Implementation of Food Safety Management System for Competitive Advantage at Mumias Sugar Company Limited, Kenya

Abstract

Implementation of food safety management systems international standards (ISO 22000) has become a major requirement to organization in the food supply chain thereby enabling them to compete globally. This international standard specifies requirement for a system that the organizations in the food chain need to demonstrate their ability to manage food safety hazards and consistently produce quality products. While the demands ISO 22000 is generic and intended to be applicable in all firms in the food supply chain, the organizations approaches in the application of Food Safety Management Systems (FSMS) require an understanding of the interrelationship between all the processes in a system and continuous improvement through measurement and evaluation. The research seeks to establish the implementation of Food Safety Management System for competitive advantage at Mumias Sugar Company Limited (MSC). The research was carried as a case study with the objective to establish the extent of implementation of FSMS and how it has served as a competitive advantage at Mumias Sugar Company Limited. Both primary and secondary data were gathered. Primary data was collected through interviews with five food safety management champions in the company while secondary data acquired from the company quality management department synthesized data, Laboratory Reports, Company Annual Reports and Financial statements, Kenya Sugar Board Reports and Sugar Directorate Reports. Content analysis was used to extract the relationship from the qualitative data collected. The analysis of the data indicates Mumias Sugar Company elaborate commitment to the implementation of Food Safety Management Systems (ISO 22000) and that there exist strong relationship between implementation of Food Safety Management Systems and competitive advantage through improved operational performance but this did not necessarily reflect of the business performance. Interviewees cited product quality, customer satisfaction, reduced production costs, improved production/machines efficiency, innovation, diversification, communication, brand equity and reduced defect rates as the major factors supported by Food Safety Management Systems implementation in achieving competitive advantage. The research provide valuable insight to the researchers, MSC management and competing firms on how implementation of FSMS influences competitive advantage. The research will also support the regulatory authorities to develop policies and guidelines in sugar production. Further research needed on synchronization of Food Safety Management System with other factory activities to acquire the maximum value.