IN lieu to its thrust of becoming a retail value innovator, one of Metro Retail Stores Group’s supermarket outlets has been accredited anew for meeting global standards in food quality and safety.
Metro Alabang Supermarket has been recertified for the Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) standards.
With such an achievement, it remains the first and only supermarket in the Philippines to receive these qualifications.
So, shoppers are guaranteed of the best fresh produce handled and prepared in accordance to international food-safety standards, according to Metro Retail Stores Group Chairman and CEO Frank S. Gaisano.
“The certifications are part of the company’s efforts to provide shoppers with a world-class shopping experience,” he said.
“This, combined with our wide variety of products, excellent shopping deals and top of the line service, undoubtedly makes Metro Supermarkets the choice for Filipino shoppers,” he added.
Retailing of fresh products has a value chain that requires specific checks in every step of the way, with food safety and quality assurance as important as hygiene, systematic distribution, and focus on customer service excellence to gain success and growth.
For these reason, both GMP and HACCP are granted by the Societe Generale de Surveillance (SGS) Philippines, indicating the proper fresh produce handling process from receiving and storage to dispatch to customers.
The former is a production and testing practice that aids in ensuring the quality of a certain product.
The latter is a systematic preventive approach to food safety and establishes guidelines and procedures to lessen risks to a safe level.
Given the recent audit review results, SGS Philippines certified that Metro Alabang Supermarket constantly adheres to comply all the requirements of the audit standard and has the needed structure to support implementation and maintenance of international food-safety management systems.
Apart from Metro supermarkets, the Group owns and operates other retail store formats that include Metro Department Stores, Super Metro Hypermarkets and Metro Fresh ‘n Easy neighborhood stores nationwide.