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Food and Beverage

Food laws

turn up
heat

on suppliers

S
hip suppliers and their wholesalers not only have to

contend with tighter proit margins, they are now
faced with the pressure of increasing legislation,

the recent ISSA Convention in Singapore heard.
New EU directives are adding to the

administrative burden, where those in the food
supply chain must show product origin and

description and even allergen information following
the introduction in December 2014 of the EU Food

Information for Consumers Regulation (FIC). It was
brought in to streamline current labelling legislation to

ensure consistency across Europe.

Speaking at a panel session entitled ‘What are the
caterers looking for in their ship suppliers?’, Martin Wirz,

from Kloska Group International, said: “Product origin and
description is now coming in through wholesalers to suppliers.”

While John Davey, Director at UK-based Cavendish Ship Stores,
said: “There has been a lot of discussion about maintaining quality

and traceability and in the UK now and also in Europe, we have to provide
information on every line we supply against 13 known allergens. So, if somebody

is allergic to nuts or soya, or whatever, we have to provide that information against every
line we supply.”

Cor van Esch, Managing Director of The Netherlands-based wholesaler B & S Bosman Global, said the

legislation was a threat to smaller suppliers because it would be harder for them to comply with all the legislation.
“What I was surprised about was this legislation in Brussels was mainly destined for local markets – for the

European consumer in the supermarket – I thought it would apply for ship supply in export, but it is the same legislation.
He added: “I think it is a big challenge for many ship suppliers. You really need good software programmes to have

all these product sheets well registered.”

30 The SHIP Supplier Issue 65 2015