BC producers and processors work hard to meet safe food supply standards and achieve food safety certifications. With manufacturers, retailers, and international regulators food safety requirements met, BC businesses can open to new markets and expand.
This is the situation Gathering Place Trading Ltd found themselves in. While they already had a successful food safety system in place, they needed to upgrade their certifications to meet new retailer requirements and expand their business. Having already participated in a previous iteration of the Food Safety Program, Gathering Place knew they could access cost-shared funding to achieve a new certification through the program.
“Whole Foods Market and other major grocery chains are requiring more stringent quality assurance documentation. Funding through the Food Safety Program has allowed us to pursue first HACCP and now GMP certifications, which has opened new markets and opportunities for our business.” – Lovena Harvey, CEO and Co-founder, Gathering Place Trading Ltd.
Gathering Place Trading is a BC-based family business that provides Canadian grown culinary herbs, BC-sourced wild bull kelp, certified organic spices, sea salt, and a variety of teas. Founders Lovena and Ryan founded Gathering Place Trading during a trip to South Africa in 2003. The couple stumbled upon an organic rooibos tea farm, and after tasting the tea, knew they needed to bring it to Canada. Since then, their business has grown to include farmers in BC and Canada, India, Sri Lanka, Honduras, and more. Their production facility is based out of Campbell River, BC where they produce and package over 100 different products!
Gathering Place obtained a Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) certification with the assistance of the Food Safety Program in the past. HACCP principles form the basis of many food safety standards worldwide and can be applied to at every stage of the food supply chain. The company also has extensive good management practices (GMPs) in place, which include a comprehensive set of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and corresponding forms they maintain daily, weekly, or monthly, as required.
In 2024 they chose to embark on the next stage of their food safety journey by obtaining HACCP and GMP accreditation, and, after a successful application to the IAF-delivered Food Safety Program, they were able to do so. By obtaining SQF accreditation, Global Trading will gain access to new food stores in BC and across Canada, new trade markets nationwide through food manufacturers, and new international export markets.
“Without this funding we would have experienced barriers in obtaining these certifications. We are extremely grateful for this opportunity and would like to offer our sincere thanks for the hard work of the IAF team in delivering the funding in an easeful way.” – Lovena Harvey, CEO and Co-founder, Gathering Place Trading Ltd.
Funding for the Food Safety Program is provided by provided by the Governments of Canada and British Columbia through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a federal-provincial-territorial initiative.
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