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By Ashwin Hemmathagama The Bairaha Group, which owns and operates one of the most technologically advanced vertically integrated poultry and processed meat businesses in the SAARC region, has been awarded the world's most recognized quality management certification and its highest food safety standard. The pioneer poultry operator told a media conference on Wednesday it was the first time that a Group of Companies in the Country has received the ISO 9002:1994 certification, and Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) certification and that this achievement represented at least seven firsts in Sri Lanka. The ISO 9002 international quality systems certification covers the Bairaha Group Head Office, administration, accounts, sales and marketing, elisa and bacteriological laboratory, the company's breeder farms, hatcheries, out-grower farms, chick sales, chicken processing factory, further processing factory, cold room complexes and Super Marts. Awarded simultaneously, the HACCP international standard, first developed by USA's National Aeronautics and Space Agency (NASA) for the food on-board missions to outer space, has been awarded by the Sri Lanka Standards Institution (SLSI) to Bairaha's Chicken Processing Factory, (broiler whole chicken and broiler chicken portions) Further Processing Factory, (chicken sausages, meatballs and sandwich slices) and the Cold Room Complex. "This means that the management process in everything we do, from administration, to production, processing, storage, laboratory and retailing is certified as meeting ISO 9002 international standards," Bairaha Group CEO and Managing Director Yakooth Naleem said. "Additionally, the HACCP certifies that the world's highest food safety standards are applied in the production process to ensure the safety of all Bairaha's finished products." He said Bairaha is the first company in Sri Lanka to date to receive joint certification for its totally integrated quality management system, and that it is the only producer of processed chicken and further processed meat products such as sausages, meatballs and sandwich slices to receive HACCP certification. Listing some of the other firsts notched up by the Group in relation to these certifications, Mr. Naleem said Bairaha is the first company to receive three international certifications (the ISO certification and two HACCP certifications) on the same day, the first company to receive ISO and HACCP certifications whose scope cover the processing and marketing of "Halal" certified chicken products, and the first company to receive certifications covering such a wide scope of operations located in many different parts of the country. This includes the import of day-old parent stock, poultry breeding, hatcheries, sale of day-old chicks, laboratory, out-grower broiler farm management, processing chicken, further processing chicken and marketing through a chain of super marts. "Another significant first is that the Bairaha Group's administration, production, marketing laboratory and retailing processes are managed entirely by professional Sri Lankan managers," he added. "We are proud to say that we are not dependent on expatriate staff to reach these global standards." The company used the announcement of its record-breaking achievement to also urge poultry farmers to stick to proper standards and hygiene. "Today there are a lot of places selling chicken and by products. If the consumers see the unhygienic conditions at these places they wouldn’t consume chicken. What we need is proper guidelines about the hygiene and the quality. That is what made us to go for these certifications. We know the certifications will definitely enhance the market share of ours," Mr. Naleem added. Sri Lanka Standards Institution (SLSI) Director General C. D. R. A. Jayawardene who briefed journalists on the history and evolution of the ISO 9000 series of quality management standards, said: "Certification of a process according to these standards gives an assurance to the producer and to the buyer that the output of the process will be consistent in quality." Mr. Jayawardene said the buyer's expectation of consistent quality of the output could be met to a very high degree through the implementation of a recognized quality management system such as ISO 9000, which is the only recognized quality management system in the world today, and is implemented in over 100 countries. Quoting a cross-section of CEOs of local business organizations that have been ISO 9000 certified, he said: "They are now able to convince buyers about the quality of products and services more easily." The certification also introduces a quality culture where employees work as a team to build quality into products and services, Mr. Jayawardene explained. The Bairaha Group commenced operations in October 1975 as the pioneer in integrated poultry operations, and is today the market leader for branded broiler chicken products. The Group reported a turnover of Rs 981 million in the 2000-2001 financial year.
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