The New Zealand cut flower industry now
has an opportunity to become accredited to a quality assurance system that
brings business and marketing benefits to participating companies.
The New Zealand Fresh Produce Approved Supplier
Programme (NZFPAS) received the thumbs up from a trial group of industry
representatives last year, after they completed the NZFPAS training programme
and went through the accreditation process. While the programme was
originally developed by the fresh produce industry, participants found
it could also be applied to cut flowers, and permission was sought and
given for the flower industry to join.
While the trial highlighted some areas where modification
was required, (including identifying hazards specific to cut flowers and
the addition of information in the NZFPAS manual relating to handling and
storage), the majority of trial participants quickly gained NZFPAS accreditation,
and are now able to promote their organisations accordingly.
As an approved supplier under the NZFPAS programme,
companies have the right to use the NZFPAS logo on any corporate or marketing
material, and are able to provide customers with an accountable, credible
set of assurances that they meet a range of quality control and good business
practice standards.
Andre van der Kwaak, General Manager of auction
house Floramax says he took part in the trial and became accredited to
the NZFPAS programme because he believes it is the key to sustainable growth
of the industry.
“I think it’s important for the flower industry
to set some standards across the board, and believe that the auction houses
should take a leading role,” he says. “We need to be able to demonstrate
to retailers that our products are grown in a safe, proper and sustainable
way, and provide an assurance that we can guarantee a continuous supply.”
Andre says he found the NZFPAS programme covered
a lot of areas that Floramax already had experience in, and the company
gained accreditation relatively easily.
“Being part of a large organisation (Turners and
Growers), we were already familiar with a lot of the areas relating to
general New Zealand law, which was an advantage. We are keen to encourage
growers to become accredited to the NZFPAS programme in the future, and
are more than happy to assist them and share our experience.”
He says Floramax will be promoting the NZFPAS programme
to its growers by mailing out information and an application form in due
course, and, providing the programme is well supported, will be identifying
NZFPAS accredited growers on its auction clock.
For another accredited trial participant, Ron Suyker
of Fresh Cut Flower Wholesalers Ltd, the NZFPAS programme provides the
industry with an opportunity to agree on a set of basic product specifications.
While the TAG system is currently the default system
in the absence of individual customer specifications, Ron says the NZFPAS
programme could be a catalyst for industry wide agreement on grading standards.
“Long term I believe everyone needs to be involved
in agreeing on a set of product specifications that are consistent, can
be measured and are accountable. The NZFPAS programme provides a vehicle
to put a stake in the ground,” he says.
With tight internal controls in place, Ron says
gaining accreditation was quite straightforward, and he will incorporate
the logo into external advertising for his company.
He believes that if the auction houses promote
NZFPAS accredited suppliers, and buyers understand the value of buying
products that come with a basic set of quality assurances, those accredited
will have a marketing advantage.
South Auckland based flower grower Bernie Kay of
B&P Kay Ltd participated in the trial primarily because he sees the
NZFPAS programme as a good management tool.
“It lays down the basics relating to staff safety
issues and the growing, health and care of plants. It really is a bible
for business management,” he says. “It’s as if someone has developed a
manual for you for the running of your company, and as long as you comply
with the requirements you’d have to do something very wrong to be in breach
of the law in critical areas such as OSH and agrichemical use.”
Bernie says his company already met most of the
requirements for the NZFPAS programme, and accreditation was achieved after
minor tweaking in a few areas.
“The programme provides us with a vehicle to capture
and measure what we’re doing, and we can now demonstrate accountability
in a credible way. Being accredited means we can provide assurances
to our customers that we have followed correct procedures in terms of growing,
handling and storing our product in a safe and sustainable way.”
Bernie says his company will be putting the NZFPAS
logo on its flower sleeves, website and auction trolleys.
If you are interested in becoming NZFPAS accredited,
fill in the application form on page xxx, download a copy (and further
information on the programme) from http://www.vegfed.co.nz/about/6_quality.cfm
or contact Peter Ensor or Bev Shepherd at Vegfed on 04 472 3795
