Food Safety Consultants for Drinks & Beverage Manufacturers
Whether you manufacture soft drinks, juices, bottled beverages, craft beer or other drinks, your food safety systems need to reflect your ingredients, processing methods and packaging. As your business grows, new products, suppliers, production equipment or retail customers may introduce additional technical and compliance requirements.
Beacon Compliance supports UK food and drink manufacturers with practical food safety consultancy. We help businesses review their food safety management systems, prepare for certification, assess product labelling and identify appropriate laboratory testing.
Our role is to help you understand what is required and put proportionate, workable systems in place, so your team can manage compliance while concentrating on running and growing the business.
Food safety challenges for beverage manufacturers
The risks associated with drinks production vary considerably. A manufacturer producing fresh juice will have different considerations from a business producing a shelf-stable soft drink or an alcoholic beverage. Ingredients, processing methods, packaging, storage conditions and intended shelf life all influence the appropriate controls.
Depending on the product and process, relevant considerations may include:
HACCP and the assessment of microbiological, chemical and physical hazards.
Water and ingredient quality, including appropriate supplier controls.
Cleaning, hygiene and the prevention of contamination during production.
Process controls and the evidence needed to show they are effective.
Packaging suitability and product integrity.
Shelf-life evidence and appropriate laboratory testing.
Ingredient declarations, allergens and other applicable labelling requirements.
Traceability, product withdrawal and recall procedures.
These areas should be considered within a food safety management system that reflects the particular production process. The requirements for a beverage producer will not necessarily be the same as those for another drinks manufacturer.
How Beacon Compliance can support your business
We offer a range of services that can help beverage manufacturers strengthen compliance and prepare for new customer or certification requirements.
HACCP consultancy: Develop, review or improve your food safety plan to reflect your products, process and identified hazards.
Laboratory testing: Help determine suitable testing requirements and arrange testing through our laboratory partners. This can include microbiological, water, allergen or shelf-life testing where appropriate to the product and its risks.
Food labelling consultancy: Review applicable ingredient declarations, allergen information and other mandatory product details.
SALSA and BRCGS support: Assess your current systems, identify gaps and help prepare your business for the certification route relevant to your operation and customer requirements.
Internal audits: Review documentation, records and working practices to identify issues before a customer or certification audit.
Supplier audits and assurance: Help review the controls used to assess and monitor suppliers.
Explore our HACCP consultancy, laboratory testing services, food labelling compliance and BRCGS consultancy.
Preparing your drinks business for retail or wholesale
Moving from small-scale production into wholesale or retail can bring new expectations around food safety, documentation, product information and certification. Retailers and other customers may request evidence that your business has appropriate systems in place, and the exact requirements can vary by customer and product.
Reviewing your position early can help you identify any gaps before they delay a launch or commercial opportunity. Beacon Compliance can help you assess your current arrangements, prioritise improvements and establish the documentation and procedures your business needs.
If you are launching a new drink, changing a formulation or introducing a different production method, it is also important to consider the implications for your food safety assessment, labelling and any supporting testing. Changes should be assessed on their merits rather than assuming existing documents remain suitable.
Food industry experience that supports your business
Our consultants combine technical knowledge with experience across food manufacturing and compliance. Katie Watkins Young has more than 24 years of food industry experience, including environmental health, technical management, food manufacturing and auditing.
Fiona Jones, Beacon's Technical Operations Director, has more than 15 years in the food industry and experience across multiple manufacturing categories, including alcohol, bakery, chocolate, dairy, fats and oils, and meat preparations. Her background includes technical management and implementing and improving food safety systems.
That breadth of experience helps us understand how to adapt food safety advice to different products, processes and business requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Beacon Compliance help a drinks manufacturer with HACCP?
Yes. We can develop or review HACCP systems to reflect the product, ingredients, production process and relevant hazards. The controls should be appropriate to the operation rather than based on a generic drinks-industry template.
Can you arrange laboratory testing for beverages?
We can help identify suitable testing requirements and arrange laboratory testing through our partners. Depending on the product, this may include microbiological, water, allergen or shelf-life testing. The appropriate programme depends on the product and the evidence your business needs.
Do beverage manufacturers need food safety certification?
The need for certification depends on your business model and the requirements of your customers. Some retailers or commercial customers may request a recognised certification scheme. We can help you understand the relevant requirements and prepare your systems accordingly.
Can you review beverage labels before launch?
Yes. We can review applicable ingredients, allergen information and other mandatory label details. The review needs to reflect your formulation, the product type and the way it is marketed.
Contact Us to Get Started
Beacon House, 42 Ffordd Y Glowyr, Carway, SA17 4JJ
MON to FRI 09:00 – 17:00
Get In Touch For All Your Food Safety Needs
Tel: 01792 986089
Let our experts take care of your food compliance needs