Olam Agri honours top bakeries for excellence in hygiene standards management

Olam Agri’s Grain Business has recognised top Ghanaian bakeries for exemplary management of hygiene standards in their respective operations at the maiden edition of the Grains Hygiene Standards Management (GHSM) Awards – a scheme designed by the company to promote adherence to high hygiene standards in the bakery industry.

A total of 800 bakeries from Accra, Kumasi and Takoradi who engage mostly in the baking of bread for consumption by the general public participated in the GHSM programme, out of which 171 bakeries were selected for honours at a colourful awards event held at the premises of Olam Agri’s Wheat Mill at Kpone, near Tema in the Greater Accra Region.

Thirty-five (35) bakeries that performed exceptionally well in their adherence to stipulated hygiene protocols were decorated as Four-Star Bakeries while 141 bakeries won recognition in the Three-Star Award Category, implying the delivery of satisfactory performance in hygiene standards management in their respective operations.

Olam Agri, operators of the Food Safety System (FSSC) Certified ultra-modern Flour Mill in Tema, enjoys vibrant working relations with key bakeries across the country through its elaborate engagement platforms like the Bakers’ Conference, the Healthy Bakers’ Initiative and the Grains of Friendship initiative – all of which are designed to impart knowledge in best practices in the operations of the bakeries and foster mutual understanding between bakers and the grains producer.

The evaluation, monitoring and selection processes, which spanned the period from June 2023 to March 2024, were conducted in close collaboration with Twentyth Consult, a food and beverages consultancy firm, with assistance from the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA).

Baibhav Biswas, Business Head at Olam Agri’s Grains Business, said: “Bakeries are booming in the country, thanks to an increase in consumer demand for bread and wheat-based treats. We want to ensure that those bakeries we are able to have strong hygiene standards”.

Biswas said, in June 2023, with the assistance of the Foods and Drugs Authority (FDA), the company embarked on a programme called Grains Hygiene Standards Management (GHSM), designed to help bring bakeries in line with food safety standards, stressing that the FDA was very instrumental in helping to develop the appropriate hygiene monitoring protocols and training of Field Hygiene Controllers.

“Our overall objective is to assure the bakers of our unyielding support and strengthen our relationship with the baking community nationwide,” said the Business Head, adding: “By recognising your achievements today, we aim at fostering greater collaboration and enhancing trust between the company and the baking community.”

“On behalf of all bakers, I extend my sincerest thanks to Olam Agri, the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) of Ghana and all those involved in making this programme a resounding success. Together, we have not only raised the bar for food safety but also set a shining example for others to follow,” said Celestine Fio of MD Bakery at the close of the ceremony.

Olam Agri launched its state-of-the-art wheat milling facility in February 2012 with a production capacity of 115,000 tonnes of flour per annum, boosting Ghana’s self-sufficiency in wheat flour production considerably.