( CQAFSS )

In an increasingly complex food and beverage regulatory environment, Commercial Quality and Food Safety Solutions, also known as CQAFSS, is a trusted Food and Beverage Manufacturing consulting firm of over 50 experienced industry professionals who partner with food and beverage companies on food safety, regulatory, sanitation, quality, nutrition, and labeling services. As a solutions-focused organization, CQAFSS is well known for its responsive, all-hands- on-deck approach to meeting or exceeding clients’ expectations.

Dave Cook, Founder of CQAFSS, envisioned a company that would provide solutions that reduce risks, improve quality, and minimize costs for food and beverage companies. CQAFSS has collaborated with an extensive client base ranging from startups to multinational food manufacturers, providing immediate management support, situation assessment, root cause analysis, and effective corrective and preventive actions. Having a professional network of seasoned professionals who have worked in leading organizations' quality, food safety, and regulatory teams allows CQAFSS to provide customized solutions executed by experts.

“We are not a group of academics that envision unobtainable solutions. We are industry experts who understand the work environment and can provide practical solutions to our clients,” says Dave Cook, founder and general manager of CQAFSS.

At present, one of the top industry issues is the ability of food companies to recruit and retain skilled professionals for managing the food safety regulations. CQAFSS effectively addresses this issue by providing a menu of solutions including on-site interim management, comprehensive training, and mentoring to bridge knowledge gaps.

“Companies struggle these days with having the right people at the right place at the right time. What we offer, the ability to have 50 knowledgeable consultants in our network that can help with specific areas of quality and food safety, is invaluable to their success,” states Nancy G. President, CEO of CQAFSS.

The firm partners with clients on USDA and FDA objectives and issues understands GFSI requirements, and helps clients prepare for GFSI, internal, and other external audits. CQAFSS focuses on delivering excellent results that go beyond a checklist audit. CQAFSS strives to conduct comprehensive risk assessments to ensure food safety, regulatory, and/or quality objectives have been properly identified and are being met. CQAFSS prides itself on having a team of ‘boots on the ground’ consultants who provide valuable assistance in problem-solving, corrective and preventive actions, recall support, and due diligence audits. CQAFSS strives to partner and collaborate with their clients to move from their current state to their desired state.

Ultimately, CQAFSS strives to help its clients achieve industry-leading performance. A significant issue for one of CQAFSS's clients involved a facility for disposing of up to 15 percent of its manufactured goods due to a perceived quality issue. By partnering with CQAFSS the client was able to identify the root cause and put actions in place to address it. This allowed the client to minimize product holds and disposal, providing immediate economic and customer service benefits.

While its goal is to prevent customer recalls, the organization prides itself on collaborating with clients to efficiently make customized decisions that move them forward. In a recent recall case, CQAFSS quickly deployed experts on-site to help its client understand the landscape of their issue and navigate the issue with ease. As a partner, it collaborates with clients to make the best decisions for their organizations and the customers and consumers they serve.

“When collaborating with clients, we refrain from discussing what they need to do. Instead, the focus is on what we, collectively, need to do to assist them in reaching their goals,” says Nancy G. President.

As its customers consistently express satisfaction with their expertise to enhance quality, food safety, and overall operational efficiency, this organization of passionate professionals remains committed to raising the bar for quality and food-safe production within the food and beverage industry.