and vice versa.
of batches differs per product. There are, after all, major If a client registers a complaint, we can examine whether
differences between a litre pack of a dairy drink, for anything unusual occurred during production on the basis
example, and a big bag of milk powder. of the product code.
If that does not provide an answer, we investigate the data
on the processed milk and the ingredients used as they
were stored in our administrative systems. We also keep
so-called retain samples of numerous products per batch
or on the basis of random tests.
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Bringing essential nutrients of
Royal FrieslandCampina is an organisation with FrieslandCampina came into being at the end of 2008
as a result of the merger between Friesland Foods and
a rich history. We are worldwide active with
Campina. Both cooperative organisations were themselves
19,000 staff members in 26 countries. The created from a series of mergers between local dairy
cooperatives set up by dairy farmers at the end of the 19th
organisation is owned by Zuivelcoperatie
and the beginning of the 20th centuries. Our knowledge
FrieslandCampina U.A., with almost 14,400 and professionalism can therefore draw on 130 years of
experience with milk and the processing of milk.
member dairy farms in the Netherlands,
Germany and Belgium. Our staff members The professionalism and entrepreneurship of our dairy
farmers is highly regarded. They are well-educated and
and our member dairy farmers have a shared
work with the latest techniques in the field of feeding,
ambition: bringing essential nutrients of natural milking, accommodation and animal care. They are,
moreover, specialists in caring for the pastures where their
dairy to people worldwide.
cows graze. For decades, the Dutch black and white and
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natural dairy to people worldwide
red and white cows have been renowned for their high milk FrieslandCampina uses the endless possibilities offered
production and the excellent quality of their milk. by milk to continually develop innovative products that
meet the wishes of consumers today and tomorrow,
At FrieslandCampina we are specialised in the processing products that are always made on the basis of authentic
of this milk into a wide range of products; from delicious dairy properties such as taste and texture. Innovation
cheeses to healthy dairy drinks to the best possible ensures value growth and is therefore the basis of
ingredients for the food and pharmaceutical industries. FrieslandCampinas strategy, route2020.
We sell our dairy products in more than a 100 countries.
Milk is one of the richest natural sources of essential
Eating patterns differ per region and culture. We therefore nutrients. We are convinced that we can do more with milk
align our international concepts to local preferences and and put the nutrients contained in milk to even better use.
habits. Daily fresh or long life products with little fat or That is what drives and fascinates us, every day anew.
luxuriously creamy, dairy drinks with less sugar, with extra
calcium or special bacteria that support intestinal flora,
FrieslandCampina offers an abundance of choice.
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FrieslandCampina
Stationsplein 4
3818 LE Amersfoort
The Netherlands
T +31 (0)33 713 3333
www.frieslandcampina.com