Quality Assurance at Overseas Group Companies
Quality Assurance at Overseas Group Companies
Our goals and values are common to Japan, Europe, Asia, Oceania, the Americas, and Africa. We engage in quality assurance activities with both commonality in the rules and mechanisms that form the basis of our activities and uniqueness in accordance with regional characteristics.
We strive to meet the quality demands and expectations of not only consumers, but also stakeholders in various fields, through activities covering everything from water and raw ingredients to manufacturing processes and the products distributed in the market.
At our overseas group companies, we are also making efforts for mutual development by sharing various information quickly and effectively through cooperation and networks across areas. We are also increasing the sustainability of our activities by focusing on the development of human resources and further strengthening our foundation.
Quality assurance initiatives in each process
Water quality assurance
Our overseas group companies conduct the same annual analysis and evaluation of water used at plants as we do in Japan. We conduct risk assessments at 130 plants (including contractors and franchises) in 48 countries to control the quality of water used for manufacturing.
We make efforts in areas such as information systemization of risk management, upstream management of risk through water source assessments, response to new risks, and manage the results of the evaluation at headquarters.
Ingredients and packaging materials
The quality of raw materials is assured in accordance with the quality assurance standards se tin each region. In addition, common raw materials (tea leaves, fruit juices, etc.) are managed through a company-wide centralized quality assurance system.
Production
We proactively acquire certifications for international standards and food safety related standards at our plants.
Based on the common values of the Group, Suntory Beverage & Food has established common standards and specifications specific to soft drinks, which it deploys to each country, and conducts daily production in compliance with these standards. For example, the hygiene control items are well standardised and controlled.
In addition, each company has established and operates standards and operates for products that are unique to a particular region or country.
Analysis and Evaluation of Market Products
In addition to confirming quality at the time of production and shipment, we regularly evaluate trade samples* and provide feedback on product design and manufacturing processes. This is how we enhance our quality assurance system and improve the quality of the products we deliver to our customers.
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*Trade sample evaluation: Products distributed in the general market are evaluated from various perspectives in accordance with production volume, from quality of appearance to flavor analysis, to confirm the preservation of product quality from production to distribution. This leads to continuous improvement.
PQA Initiative at CITRESA Carcagente plant in Spain
In order to maintain a common and homogeneous level of quality in all the products produced in Europe, the PQA lab, located in CITRESA Carcagente plant in Spain, carries out monthly analyses of the final product from the manuafcturing facilities and the products on the public market for any problems in terms of packaging, content and flavor.
We analyze up to 15,000 samples each year from the different markets including Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa and USA.
We are checking samples from more than 100 locations from bottler and trade, and it gives very good information of the quality perceived by our consumers in the market (Voice of Consumers) . On top of that, PQA is also a key player in the validation of New Product Development and in the validation of new bottlers and lines.
