Sweetdreams Accredited 'A' Grade BRC Food Safety Standard

Posted on 14th December 2018

BRITISH confectioners Sweetdreams Ltd has been certified at a high grade A accreditation by BRC (British Retail Consortium) Global Food Safety Standards, giving the brand an internationally recognised mark of approval for food safety, quality and legality in the industry just one year after a major factory move and refit.

BRC accreditation is a leading brand and consumer protection organisation, with certification issued through a global network of accredited certification bodies. BRC Global Standards’ guarantee the standardisation of quality, safety and operational criteria and ensure that manufacturers fulfil their legal obligations and provide protection for the end consumer. BRC Global Standards are now often a fundamental requirement of leading retailers, manufacturers and food service organisations.

Matthew Stephenson, owner and managing director at Sweetdreams Ltd, said: “We have experienced unprecedented growth in the past twelve months and have maintained our rapid rise as a leading name in the confectionery industry after our move into a larger factory, recruitment drive across the business and launch of a variety of new products.

“Our new factory, based in Cramlington, was built to BRC standards and this has always been our goal, to be given this mark of quality alongside the biggest names in British confectionery. Fortuitously we were told about our accreditation 12 months to the day after moving into our new property. The fact that we have been given such prestigious recognition within the first 12 months of trading out of our new premises is an astonishing achievement for the team.

“Steps involved to achieve BCR included meeting all the criteria of seven clauses with numerous sub clauses, covering all aspects of food safety, quality and legality. In depth research was also carried out into suppliers, raw materials and packaging, in order to guarantee food safety status. There was complete involvement from the team too, which also resulted in a positive work culture shift.

“Achieving BRC is a major milestone for Sweetdreams Ltd as it means we can become part of a supply chain without having to go through various audits, which means quicker turn arounds from factory to customer.
“With the company recording a 30 percent increase in sales compared to this time last year, the BRC accreditation will help us pick up the pace even more and allow us to continue to achieve our ambitious growth targets throughout 2019. This certification proves Sweetdreams Ltd is in a place of strength and certainty, where we can plan our future as a major disruptor in the industry.”

Sweetdreams has doubled in size over the past two years and is a retail success story the UK should be proud of. By investing in the best technology and people, the company made clear its intention to cycle the same standard of growth every three years moving forward, continuing to change the face of confectionery production in the UK.