UK cooked ingredients company TMI Foods has gained approval for Red Tractor accreditation at its site in Northampton. The company, which produces cooked bacon at its modern Northampton factory, received the quality assurance standard after passing stringent certification requirements.
“We are delighted to receive Red Tractor status,” said Nigel Richmond, TMI Foods’ Sales and Marketing Director. “It recognises that we have a British factory approved to supply British cooked bacon from British farms to the very highest standards.
“It is a ringing endorsement of the quality of our products and facilities, and the Union flag in the logo symbolises a guarantee of origin. In this Olympic year, all food products into the Games venues must have Red Tractor status and as a British producer, we are proud of this recognition.”
The Red Tractor scheme is run by Assured Food Standards (AFS), which promotes and regulates food quality. The scheme is well-established as a quality standard to explain clearly the provenance of certified foods and provides assurance of food safety, animal welfare, food origin, rigorous standards, traceability and environmental protection.
The distinctive logo began to appear on approved products in supermarkets 12 years ago and is now a familiar symbol on branded products as well as food catering establishments. The scheme is backed up by regular inspections conducted by AFS.
The company employs nearly 200 people in Northampton and produces 10 million rashers of bacon a week, enough to fill 1.6 million sandwiches. It supplies cooked ingredients to retail, manufacturing and foodservice customers throughout the UK and Western Europe.