Effective Date:
10/01/2020
Owner:
Matt Hollister
Document #:
GQR.Pro.58
Revision #:
7
Title:
Starbucks Guidelines for Food & Beverage Suppliers
This document is the property of Starbucks Coffee Company and may not be copied or disclosed to others without
authorization.
Printed copies are uncontrolled.
Page 1 of 55
1. Purpose
This document defines food safety and quality systems requirements for Starbucks food
and beverage suppliers in Company Owned markets.
2. Scope
This document applies to:
Region(s): Global – Company Owned markets
Product type(s): Food, Beverage, Consumer Packaged Goods
Brand(s): Starbucks, SBC, Teavana
3. Terms and Definitions
Term
Definition
HACCP
Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point
QMS
Quality Management System
EMP
Environmental Monitoring Program
GFSI
Global Food Safety Initiative
TCS
Time/Temperature Controlled for Safety
Low Risk Food
Areas
Contain components/foods which are shelf stable, do not
normally support the growth of pathogens, and/or will
undergo a subsequent process step to control those risks.
High Care Food
Areas
Contain components/foods which are shelf stable, require
TCS controls to maintain safety, do not normally support the
growth of pathogens, and/or will undergo a subsequent
process step to control those risks
High Risk Food
Areas
Contain components/foods which have undergone a cook or
similar process to achieve a six log reduction for Listeria or
other pathogens of concern; components/foods are
considered ready-to-eat and require temperature limits to
control pathogen growth)
Environmental
Monitoring –
Zone 1
Direct food contact surfaces
Environmental
Monitoring –
Zone 2
Nonfood contact areas in the plant that are immediately
adjacent to food contact (Zone 1) surfaces (e.g. production
equipment framework, maintenance tools used in
production, overhead drip shields, etc.)
Effective Date:
10/01/2020
Owner:
Matt Hollister
Document #:
GQR.Pro.58
Revision #:
7
Title:
Starbucks Guidelines for Food & Beverage Suppliers
This document is the property of Starbucks Coffee Company and may not be copied or disclosed to others without
authorization.
Printed copies are uncontrolled.
Page 2 of 55
Environmental
Monitoring –
Zone 3
Nonfood contact surfaces that are not close to food contact
(Zone 1) surfaces (e.g. walls, floors, drains, etc.)
Environmental
Monitoring –
Zone 4
Areas which are completely separate from food processing
zones (e.g. locker rooms, outside storage, offices)
4. Roles and Responsibilities
Role
Responsibility
Supplier Quality
Management
Team
Compliance with all aspects of this document, including
prompt and, where appropriate, immediate response to
nonconformities.
Create the tools for Supervisors and Leads to build food
safety into their routines.
Supplier
Corporate
Leadership
Provide timely and appropriate resources to mitigate food
safety risk wherever possible.
Create a culture that demands and recognizes food safety
leaders throughout their company.
Starbucks FSQ
Category SME
Assess and verify supplier conformance to the requirements
in this document.
Provide clear, concise information before, during, and after
conducting an audit using this Standard.
Starbucks
Corporate
Leadership
Review and approve the content of this document, including
the associated Audit Checklist and Guidance Tool.
Recognize supplier successes in the context of food safety
and quality and hold suppliers accountable for doing better.
Effective Date:
10/01/2020
Owner:
Matt Hollister
Document #:
GQR.Pro.58
Revision #:
7
Title:
Starbucks Guidelines for Food & Beverage Suppliers
This document is the property of Starbucks Coffee Company and may not be copied or disclosed to others without
authorization.
Printed copies are uncontrolled.
Page 3 of 55
5. References / Attachments
Document Number
Document Title
N/A
Starbucks Standard Terms and Conditions of Purchase
GQR.FOR.135
Starbucks Guidelines for Food Suppliers Audit Checklist
Not yet assigned
Starbucks Guidelines for Food Suppliers Guidance Document
6. Revision History
Revision
Description of Changes
1
Initial Registration in Intelex System. Previous revisions in legacy system.
Updates: Guidelines were updated to include EMP expectations for High
Risk Food Assemblers.
2
cold chain updates 3.9
3
Updates: Guidelines were updated to include produce washing
expectations, and acceptable risk-based GAP audit schemes for produce
suppliers.
4
Formatting change removing highlights. No Content change.
5
Changing incorrect reference Change GQR.PRO.121 to GQR.PRO.122. Added
Hyperlink to GQR.PRO.122. No Content Change
6
Updating expectation/requirements for section 4.4.2.3
Sampling shall include documented risk assessment to validate frequency,
based on product and process type(s) for each facility.
7
Supplier Requirements (Introduction) reviews to minimize potential
conflicts or duplication of contract language
Compliance Assessment (Introduction) revised for clarity around GFSI
requirements and contractual expectations
All sections revised to remove redundant language and/or requirements
Several sub-sections moved to new primary sections for efficiency
*Added management competence requirements to Management
commitment and resource management
*Requirements for food safety-related complaints added to Product
complaint handling
Clarification/editing of requirements throughout Personal Hygiene
Clarification/editing of requirements throughout Staff facilities
Clarification/editing of requirements throughout Layout, product flow and
segregation
Clarification/editing of requirements throughout Storage Facilities
Clarification/editing of requirements throughout Building infrastructure
Effective Date:
10/01/2020
Owner:
Matt Hollister
Document #:
GQR.Pro.58
Revision #:
7
Title:
Starbucks Guidelines for Food & Beverage Suppliers
This document is the property of Starbucks Coffee Company and may not be copied or disclosed to others without
authorization.
Printed copies are uncontrolled.
Page 4 of 55
Clarification/editing of requirements throughout Equipment
Clarification/editing of requirements throughout Maintenance
Clarification/editing of requirements throughout Chemical contaminant control
Clarification/editing of requirements throughout Cleaning and sanitation
Clarification/editing of requirements throughout Environmental Monitoring
Program (EMP)
Clarification/editing of requirements throughout Utilities – water, ice, air, and other
gases
Clarification/editing of requirements throughout Product design and development
Clarification/editing of requirements throughout Supplier approval and
performance monitoring
Clarification/editing of requirements throughout Outsourcing and use of co-
manufacturers
Clarification/editing of requirements throughout Control of Operations
*Specific requirements for Label Verification and corrective action(s) added to
Control of operations
*Produce processing controls subsection added to Control of operations section,
consolidating several produce-specific process requirements
Clarification/editing of requirements throughout Calibration and control of
measuring and monitoring devices
Clarification/editing of requirements throughout Physical contaminant control
*Specific requirements for metal-detection validation and risk assessment added to
Physical Contaminant Control
Clarification/editing of requirements throughout Allergen management
*Specific requirements related to allergen removal via cleaning added to Allergen
management
Clarification/editing of requirements throughout Product inspection and laboratory
testing
Clarification/editing of requirements throughout Shipping and receiving
Clarification/editing of requirements throughout Preventive Control Programs
(formerly “HACCP”)
Removed “Audit Rating” section (to be defined in Guidance Document)
Removed “Attachment 2: Grower-Level Food Safety Expectations for Fresh Produce”
due to deactivation of Starbucks GAP Audit program
Effective Date:
10/01/2020
Owner:
Matt Hollister
Document #:
GQR.Pro.58
Revision #:
7
Title:
Starbucks Guidelines for Food & Beverage Suppliers
This document is the property of Starbucks Coffee Company and may not be copied or disclosed to others without
authorization.
Printed copies are uncontrolled.
Page 5 of 55
1. Purpose ...................................................................................................................................1
2. Scope.......................................................................................................................................1
3. Terms and Definitions..............................................................................................................1
4. Roles and Responsibilities.......................................................................................................2
5. References / Attachments .......................................................................................................3
6. Revision History.......................................................................................................................3
1 Management Commitment & Culture ......................................................................................9
The supplier shall have a Food Safety Management System which is documented, implemented,
maintained, continually improved and supported by its senior management. The food safety
management system shall include the following elements: .............................................................9
1.1 Food safety policy ............................................................................................................9
1.2 Food safety and quality manual and document ...............................................................9
1.3 Management responsibility ..............................................................................................9
1.4 Management commitment and resource management ...................................................9
1.5 Management review.......................................................................................................10
1.6 Document control and record retention..........................................................................10
1.7 Internal and external audit .............................................................................................11
1.8 Product complaint handling............................................................................................12
1.9 Corrective and preventive action ...................................................................................12
1.10 Traceability.....................................................................................................................13
1.11 Management of incidents, product withdrawal and product recall .................................13
1.12 Food defense & Food fraud ...........................................................................................14
2 Personnel...............................................................................................................................15
The supplier shall define, implement and document good practices relevant to all personnel,
employees, agency staff, contractors and visitors, to ensure that personnel activities are not a
source or a vector of product contamination..................................................................................15
2.1 Training ..........................................................................................................................15
2.2 Personal hygiene ...........................................................................................................16
2.3 Medical screening ..........................................................................................................17
2.4 Protective clothing – Employees or visitors to production areas....................................17
2.5 Staff facilities..................................................................................................................18
3 Facility and Equipment Control..............................................................................................20
3.1 External facility standards ..............................................................................................20
3.2 Layout, product flow and segregation ............................................................................20
3.3 Storage facilities.............................................................................................................22
3.4 Building infrastructure ....................................................................................................23
3.5 Pest Control ...................................................................................................................24
3.6 Equipment......................................................................................................................25
3.7 Maintenance ..................................................................................................................25
3.8 Chemical contaminant control........................................................................................26
4 Environmental Control and Sanitation ...................................................................................27
Suppliers of ready to eat (RTE) foods shall have a documented Environmental Control and
Monitoring policy for controlling post processing environmental pathogens, such as Listeria
monocytogenes and Salmonella, which can either be a standalone document or may be
incorporated into assembler’s food safety standard...................................................................27
4.1 Cleaning and sanitation .................................................................................................27
4.2 Environmental Monitoring Program (EMP) ....................................................................29
4.3 Utilities – water, ice, air and other gases .......................................................................32
5 Commercialization and Supplier Approval.............................................................................33
Effective Date:
10/01/2020
Owner:
Matt Hollister
Document #:
GQR.Pro.58
Revision #:
7
Title:
Starbucks Guidelines for Food & Beverage Suppliers
This document is the property of Starbucks Coffee Company and may not be copied or disclosed to others without
authorization.
Printed copies are uncontrolled.
Page 6 of 55
5.1 Product design and development ..................................................................................33
5.2 Finished product specifications......................................................................................33
5.3 Supplier approval and performance monitoring .............................................................34
5.4 Raw material and packaging specifications ...................................................................35
5.5 Outsourcing and use of co-manufacturers.....................................................................35
6 Product & Process Control ....................................................................................................36
6.1 Control of operations......................................................................................................36
6.2 Temperature Control......................................................................................................39
6.3 Quantity – Weight, Volume and Number Control...........................................................40
6.4 Calibration and control of measuring and monitoring devices .......................................40
6.5 Physical contaminant control .........................................................................................41
6.6 Allergen management....................................................................................................44
6.7 Product inspection and laboratory testing......................................................................46
6.8 Shipping and receiving...................................................................................................47
6.9 Waste/Waste Disposal...................................................................................................50
6.10 Control of Nonconforming Product.................................................................................50
7 Preventive Control Programs (HACCP/HARPC) ...................................................................50
7.1 Assemble the Preventive Control Team ........................................................................51
7.2 Describe the products in scope......................................................................................51
7.3 Describe the intended use .............................................................................................51
7.4 Develop a flow diagram .................................................................................................52
7.5 Conduct a hazard analysis.............................................................................................52
7.6 Determine preventive control approach .........................................................................53
7.7 Establish critical limits ....................................................................................................53
7.8 Establish a monitoring system for each preventive control............................................53
7.9 Establish a corrective action plan ..................................................................................54
7.10 Establish verification procedures ...................................................................................54
7.11 Preventive Control documentation and record keeping .................................................54
7.12 Review and maintenance of the Food Safety plan ........................................................54
Effective Date:
10/01/2020
Owner:
Matt Hollister
Document #:
GQR.Pro.58
Revision #:
7
Title:
Starbucks Guidelines for Food & Beverage Suppliers
This document is the property of Starbucks Coffee Company and may not be copied or disclosed to others without
authorization.
Printed copies are uncontrolled.
Page 7 of 55
Introduction
Supplier requirements:
The Starbucks Coffee Company Standards for Food Suppliers are established to clarify the
minimum requirements for any business entities (“suppliers”) responsible for growing,
manufacturing, importing, processing, packing or holding food for Starbucks Coffee Company;
and to ensure that suppliers consistently deliver products which are safe and legally compliant
with all applicable codes and regulations (Federal, State/Province, Local) in the countries where
they are sourced, as well as in countries where the products are intended to be commercialized,
and conform to agreed quality specifications.
Independent to these minimum requirements, suppliers shall always comply with local,
state/provincial and federal government regulations and codes. In the unlikely event that local
regulations or circumstances are contrary to Starbucks Coffee Company expectations, the
supplier shall seek a written variance grant from a Starbucks Coffee Company officer (Vice
President Level or higher). Request and response to request shall be documented.
Starbucks recognizes all GFSI-benchmarked audit criteria and associated certifications and will
consider that food suppliers holding a valid GFSI-benchmarked certificate from an accredited
certification body, relevant to the business engaged with Starbucks, meet Starbucks food safety
and quality minimum expectations. However, Starbucks reserves the right to audit any supplier
to ensure Starbucks expectations are being met, including verification of requirements within
this document, which may exceed GFSI expectations.
Compliance assessment:
Starbucks expects that all its food suppliers’ manufacturing facilities (including packers and
distribution centers) providing Starbucks branded products, Starbucks implied products (i.e.
with no brand identification) or custom-made products, will be certified to a GFSI-benchmarked
certification program.
Supplier manufacturing facilities (including packers and distribution centers) providing Starbucks
branded products, Starbucks implied products (i.e. with no brand identification) or custom-
made products which are not certified to a GFSI-benchmarked audit criteria by an accredited
certification body may be audited against this Standard by Starbucks directly or, depending on
availability, at the supplier’s cost by an external audit provider designated by Starbucks.
For certain Low Risk suppliers, Starbucks will continue with its current risk-based approval and
verification program, which may include a questionnaire, review of 3
rd
party certification, and/or
facility assessment performed by a Starbucks employee or by a designated external audit
provider.
Starbucks assessment frequency is determined by multiple factors including, but not limited to,
the type of products supplied, the volume of products sold to Starbucks, and the supplier’s
performance history with Starbucks.
Effective Date:
10/01/2020
Owner:
Matt Hollister
Document #:
GQR.Pro.58
Revision #:
7
Title:
Starbucks Guidelines for Food & Beverage Suppliers
This document is the property of Starbucks Coffee Company and may not be copied or disclosed to others without
authorization.
Printed copies are uncontrolled.
Page 8 of 55
Supplier’s facilities may be audited by a third-party auditor appointed by Starbucks. The audit
will assess the Supplier’s compliance with Starbucks Food Standards. The Supplier shall bear the
cost and expense related to such audit. (Ref: Starbucks Requirements)
The Starbucks Standards for Food Suppliers are subject to the definitive master purchase
agreement between the supplier and Starbucks or, if no definitive agreement is in effect, to
Starbucks Standard Terms and Conditions of Purchase, which are accessible at
http://www.starbucks.com/business/suppliers/standardtermsandconditions (“Agreement”).
Without limiting the generality of the terms in the Agreement, the supplier acknowledges and
agrees that the following acts or omissions shall constitute a material breach of the Agreement:
1. Failure to implement a risk-based preventive control program that is reasonably
satisfactory to Starbucks.
2. The supplier’s refusal to grant Starbucks access to the supplier’s facilities to conduct
audits.
3. The reckless or grossly negligent handling of food products by the supplier, its
employees, agents, and/or contractors.
4. Willful or intentional misconduct by the supplier, its employees, agents, and/or
contractors.
5. The suspension, cancellation, or revocation of necessary registrations, permits, or
licenses in order for the supplier to handle, store, manufacture, and produce food products.
6. Failure to notify Starbucks that the supplier has been or is subject to an inspection or
investigation by a national, regional, or local regulatory authority
7. Failure to notify Starbucks of (i) any food safety incident (defined as event that if left
uncorrected or if impacted product went into commerce would result in a food safety regulatory
violation) or activity at a facility where Starbucks’ products are handled, stored, manufactured,
or produced, or (ii) any detection or discovery of product adulteration as defined by compliance
with appropriate regulatory requirements (local, state, federal or any other appropriate
regulatory body), including, but not limited to microbiological, chemical or physical
contaminants and undisclosed allergens or ingredients.
8. Failure to notify Starbucks in advance of a Public Press Release impacting Starbucks
products.
9. Failure to notify Starbucks of any material and adverse findings by the supplier’s third-
party auditor with respect to the sanitation and preventive controls programs of any site where
Starbucks’ products are grown, handled, stored, manufactured, or produced.
10. Failure to undertake remedial measures as mutually agreed upon in a written corrective
action plan.
Effective Date:
10/01/2020
Owner:
Matt Hollister
Document #:
GQR.Pro.58
Revision #:
7
Title:
Starbucks Guidelines for Food & Beverage Suppliers
This document is the property of Starbucks Coffee Company and may not be copied or disclosed to others without
authorization.
Printed copies are uncontrolled.
Page 9 of 55
1 Management Commitment & Culture
The supplier shall have a Food Safety Management System which is documented,
implemented, maintained, continually improved and supported by its senior
management. The food safety management system shall include the following elements:
1.1 Food safety policy
1.1.1 The supplier shall have a documented food safety and quality policy statement
and objectives specifying the extent of the supplier’s commitment to consistently
produce safe, legal products, compliant to Starbucks specifications.
The policy shall be signed by the person with overall responsibility for the site.
Evidence must show policy has been effectively communicated to all staff.
1.1.2 The food safety policy shall be associated to clear objectives, targets and
measures of success which are monitored and reported at a defined frequency.
1.2 Food safety and quality manual and document
1.2.1 The supplier shall have a documented Food Safety and Quality Management
System. The scope should be appropriate to the range of business activities
covered, including documented procedures for processes related to food safety
and quality.
1.2.2 The documented Food Safety and Quality Management System shall be fully
implemented, and the manual or relevant components shall be readily available to
key staff.
1.3 Management responsibility
1.3.1 The supplier shall establish a clear organizational structure, which unambiguously
defines and documents the job functions, responsibilities and reporting
relationships of at least those staff whose activities affect food safety.
1.3.2 Absence coverage shall be clearly identified for all positions relevant to food
safety and quality.
1.3.3 The designated leader for food safety and quality shall be independent and report
to a senior company official whose objectives encompass food safety and quality.
1.3.4 The facility site shall have all appropriate registrations and/or certifications to
conduct business and as appropriate grow, import, manufacture, process, pack or
hold food product.
1.4 Management commitment and resource management
1.4.1 Senior food safety and quality site management shall be entrusted to individuals
who have clearly demonstrated the expertise, education, and/or experience
needed to effectively design and implement food safety and quality programs
Effective Date:
10/01/2020
Owner:
Matt Hollister
Document #:
GQR.Pro.58
Revision #:
7
Title:
Starbucks Guidelines for Food & Beverage Suppliers
This document is the property of Starbucks Coffee Company and may not be copied or disclosed to others without
authorization.
Printed copies are uncontrolled.
Page 10 of 55
consistent with GFSI, regulatory, and customer requirements, including those
within this Standard. Documentation supporting senior food safety and quality
management competence shall be maintained.
1.4.2 The supplier’s senior management shall provide evidence of their commitment to
establish, implement, maintain and improve the food safety system. Key evidence
that demonstrates commitment includes, but is not limited to:
Determining and providing, in a timely manner, all the resources, human
and financial, needed to implement, maintain and continuously improve the
food safety system
Engagement of key food safety and quality personnel in prioritization of
capital expenditures
Senior management with food safety knowledge and involvement in
relevant food safety activities
1.5 Management review
1.5.1 The supplier’s senior management shall review the verification of the food safety
system and programs. at planned intervals, but at a minimum annual frequency,
to ensure their continuing suitability, adequacy and effectiveness. The food safety
programs shall also be reviewed in the event of any change that impacts food
safety. Such a review shall evaluate the need for changes to the food safety
system, including the food safety policy and food safety objectives.
1.5.2 Monitored measures and results associated with the food safety policy and its
objectives shall be reported to the supplier’s senior management on at least on a
quarterly basis and shall lead to timely, documented actions, when necessary, as
well as verification activities to ensure those actions were effective and that issues
have been resolved.
1.5.3 The company shall have a demonstrable meeting program which enables food
safety, legality and quality issues to be brought to the attention of senior
management at least monthly and allows for the resolution of issues requiring
immediate action.
1.6 Document control and record retention
1.6.1 The company shall have a procedure to manage documents which are part of the
food safety and quality system. This shall include:
The method for the identification and authorization of controlled
documents;
A record of the reason for any changes or amendments to documents;
Effective Date:
10/01/2020
Owner:
Matt Hollister
Document #:
GQR.Pro.58
Revision #:
7
Title:
Starbucks Guidelines for Food & Beverage Suppliers
This document is the property of Starbucks Coffee Company and may not be copied or disclosed to others without
authorization.
Printed copies are uncontrolled.
Page 11 of 55
A system for the replacement of existing documents after an update is
made; and
A process for review and approval by designated and trained personnel
1.6.2 All procedures and work instructions shall be clearly legible, unambiguous, in
appropriate languages and sufficiently detailed to enable their correct application
by appropriate staff. This shall include the use of photographs, diagrams or other
pictorial instructions where written communication alone is not sufficient (if, for
example, there are issues of literacy or foreign language).
1.6.3 Documents shall be available and current at all locations where they are needed
to support the effective execution of operations.
1.6.4 Records shall be permanent, genuine, readily available and complete.
1.6.5 All records (processes and products) and test reports shall be retained for a
minimum of two years and for 12 months beyond the unopened shelf life of the
product or in compliance with regulatory requirements (whichever is longer).
Records pertaining to regulatory and/or marketing requirements shall be retained
per those requirements.
1.6.6 The company shall store records in a manner which protects against damage, loss
or environmental disasters and be available within 24 hours of request.
1.6.7 Documents must be made available when requested by regulatory authorities.
Electronic records shall be provided in a commonly used and accessible format.
1.7 Internal and external audit
1.7.1 Internal audits covering the entire facility and all aspects of the food safety
programs and quality management systems shall be scheduled and carried out at
a defined frequency. The scope and frequency of the audits shall be established in
relation to the risks associated with the activity being audited and previous audit
performance. All activities shall be covered at least annually.
1.7.2 In addition to the internal audit program, there shall be a program of documented
inspections by (an) appropriately qualified individual(s) to ensure that the factory
environment and processing equipment is maintained in a suitable condition for
food production. The frequency of these inspections shall be based on risk but will
be no less than once per month in open product areas. Inspections shall include:
Hygiene inspections to assess cleaning, personnel and housekeeping
performance
Facility inspections to identify risks to product from the building or
equipment
Effective Date:
10/01/2020
Owner:
Matt Hollister
Document #:
GQR.Pro.58
Revision #:
7
Title:
Starbucks Guidelines for Food & Beverage Suppliers
This document is the property of Starbucks Coffee Company and may not be copied or disclosed to others without
authorization.
Printed copies are uncontrolled.
Page 12 of 55
Facility must define requirements for “appropriately qualified individuals”
responsible for conducting internal inspections
1.7.3 All internal auditors shall be trained in audit techniques. Internal auditors should
be independent of the system or process being audited.
1.7.4 An external, 3
rd
party food safety inspection shall be conducted on an annual
basis.
1.7.5 Results of internal and external audits shall be documented.
1.7.6 Corrective and preventive action planning and implementation should begin
immediately upon the receipt of internal and external audit results. Evidence
must show them to be fully documented, effective and shall be implemented
within the permitted timeframe provided by the auditor or certification body and
compliant to the requirements in the Corrective and preventive action section of
this Standard.
1.8 Product complaint handling
1.8.1 Suppliers shall have a written procedure for complaint handling. All complaints
shall be recorded, investigated and the results of the investigation and root cause
of the issue recorded, where sufficient information is provided. Actions
appropriate to the seriousness and frequency of the problems identified shall be
carried out effectively by appropriately trained staff.
1.8.2 Complaints related to food safety shall be monitored continuously. Food safety
related complaints shall be investigated within 24 hours of receipt and updates
shall be provided to Starbucks FSQ regularly until corrective actions have been
taken to address root cause.
1.8.3 Complaint data shall be analyzed for significant trends and used to implement
ongoing improvements to product safety, legality and quality, and to avoid
recurrence. This analysis shall be made available to relevant staff and senior
management at quarterly food safety management meetings.
1.9 Corrective and preventive action
1.9.1 The company shall be able to demonstrate that they use the information from
preventive and corrective actions as appropriate to manage food safety risks.
1.9.2 The company shall have a documented procedure for handling non-conformances
identified within the scope of their food safety and quality management system.
1.9.3 Actions shall be clear, assigned to suitably competent and authorized persons,
able to address the immediate issue, and have the ability to prevent recurrence
sustainably.
1.9.4 Action completion timelines should reflect prioritization based on food safety and
quality risks identified.
Effective Date:
10/01/2020
Owner:
Matt Hollister
Document #:
GQR.Pro.58
Revision #:
7
Title:
Starbucks Guidelines for Food & Beverage Suppliers
This document is the property of Starbucks Coffee Company and may not be copied or disclosed to others without
authorization.
Printed copies are uncontrolled.
Page 13 of 55
1.9.5 A documented verification shall be in place to ensure that actions are
implemented and are effective.
1.10 Traceability
1.10.1 The company shall be able to trace all raw material product lots (including food
contact packaging) from their supplier through all stages of processing and
distribution to their customer and vice versa.
1.10.2 Identification of ingredients, food contact packaging, processing aids, work-in-
process/semi-processed products, partially used materials, finished products, and
material pending investigation, shall be adequate to ensure traceability. Lot
coding shall be clearly defined.
1.10.3 The company shall test the traceability system across the range of product groups
to ensure traceability. This shall occur at a predetermined frequency and results
shall be retained for inspection. The test shall take place at least annually. Key
components required for each of these exercise scenarios include:
Quantity check or mass balance
Rework or carryover performed
Waste, including that which is diverted for animal feed
1.10.4 Traceability exercises shall include forward trace and backward trace from raw
material, including food contact packaging, to finished product (accounting for
distribution into the Starbucks network).
1.10.5 Traceability exercises should be achievable within 4 hours and identify 98 - 102%
of product. When recovery exceeds 4 hours or falls outside of 98 - 102%:
Root cause analysis shall be performed
Preventive actions shall be identified and completed, and
The traceability exercise shall be repeated to ensure compliance.
1.11 Management of incidents, product withdrawal and product recall
1.11.1 The company shall have documented procedures designed to report and
effectively manage incidents and potential emergency situations that impact food
safety, legality or quality. This shall include consideration of contingency plans to
maintain business continuity. Incidents may include:
Disruption to key services such as water, energy, transport, refrigeration
processes, staff availability and communications
Effective Date:
10/01/2020
Owner:
Matt Hollister
Document #:
GQR.Pro.58
Revision #:
7
Title:
Starbucks Guidelines for Food & Beverage Suppliers
This document is the property of Starbucks Coffee Company and may not be copied or disclosed to others without
authorization.
Printed copies are uncontrolled.
Page 14 of 55
Events such as fire, flood or natural disaster
Malicious contamination or sabotage
Food safety concerns
1.11.2 Where products which have been released from the site may be affected by an
incident, consideration shall be given to the need to withdraw or recall products.
In the event of a withdrawal or recall impacting Starbucks product, Starbucks
FSQ/QA and/or Contract Manufacturer (where appropriate) shall be notified
immediately of the decision to issue a withdrawal or recall.
1.11.3 The company shall have a documented plan and system in place to effectively
manage food safety and/or quality incidents and enable the effective withdrawal
and recall of products should this be required. This shall include, at a minimum:
Identification of key personnel constituting the recall management team,
with clearly identified responsibilities
Guidelines for deciding whether a product needs to be recalled or
withdrawn, and the records to be maintained
Guidance for evaluation of product disposition in the event of a facility
shutdown, regulatory violation or production disruption
Contingency plans for order fulfillment in the event that production is
disrupted
An up-to-date list of key contacts or reference to the location of such a list;
for example, recall management teams, emergency services, suppliers,
customers, certification bodies, and regulatory authorities
Details of external agencies providing advice and support as necessary (for
example, specialist laboratories, regulatory authority and legal expertise)
Communication plan, including the provision of information to customer,
consumers and regulatory authorities in a timely manner
Procedure shall be capable of being executed at any time. This shall be
verified and documented at a defined frequency.
1.11.4 Tests shall be performed at least annually of the product recall and withdrawal
procedures to ensure their effective execution. Results of the test shall be:
Retained,
Include timings of key activities, and
Used (along with results from actual recalls) to review the procedure and
implement improvements as necessary
1.12 Food defense & Food fraud
Effective Date:
10/01/2020
Owner:
Matt Hollister
Document #:
GQR.Pro.58
Revision #:
7
Title:
Starbucks Guidelines for Food & Beverage Suppliers
This document is the property of Starbucks Coffee Company and may not be copied or disclosed to others without
authorization.
Printed copies are uncontrolled.
Page 15 of 55
1.12.1 A documented food fraud/food defense program that includes a vulnerability
assessment and identification of appropriate mitigation strategies shall be in place
to protect food products from intentional adulteration (microbiological, chemical,
physical, economically-motivated, and other) that includes physical, personal and
operational security measures, where appropriate.
1.12.2 The facility shall review the vulnerability assessment at least annually. Results
shall be documented, and corrective actions shall comply with the Preventive and
Corrective Actions Policy.
1.12.3 Measures shall be in place to ensure only authorized personnel have access to
computer systems, production and storage areas. Access to the site by
employees, contractors and visitors shall be controlled. A visitor reporting system
shall be in place.
1.12.4 Where required by law, the site shall be registered with, or be approved by, the
appropriate authority.
2 Personnel
The supplier shall define, implement and document good practices relevant to all
personnel, employees, agency staff, contractors and visitors, to ensure that personnel
activities are not a source or a vector of product contamination.
2.1 Training
2.1.1 All relevant personnel, including temporary staff and contractors, shall be
appropriately trained prior to commencing work and adequately supervised
throughout the working period. This training will be documented.
2.1.2 Training requirements relevant to employee roles or job responsibilities shall be
developed with minimum frequencies for refresher training.
2.1.3 Records of all training shall be available. This shall include, at a minimum:
The name(s) of the trainee(s) and confirmation of attendance
The date and duration of the training
The title or course contents, as appropriate
The training provider
2.1.4 Where training is undertaken by third parties on behalf of the company, records
of the training shall be available.
2.1.5 The company shall routinely review the competencies of its staff. As appropriate,
it shall provide relevant training. This may be in the form of training, refresher
training, coaching, mentoring or on-the-job training.
2.1.6 Senior management at all levels shall regularly be trained to food safety and
quality management relevant topics. Schedules and records shall be available to
demonstrate attendance.
Effective Date:
10/01/2020
Owner:
Matt Hollister
Document #:
GQR.Pro.58
Revision #:
7
Title:
Starbucks Guidelines for Food & Beverage Suppliers
This document is the property of Starbucks Coffee Company and may not be copied or disclosed to others without
authorization.
Printed copies are uncontrolled.
Page 16 of 55
2.1.7 Where personnel are engaged in activities relating to risk based preventive
controls, relevant training and competency assessments shall be in place.
2.1.8 All staff shall be trained in food defense and site security procedures annually.
Staff must be trained to report unidentified or unknown visitors.
2.1.9 There shall be a trained, cross functional Environmental Monitoring Program
(EMP) team with clearly defined roles and responsibilities.
2.1.10 All relevant personnel, including engineers, temporary staff and contractors, shall
have received general allergen awareness training and be trained in the supplier’s
allergen handling procedures.
2.1.11 Pest awareness training shall be provided for all employees and sightings by staff
shall be reported and documented.
2.1.12 Cleaning staff, including applicable production employees, shall be adequately
trained on all SSOPs for which they are responsible.
2.1.13 Activities, such as testing, direct observation, or other methods, shall be taken and
documented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the training.
2.2 Personal hygiene
2.2.1 The requirements for personal hygiene shall be documented, adequately
communicated to all personnel, and enforced at all times.
2.2.2 Hand washing shall be required to ensure product protection and conform to the
Staff Facilities section of this Standard.
2.2.3 All cuts, open wounds or lesions on exposed skin shall be covered by an
appropriately colored bandage that is distinct from the product color and contains
a metal detectable strip; these shall be company- issued and monitored. Where
appropriate, in addition to the bandage, a glove shall be worn.
2.2.4 Watches shall not be worn High Care or High Risk production areas. If position
requires use of watch for execution of duties in Low Risk areas, a specific
procedure must define how risk will be controlled.
2.2.5 Jewelry shall not be worn, except for a plain wedding ring (i.e. no stones or
carvings) or wedding wristband; in the event of such exception, the ring or
wristband shall be completely covered; medical alert bracelets and necklaces may
be worn with written notice to personnel resources
Effective Date:
10/01/2020
Owner:
Matt Hollister
Document #:
GQR.Pro.58
Revision #:
7
Title:
Starbucks Guidelines for Food & Beverage Suppliers
This document is the property of Starbucks Coffee Company and may not be copied or disclosed to others without
authorization.
Printed copies are uncontrolled.
Page 17 of 55
Rings and studs in exposed parts of the body, such as ears, nose, tongues
and eyebrows, shall not be worn.
Semi-permanent jewelry may be permitted if Supplier has a defined
program for protection of product and the jewelry is completely protected
from exposure.
2.2.6 Embellishments in clothing or other personal effects worn in production
environments shall be prohibited.
2.2.7 Fingernails shall be kept short, clean and unvarnished; false fingernails shall not be
worn. False eyelashes shall not be worn
2.2.8 Perfume, aftershave, or other scented products shall not be worn in production
areas.
2.2.9 Where metal detection equipment is used, a sample from each lot of bandages
shall be successfully tested and detected through the equipment; records shall be
kept.
2.2.10 Personal medication shall not be allowed within production areas. Processes and
written instructions for staff shall be in place to control the use and storage of
personal medicines, to minimize the risk of product contamination.
2.3 Medical screening
2.3.1 The company shall have a procedure which requires notification by employees,
temporary employees, visitors and contractors of any relevant infection, disease
or condition with which they may have been in contact or be suffering from.
Individuals suffering from conditions which may have a negative impact on food
safety will not be allowed in food manufacturing areas.
2.3.2 Where there may be a risk to product safety, visitors and contractors shall be
required to confirm that they are not suffering from a condition which may put
product safety at risk, prior to entering the raw material, preparation, processing,
packaging and storage areas.
2.3.3 There shall be documented procedures for employees, contractors and visitors
relating to action to be taken where they may be suffering from or have been in
contact with an infectious disease. Expert medical advice shall be sought, where
required and documented medical clearance to return to work obtained as
appropriate.
2.4 Protective clothing – Employees or visitors to production areas
2.4.1 The company shall document and communicate to all employees, contractors or
visitors the rules regarding the wearing of protective clothing in specified work
areas; for example, high-care or low-risk areas. This shall also include policies
relating to the wearing of protective clothing away from the production
Effective Date:
10/01/2020
Owner:
Matt Hollister
Document #:
GQR.Pro.58
Revision #:
7
Title:
Starbucks Guidelines for Food & Beverage Suppliers
This document is the property of Starbucks Coffee Company and may not be copied or disclosed to others without
authorization.
Printed copies are uncontrolled.
Page 18 of 55
environment; for example, removal before entering toilets, use of break areas and
smoking areas.
2.4.2 Protective clothing shall be designed to prevent contamination of the product; at
a minimum, containing no external pockets above the waist or sewn-on buttons.
2.4.3 Scalp and facial hair shall be fully contained to prevent product contamination in
food handling areas.
2.4.4 Laundering of protective clothing shall take place by an approved contractor or in-
house laundry using a validated process to remove pathogens of concern and
allergens.
2.4.5 If gloves are used, there should be a process in place to effectively manage their
condition so as not to pose any potential food safety risk to product. Where
appropriate, gloves shall be suitable for food use, of a disposable type, of a
distinctive color, be intact and not shed loose fibers.
2.5 Staff facilities
2.5.1 Personal items shall be stored separately from uniforms within the changing
areas. Accommodations shall be available to separate clean and dirty uniforms
(where applicable).
2.5.2 Shoes, including captive shoe wear, shall be stored in a manner to prevent
uniform and/or PPE contamination.
2.5.3 Toilets shall be segregated from production and shall not open directly into food
preparation, handling or storage areas.
2.5.4 Hand-washing shall be required upon entry into all production areas with exposed
food handling activities and at a frequency that is appropriate to minimize the risk
of product contamination.
2.5.5 Hand washing areas shall be provided at locations appropriate to facilitate good
hand washing practices. The hand washing facilities shall provide, at a minimum:
Sufficient quantity of water at a comfortable temperature
Soap
Hands-free single-use towels or suitably designed, maintained and placed
air driers
Hands-free sinks
Hand washing instructions
2.5.6 All changing rooms shall be adequately equipped and maintained to minimize the
risk of food contamination.
Effective Date:
10/01/2020
Owner:
Matt Hollister
Document #:
GQR.Pro.58
Revision #:
7
Title:
Starbucks Guidelines for Food & Beverage Suppliers
This document is the property of Starbucks Coffee Company and may not be copied or disclosed to others without
authorization.
Printed copies are uncontrolled.
Page 19 of 55
2.5.7 Where provided, in-house catering facilities shall be controlled to prevent
contamination of products and covered within internal audits.
2.5.8 Where an operation includes a high-risk or high-care area, personnel shall enter
via a clearly designated changing area, with arrangements to ensure that
protective clothing will not be contaminated before entry to the area. The
changing facilities shall incorporate the following requirements:
Clear instructions for the order of changing into dedicated protective
clothes to prevent the contamination of clean clothing
Dedicated (e.g. controlled via PRP or captive) footwear shall be worn in the
high-care and/or high-risk area. Footwear shall be maintained in a condition
that does not pose a contamination risk. Supplier shall maintain a
documented risk assessment for non-captive shoe wear program(s)
An effective system shall be provided to segregate areas for wearing high-
care and/or high-risk footwear from other footwear (for example, a barrier
or bench system) or there shall be an effective boot wash on entrance to
the high-care and/or high-risk area
Protective clothing shall be visually distinctive from that worn in lower risk
areas and shall not be worn outside of the high-care and/or high-risk area
Handwashing during the changing procedure shall be incorporated to
prevent contamination of the clean protective clothing
Upon entry to high-care and/or high-risk areas, handwashing and
disinfection shall be provided
2.5.9 Where smoking is permitted by law, designated controlled smoking areas shall be
provided which are both isolated from production areas to an extent that ensures
smoke cannot reach the product, and fitted with sufficient smoke removal
systems to the exterior of the building.
2.5.10 All personal food brought into manufacturing premises by staff shall be
appropriately stored in a clean and hygienic state. Personal food cannot be stored
in employee lockers or change rooms. No personal food shall be taken into
storage, processing or production areas. When designated outdoor eating areas
are permitted, the area shall be of suitable location and condition, with
appropriate control of waste.
2.5.11 There shall be a policy in place for the supplier’s Food Safety & Quality
department to inspect workers lockers on a regular basis at a minimum of once
every six months for food safety risk and conformance to this Standard. Records
shall be kept related to the execution of this program.
Effective Date:
10/01/2020
Owner:
Matt Hollister
Document #:
GQR.Pro.58
Revision #:
7
Title:
Starbucks Guidelines for Food & Beverage Suppliers
This document is the property of Starbucks Coffee Company and may not be copied or disclosed to others without
authorization.
Printed copies are uncontrolled.
Page 20 of 55
3 Facility and Equipment Control
3.1 External facility standards
3.1.1 The facility site shall be of suitable size, location, construction and design to
reduce the risk of contamination and facilitate the production of safe and legal
finished products.
3.1.2 External grounds shall be maintained in a clean and orderly manner and shall
conform to the requirements in the Pest Control section of this Standard.
3.1.3 Drainage shall be adequate to prevent ingress of water or other contaminants into
the facility.
3.1.4 Waste treatment and disposal must be adequate and maintained so they do not
constitute a source of contamination in areas where food is exposed and shall
conform to the requirements in the Waste/Waste Disposal section of this
Standard.
3.2 Layout, product flow and segregation
3.2.1 The product flow shall be arranged to prevent product contamination.
3.2.2 The premises shall allow sufficient working space and storage to enable all
operations to be carried out under hygienic conditions.
3.2.3 The flow of waste shall be organized to minimize product contamination.
3.2.4 If Ready-To-Eat (RTE) food is being manufactured in the facility, there shall be a
site plans/maps which designate the ways in which the risks are controlled in the
RTE areas. These maps need to reflect the following at a minimum:
Effective Date:
10/01/2020
Owner:
Matt Hollister
Document #:
GQR.Pro.58
Revision #:
7
Title:
Starbucks Guidelines for Food & Beverage Suppliers
This document is the property of Starbucks Coffee Company and may not be copied or disclosed to others without
authorization.
Printed copies are uncontrolled.
Page 21 of 55
Enclosed product areas
Low-risk production areas (containing only components/foods which are
shelf stable, do not normally support the growth of pathogens, and/or will
undergo a subsequent process step to control those risks)
High-care production areas, if applicable (containing only
components/foods which have undergone a process to reduce any
microbiological contamination; components/foods are considered ready-to-
eat and require temperature limits to control pathogen growth)
High-risk production areas, if applicable, (containing only components/foods
which have undergone a cooking or similar process to achieve a six-log
reduction for Listeria; components/foods are considered ready-to-eat and
require temperature limits to control pathogen growth)
Routes for personnel access
Routes for vehicle access
Air flow and drain flow risks
Production process flow (including raw materials and packaging)
Routes for the removal of waste
Routes for the movement of rework
3.2.5 There shall be a full description of the RTE areas designated as high risk and clear
procedures for hygienic zoning with regard to protecting the RTE areas from
unnecessary risks (e.g. foot and vehicle traffic, product, air flow, drains etc.)
3.2.6 If it is necessary to allow access across production areas, designated walkways
shall be provided which ensure there is adequate segregation from materials. All
production areas shall be designed and positioned, where possible, so that
movement of personnel is through simple, logical routes. The movement of waste
and rework shall not compromise the safety of products.
3.2.7 In low-risk areas, the process flow, along with the use of demonstrably effective
procedures, shall be in place to minimize the risk of the contamination of raw
materials, work-in-process products, packaging and finished products.
3.2.8 Where high-care areas are part of the manufacturing site, there should be
physical segregation such that separation is maintained between these areas and
other parts of the site. Segregation shall consider the flow of product, nature of
materials, equipment, personnel, waste, airflow, air quality and utilities provision.
Where physical barriers are not in place, the site shall have undertaken a full
evaluation of the risks of cross-contamination, and alternative effective processes
shall be in place to protect products from contamination.
Effective Date:
10/01/2020
Owner:
Matt Hollister
Document #:
GQR.Pro.58
Revision #:
7
Title:
Starbucks Guidelines for Food & Beverage Suppliers
This document is the property of Starbucks Coffee Company and may not be copied or disclosed to others without
authorization.
Printed copies are uncontrolled.
Page 22 of 55
3.2.9 Where high-risk areas are part of the manufacturing site, there shall be physical
segregation such that separation is maintained between these areas and other
parts of the site. Segregation shall take into account the flow of product, nature
of materials, equipment, personnel, waste, airflow, air quality and utilities
provision. The location of transfer points shall not compromise the segregation
between high-risk areas and other areas of the factory. Practices shall be in place
to minimize risk of product contamination.
3.2.10 Premises shall allow sufficient working space and storage capacity to enable all
operations to be carried out properly, under safe hygienic conditions.
3.3 Storage facilities
3.3.1 All facilities used for the storage of items related to Starbucks production shall be
clean, well-organized and suitable for purpose. All ingredients, packaging, in-
process product, and finished products shall be raised from the floor in a manner
that protects against product contamination, allows for cleaning and inspection,
covered when not in use, and away from the walls.
Temperature control of storage facilities shall conform to the requirements in the
Temperature control section of this Standard.
3.3.2 A risk assessment shall be developed to prevent relevant cross-contamination
during receiving, storage and handling activities, and practices shall ensure no
cross-contamination of product occurs during these operations.
3.3.3 Segregation shall be in place with regard to allergens and raw versus cooked
products. When vertical shelving or racks are used, product shall be protected
from overhead microbiological, chemical and physical contamination sources.
3.3.4 Raw Agricultural Commodities (RACs) shall have clear, physical segregation from
RTE food.
3.3.5 Based on applicable legislation, claims and customer requirements, Supplier shall
have procedures in place to manage Identity Preserved items, such as religion-
related programs (for example, Kosher or Halal), dietary preference
(vegetarian/non-vegetarian), or GM (genetic modification)/Non-GM.
3.3.6 Receiving documents, product identification, and facility design shall facilitate
correct stock rotation of raw materials, work-in-process products, and finished
products in storage. Materials shall be depleted in the correct order relative to
their manufacturing date or expiration date and within prescribed shelf lives.
3.3.7 Where the company employs third party contractors, all the requirements
specified in this section shall be clearly defined in the contract and verified, or the
contracted company shall be certificated to the GFSI Standard for Storage and
Distribution or a similar internationally recognized Standard.
Effective Date:
10/01/2020
Owner:
Matt Hollister
Document #:
GQR.Pro.58
Revision #:
7
Title:
Starbucks Guidelines for Food & Beverage Suppliers
This document is the property of Starbucks Coffee Company and may not be copied or disclosed to others without
authorization.
Printed copies are uncontrolled.
Page 23 of 55
3.4 Building infrastructure
3.4.1 The construction of the site, buildings and structure shall be suitable for the
intended purpose.
3.4.2 Walls shall be constructed, finished and maintained to prevent the accumulation
of dirt, minimize condensation and mold growth, and facilitate cleaning.
3.4.3 Wall/floor junctions shall be designed and maintained to facilitate cleaning.
Floors shall be suitable for the intended use and withstand cleaning materials and
methods. They shall be impervious and maintained in good repair.
3.4.4 Ceilings and overheads shall be constructed, finished and maintained to prevent
the accumulation of dirt and facilitate cleaning, and be made of a material suitable
for the production environment.
3.4.5 Where suspended ceilings or roof voids are present, adequate access to the void
shall be provided to facilitate inspection for pest activity, unless the void is fully
sealed and designed for permanent placement.
3.4.6 Where there is a risk to product, windows and rooftop ventilation shall be
adequately screened and covered to prevent the ingress of pests and any
contamination from outside.
3.4.7 All conduit or pipes used for the transport of food or raw materials shall be
designed to facilitate free flow and prevent product accumulation (for example,
within dead ends, cracks and crevices).
3.4.8 Drainage shall be located and designed to minimize risk to product safety and
enable effective cleaning. Drains shall flow away from high-risk and high-care
areas.
3.4.9 Suitable and sufficient lighting shall be provided for correct operation of
processes, inspection of product and effective cleaning.
3.4.10 Bulbs and strip lights shall be constructed of appropriate materials and protected
in product handling areas. Where full protection cannot be provided, alternative
management such as wire screens or monitoring procedures shall be in place.
3.4.11 Doors shall be maintained in good condition. External doors and dock levelers
shall be close-fitting or adequately sealed to prevent the ingress of environmental
concerns or pests.
3.4.12 Adequate ventilation and remediation shall be provided in product storage and
processing environments to control condensation or excessive dust.
3.4.13 Location of exposed ventilation, heating and cooling equipment shall facilitate
cleaning and maintenance and shall not pose a risk to food safety.
3.4.14 Screened or filtered air and positive pressure systems shall be in place in high-risk
and high-care areas and adequately maintained, unless a documented risk
Effective Date:
10/01/2020
Owner:
Matt Hollister
Document #:
GQR.Pro.58
Revision #:
7
Title:
Starbucks Guidelines for Food & Beverage Suppliers
This document is the property of Starbucks Coffee Company and may not be copied or disclosed to others without
authorization.
Printed copies are uncontrolled.
Page 24 of 55
assessment demonstrates that these systems would not provide additional
protection or would potentially increase risk.
3.5 Pest Control
3.5.1 The company shall either contract the services of a licensed pest control
organization or shall have a certified pest control operator on staff, for the regular
inspection and treatment of the site to deter and eradicate infestation. Training
records and certificates, when applicable, shall be in place to demonstrate their
competency.
3.5.2 Qualified pest control activities shall be conducted on at least a monthly basis.
3.5.3 Toxic bait is prohibited for use in the building interior. Any toxic bait stored on
the premises must be stored securely, with access to designated individuals only
and tracked with an inventory control log.
3.5.4 Pest control documentation and records shall be maintained. This shall include, at
a minimum:
An up-to-date plan of the full site identifying numbered pest control device
locations
Identification of the baits and/or monitoring devices on site
Clearly defined responsibilities for site management and for the contractor
Details of pest control products used, including instructions for their
effective use and action to be taken in case of emergencies
Any observed pest activity
Details of pest control treatments undertaken, including quantities and
locations applied
Trend analysis, recommendations and actions taken to prevent
reoccurrence
Electric insect light devices and/or pheromone traps shall be correctly
located and operational; electric insect electrocuting devices may not be
located in processing areas, storage areas or passages used for movement
of food, packaging material, processing equipment or tools
3.5.5 An in-depth, documented pest control verification shall be undertaken at a
frequency based on risk, but, at minimum, quarterly, by a pest control expert and
supplier representative to review the pest control measures in place.
3.5.6 In the event of infestation, or evidence of pest activity, action shall be taken to
eliminate the hazard based on predetermined actionable limits. Any potentially
affected products should be quarantined in a manner that adequately protects
unaffected product, and subject to the nonconforming product procedure. All
Effective Date:
10/01/2020
Owner:
Matt Hollister
Document #:
GQR.Pro.58
Revision #:
7
Title:
Starbucks Guidelines for Food & Beverage Suppliers
This document is the property of Starbucks Coffee Company and may not be copied or disclosed to others without
authorization.
Printed copies are uncontrolled.
Page 25 of 55
actions shall be clearly documented, signed and dated by the individual
performing the work.
3.6 Equipment
3.6.1 All food processing equipment shall be suitable for the intended purpose, shall be
constructed of appropriate materials, and not pose a risk to food quality or safety.
3.6.2 The design and placement of equipment shall ensure it can be effectively cleaned
and maintained. Inaccessible voids, unsanitary welds, and/or poorly maintained
surfaces are examples of equipment design risks that could lead to microbial
harborage.
3.6.3 Equipment or structures in direct contact with food or over food shall pose no risk
to food quality or safety and meet legal requirements, where applicable.
3.6.4 Produce Washing Equipment (raw produce processing only)
Equipment for washing produce shall be designed and intended for the produce
type (brush washers, agitating flumes, immersion aids, etc.).
Monitoring devices shall be calibrated per the Calibration and Control of
Measuring and Monitoring Devices section of this Standard and adequately
maintained to ensure continuous accuracy, as per manufacturer’s instructions.
Cutting knife, peeling knife blades, conveyer belts and cutting boards used for
processing produce shall be cleaned, sanitized, and inspected for physical
damage at defined intervals.
3.7 Maintenance
3.7.1 All equipment shall be adequately maintained, serviced and operated to produce
safe products.
3.7.2 A documented system of planned maintenance shall be in place covering all items
of equipment which are critical to product safety and quality.
3.7.3 In addition to any planned maintenance program, where there is a risk of product
contamination by foreign bodies arising from equipment damage, the equipment
shall be inspected at predetermined intervals, inspection results documented, and
appropriate actions taken.
3.7.4 In case of issues, technical support shall be immediately available; for example, a
minimum of one maintenance employee on site during production.
3.7.5 The site shall maintain a spare parts library or ensure that spare parts can be
obtained in a timely manner for all equipment which is critical to product safety.
3.7.6 Maintenance and construction activities shall be carried out in a manner to
minimize the risk of contamination of products.
Effective Date:
10/01/2020
Owner:
Matt Hollister
Document #:
GQR.Pro.58
Revision #:
7
Title:
Starbucks Guidelines for Food & Beverage Suppliers
This document is the property of Starbucks Coffee Company and may not be copied or disclosed to others without
authorization.
Printed copies are uncontrolled.
Page 26 of 55
3.7.7 Lubricating oil and paints shall be suitable for the intended use; food grade, where
applicable.
Chemicals used for maintenance activities shall conform to the requirements in
the Chemical contaminant control section of this Standard.
3.7.8 All water systems must be protected against backflow. Backflow prevention
devices shall be installed on all water and steam lines in the processing facility and
tested annually.
3.7.9 Where temporary repairs are made, processes and materials shall be controlled to
ensure the safety or legality of product is not jeopardized; for example, no tape,
cardboard, string, etc. All temporary repairs shall indicate a date and the initials of
the individual making the temporary repair. These temporary measures shall be
permanently repaired as soon as practical, and within a defined timeline.
3.7.10 Planned construction shall include a documented review of construction activities
prior to those activities to ensure product protection is maintained. Temporary
structures constructed during building work or refurbishment, etc., shall be
designed/located to avoid pest harborage and ensure product safety & quality.
3.7.11 Engineering workshops shall be kept clean and tidy and controls shall be in place
to prevent contamination risks to the product. Equipment and storage areas shall
be elevated up from the floor to facilitate inspection and cleaning.
3.7.12 Outside contractors and engineers involved in the maintenance or repair activities
shall be made aware of, and adhere to, the site hygiene standards.
3.7.13 Tools used in high-risk and high-care areas shall be dedicated to that area or shall
be decontaminated upon entry to the area.
3.7.14 Maintenance work shall be followed by a documented hygiene clearance
procedure that ensures product contamination hazards have been removed from
machinery and equipment. Upon completion of any maintenance work,
machinery and equipment shall be cleaned and free from contamination hazards
and verified by the QA department before production is resumed.
3.7.15 A system shall be in place to ensure that all parts removed and all tools used
during maintenance are accounted for following completion of maintenance
activities.
3.7.16 Inoperable, defective, or inaccurate equipment shall be documented in a
maintenance log and tagged (segregated, when possible) to avoid accidental use.
3.8 Chemical contaminant control
3.8.1 Processes shall be in place to manage the use, storage and handling of chemicals
to prevent chemical contamination. These shall include, at a minimum:
Effective Date:
10/01/2020
Owner:
Matt Hollister
Document #:
GQR.Pro.58
Revision #:
7
Title:
Starbucks Guidelines for Food & Beverage Suppliers
This document is the property of Starbucks Coffee Company and may not be copied or disclosed to others without
authorization.
Printed copies are uncontrolled.
Page 27 of 55
An approved list of chemicals for purchase
Availability of safety data sheets (SDS; formerly, MSDS) and specifications
Confirmation of suitability for use in a food processing environment
Absence of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) containing maintenance
chemicals during production
The labelling and/or identification of containers of chemicals at all times
Segregated and secure storage with restricted access to authorized
personnel
Segregation of food-contact and non-food-contact chemicals
Chemical inventory records
Procedures for use by trained personnel only
3.8.2 Where strongly scented or taint-forming materials must be used, e.g. for building
work, procedures shall be in place to prevent the risk of product contamination.
4 Environmental Control and Sanitation
Suppliers of ready to eat (RTE) foods shall have a documented Environmental Control and
Monitoring policy for controlling post processing environmental pathogens, such as
Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella, which can either be a standalone document or
may be incorporated into assembler’s food safety standard.
The policy shall be signed by the person with overall responsibility for the site.
Evidence must show the policy has been effectively communicated to all staff.
The Environmental control and monitoring policy shall have clear objectives,
targets and measures of success which are monitored and reported at a defined
frequency.
4.1 Cleaning and sanitation
4.1.1 Housekeeping and cleaning systems shall be in place which ensure appropriate
standards of hygiene are maintained at all times and the risk of product
contamination is minimized.
4.1.2 There shall be a master sanitation plan, which covers all production and storage
areas, for which records are kept regarding the appropriate execution of the plan.
4.1.3 Documented cleaning procedures shall be in place and maintained for the
building, plant and all equipment. Cleaning procedures shall, at a minimum,
describe:
Effective Date:
10/01/2020
Owner:
Matt Hollister
Document #:
GQR.Pro.58
Revision #:
7
Title:
Starbucks Guidelines for Food & Beverage Suppliers
This document is the property of Starbucks Coffee Company and may not be copied or disclosed to others without
authorization.
Printed copies are uncontrolled.
Page 28 of 55
Personnel responsible for cleaning activities
Item/area to be cleaned
Frequency of cleaning
Method of cleaning, including dismantling equipment for cleaning purposes,
where required
Cleaning chemical and concentrations
Cleaning materials to be used
Cleaning records and responsibility for verification
Frequencies and methods for cleaning based upon risk
4.1.4 All chemicals shall be applied according to prescribed directions and verified for
adequacy, e.g. concentration, quantities, application intended use, and regulatory
requirements, at a frequency appropriate to use and risk.
4.1.5 The resources for undertaking cleaning shall be available. Where it is necessary to
dismantle equipment for cleaning purposes or to enter large equipment for
cleaning, this shall be appropriately scheduled and, where necessary, planned for
non-production periods.
4.1.6 The effectiveness of the cleaning procedures and practices shall be clearly defined
based on:
Potential hazards (limits of acceptable and unacceptable microbiological
and allergen levels),
Verified through post-sanitation visual hygiene audits and swabbing
programs (ATP bioluminescence sampling, microbiological sampling,
allergen protein swabbing, or chemical testing, as appropriate), and
Documentation of verification. Records shall be used to identify trends in
cleaning performance and instigate improvements where required.
4.1.7 Cleaning equipment shall be fit for purpose, suitably identified for intended use
(e.g. color-coded and/or labeled), cleaned, sanitized and stored in a hygienic
manner to prevent contamination.
4.1.8 Cleaning equipment used to remove allergens shall either be identifiable and
specific for allergen use, single-use, or effectively cleaned after use.
4.1.9 There shall be a maintenance program for sanitation equipment to ensure good
working condition of all sanitation equipment and utensils. The maintenance
program shall conform to the Maintenance section of this Standard.
Effective Date:
10/01/2020
Owner:
Matt Hollister
Document #:
GQR.Pro.58
Revision #:
7
Title:
Starbucks Guidelines for Food & Beverage Suppliers
This document is the property of Starbucks Coffee Company and may not be copied or disclosed to others without
authorization.
Printed copies are uncontrolled.
Page 29 of 55
4.1.10 Equipment used for cleaning in high-care and high-risk areas shall be dedicated for
use in that area.
4.1.11 Clean-in-place (CIP) equipment, where used, must be validated to be effective and
accounted for in the sanitation program and fully documented, and records kept.
4.1.12 Clean-out of-place (COP) equipment, where used, must be validated to be
effective and accounted for in the sanitation program and fully documented, and
records kept.
4.1.13 Dry cleaning techniques (vacuum cleaning or squeegees) shall be used during in-
production cleaning to minimize the risk of cross-contamination through aerosols.
4.1.14 Condensation or dripping resulting from cleaning activities must be identified and
steps shall be taken to dry and sanitize affected areas before production starts.
4.2 Environmental Monitoring Program (EMP)
4.2.1 Starbucks RTE Food Suppliers shall define an Environmental Monitoring Program
(EMP) Team. This team is responsible for developing, reviewing and updating the
facility EMP at a predetermined frequency.
4.2.2 Documented environmental monitoring procedures shall be in place, maintained,
and updated at a risk-based frequency for all RTE food facilities. Procedures shall,
at a minimum include:
A documented risk assessment to identify pathogens of concern and
validate sampling frequency, based on product and process type(s) for each
facility.
Sampling sites, broken down by zones (1 through 4), shall be clearly defined
via a comprehensive list of sites/areas to be sampled,
Number of samples to be taken and a schedule that clearly identifies the
frequency of sampling in all locations;
Map(s) with location descriptions that correlate to the list of sampling
sites/areas
All sampling sites shall be sampled in rotation to cover the sites/areas in a
specified timeframe.
Records shall be maintained demonstrating site/area sampling compliance
with the supplier’s documented risk-based frequency.
Corrective action plans and associated records for pathogen-positive swabs
and when limits are exceeded
Responsible individuals and method of sampling and testing; if using an
external laboratory, they must be accredited to ISO 17025 standards
Effective Date:
10/01/2020
Owner:
Matt Hollister
Document #:
GQR.Pro.58
Revision #:
7
Title:
Starbucks Guidelines for Food & Beverage Suppliers
This document is the property of Starbucks Coffee Company and may not be copied or disclosed to others without
authorization.
Printed copies are uncontrolled.
Page 30 of 55
A facility map indicating the location of all positive pathogen sites in the
past three (3) years shall be used for trending and corrective actions.
Monitored risks through this program dually considered within the facility’s
Preventive Control plan
4.2.3 If Listeria is considered to be a risk in the facility shall use Listeria spp. as an
indicator for increasing the likelihood of finding Listeria monocytogenes niches.
4.2.4 If Salmonella is considered to be a risk in the facility, including potential ingredient
risk, Supplier shall include that testing in its environmental monitoring program.
4.2.5 Operational sampling of zones shall occur at a minimum designated time (e.g. four
hours), after the onset of production. When equipment cannot be accessed for
operational sampling, it shall be performed at the end of production, prior to
cleaning, or when the equipment is idle. Additionally:
Sampling shall be performed across all production shifts on a rotating
schedule.
After swabbing Zone 1 surfaces(s) or collecting food samples for pathogen
or Listeria spp. testing, the food processing line(s) shall be cleaned and
sanitized prior to beginning production of new batch and any implicated
product shall treated as nonconforming material pending results.
Procedures shall include steps to prevent cross-contamination of samples.
4.2.6 The facility shall have procedures for collecting and handling samples that defines
the following:
Samples shall be taken by trained and designated individual(s)
When possible, swabs shall be taken from cleanest (Zones 1 and 2) to
dirtiest (Zones 3 or 4) area [Please refer to GMA guidance document
“Listeria monocytogenes Guidance on Environmental Monitoring and
Corrective Actions in At-risk Foods” for definition of zones].
Minimum sampling area shall be defined for large surfaces. Ex/ 12x12
inches.
For small or irregularly shaped areas, the entire surface area shall be
sampled.
Sample swabs shall be held refrigerated and tested within 24 hours. If
sample swabs are routinely held at refrigeration temperatures for longer
than 24 hours, evidence of validation that this practice will not affect results
shall be in place.
Under exceptional circumstances, swabs may be held refrigerated and
tested within 48 hours of sampling. Exceptional circumstances include
swabs taken in a weekend/holiday.
Effective Date:
10/01/2020
Owner:
Matt Hollister
Document #:
GQR.Pro.58
Revision #:
7
Title:
Starbucks Guidelines for Food & Beverage Suppliers
This document is the property of Starbucks Coffee Company and may not be copied or disclosed to others without
authorization.
Printed copies are uncontrolled.
Page 31 of 55
The facility shall be compliant with sampling guidelines from applicable
regulatory agencies, depending on jurisdiction.
4.2.7 Swab results shall be reviewed by a competent, designated individual upon
receiving data from the lab.
While testing zone 1 or foods for Listeria spp. or pathogens, Starbucks
products associated with that line(s) shall be released only upon receiving
confirmation of negative results.
Positive results shall be handled in accordance with the Non-conforming
product section of this Standard. Starbucks QA shall be notified
immediately upon receiving positive results for Listeria spp. or any other
pathogens on zone 1 surface(s) or in Starbucks products. Decisions and
associated actions shall be documented and communicated to the Starbucks
QA team. For positives found in zone 1, the plan shall require the
destruction of contaminated product.
All EMP data shall be trended using a facility map, or some similar system,
to facilitate risk management.
Any corrective actions shall be full documented
4.2.8 EMP Special Circumstances (Planned/Unplanned Events)
Facility shall have clearly defined written procedures to be followed in
response to planned or unplanned events. Special circumstances include
construction, water leaks, natural disasters, major equipment breakdown,
equipment installation, etc.
The sampling frequency, site and number of swabs shall be altered in
response to planned or unplanned event(s).
The EMP team shall review the situation and decide if it is appropriate to
revert to routine sampling.
All corrective actions (as per normal protocol) shall be followed in response
to Listeria positive(s).
4.2.9 EMP Corrective and Preventive Action:
4.2.9.1 RTE food suppliers shall have a documented corrective action plan for the
facility EMP.
4.2.9.2 Responses to Listeria spp. or Salmonella positives for zones 1 to 4 in
suppliers supplying RTE foods.:
Immediate actions shall be taken upon finding environmental
pathogens, including vectoring, cleaning and sanitation.
Effective Date:
10/01/2020
Owner:
Matt Hollister
Document #:
GQR.Pro.58
Revision #:
7
Title:
Starbucks Guidelines for Food & Beverage Suppliers
This document is the property of Starbucks Coffee Company and may not be copied or disclosed to others without
authorization.
Printed copies are uncontrolled.
Page 32 of 55
4.2.9.3 Sanitation, GMP, and maintenance records shall be examined by the
environmental control team as part of the Investigation.
Repeated positive results (three or more) in the same area shall
require a documented root cause analysis and appropriate follow-up
and corrective actions.
Sampling frequencies shall be increased, until achieving a minimum of
3 consecutive negative swab results.
Environmental control team shall review sanitary design(s) of
equipment(s), process flow and history of sampling results for
reoccurring positive(s).
The facility shall document the destruction of contaminated products
(Zone 1 only).
Investigational re-samplings (including vectoring) shall be performed
in response to environmental pathogen positive(s). They shall be
based on a documented risk assessment of the sample site/area.
Swabs from investigational sampling shall not be composited.
4.2.9.4 The environmental monitoring team shall examine historical results from
the affected site to analyze trends and patterns to identify the root cause
of Listeria spp. positive(s).
4.2.9.5 Actions shall be clear, assigned to suitably competent persons able to
address the immediate issue, and designed to prevent recurrence.
4.2.9.6 Action completion timelines should reflect prioritization based on food
safety and quality risks identified.
4.2.9.7 A documented verification plan shall be in place to ensure that actions are
implemented and are effective.
4.3 Utilities – water, ice, air and other gases
4.3.1 All water used as a raw material in the manufacture of processed food, the
preparation of product, or for equipment or plant cleaning shall be supplied in
sufficient volume and pressure, be potable at point of use, and pose no risk of
contamination, according to applicable legislation and regulations.
4.3.2 The microbiological and chemical quality of water shall be analyzed at least
annually. Microbiological and chemical contaminant limits shall be documented
and based on local, state, or national standards for safety and potability.
4.3.3 An up-to-date plan shall be available of the water distribution system on site,
including holding tanks, water treatment and water recycling, as appropriate. The
plan shall be used as a basis for water sampling and the management of water
quality.
Effective Date:
10/01/2020
Owner:
Matt Hollister
Document #:
GQR.Pro.58
Revision #:
7
Title:
Starbucks Guidelines for Food & Beverage Suppliers
This document is the property of Starbucks Coffee Company and may not be copied or disclosed to others without
authorization.
Printed copies are uncontrolled.
Page 33 of 55
4.3.4 Air, other gases and steam used directly in contact with or as an ingredient in
products and food contact surfaces shall be food grade and monitored to ensure
this does not represent a contamination risk. Compressed air used directly in
contact with the product shall be filtered and tested for chemical and biological
contaminants, including supplier-defined limits, annually.
5 Commercialization and Supplier Approval
5.1 Product design and development
5.1.1 The supplier shall have a written product development procedure that provides
clear guidelines on any restrictions to the scope of new product developments to
control the introduction of hazards, which would be unacceptable to the supplier
or customers (for example, the introduction of allergens, glass packaging or
microbiological risks).
5.1.2 All new products, raw materials and changes to product formulation, packaging or
methods of processing shall be formally approved by the Preventive Control team
leader or authorized food safety preventive control committee member prior to
use within the facility.
5.1.3 Trials using production equipment shall be carried out where it is necessary to
verify that product formulation and manufacturing processes are capable of
producing a safe product of the required quality.
5.1.4 Shelf-life trials shall be undertaken using documented protocols reflecting
conditions experienced during storage and handling. Results shall be recorded
and retained and shall be supported by relevant microbiological, chemical and
organoleptic data. Shelf-life studies shall incorporate predictable abuse
(storage/handling/temperature). Where shelf-life trials prior to production are
impractical, for instance, for some long-life product, a documented science-based
justification for the assigned shelf life shall be produced.
5.1.5 All products shall be labeled to meet legal requirements for the designated
country of use and shall include information to allow the safe handling, display,
storage, preparation and use of the product within the food supply chain or by the
customer. There shall be a process to verify that ingredient and allergen labeling
is correct for each lot produced based on the product recipe. Label review for
compliance shall be documented, signed and dated by the responsible individual.
Documentation of review may be electronic or physical.
5.1.6 Where a product is designed to enable a claim to be made to satisfy a consumer
group (for example, a nutritional claim, reduced sugar), the supplier shall ensure
that the product formulation and production process is fully validated to meet the
stated claim and the claim meets all appropriate regulatory requirements.
5.2 Finished product specifications
Effective Date:
10/01/2020
Owner:
Matt Hollister
Document #:
GQR.Pro.58
Revision #:
7
Title:
Starbucks Guidelines for Food & Beverage Suppliers
This document is the property of Starbucks Coffee Company and may not be copied or disclosed to others without
authorization.
Printed copies are uncontrolled.
Page 34 of 55
5.2.1 Starbucks formatted specifications shall be available for all Starbucks branded
finished products. In the case of third-party branded products, specifications shall
include key data to meet legal requirements and assist the customer in the safe
usage of the product.
5.2.2 Changes to Starbucks Coffee Company’s finished products specifications,
associated processes, food contact packaging or ingredients shall not be made
without the approval of Starbuck’s assigned authority.
5.3 Supplier approval and performance monitoring
5.3.1 The supplier shall have a documented, risk-based supplier approval program and
ongoing monitoring procedures to ensure that suppliers are manufacturing
products using appropriate food safety controls, effectively manage risks to raw
material quality and safety, and are operating effective traceability processes.
The approval and monitoring procedure shall be based on a combination of the
following, based on risk:
Supplier audits
Third party audits or certification (for example, GFSI-certified programs)
Supplier questionnaires
5.3.2 The procedures shall define how exceptions are handled; e.g. where products are
purchased from agents and a direct audit or monitoring has not been undertaken
or where production schedules necessitate a truncated approval process.
5.3.3 The supplier shall be able to demonstrate that materials are only purchased from
approved sources.
5.3.4 Contracts or formal agreements shall exist with all service providers, e.g. pest
control, laundering services, outside laboratories, waste management providers,
contractors, which clearly define service expectations and ensure potential food
safety risks associated with the service have been addressed. Service providers
shall conform to the Personnel section of this Standard, where applicable.
5.3.5 All suppliers and service providers shall be periodically reassessed. The frequency
of this reassessment shall be based on a risk assessment of the supplier and
materials supplied.
5.3.6 Where approval is based on questionnaires, these shall be reissued at a minimum
frequency of every three years and suppliers will be required to notify the site of
any significant changes in the interim.
5.3.7 Consideration shall also be given to the significance of a raw material on the food
safety and quality of the final product. The risk assessment shall form the basis
for the raw material acceptance and testing procedure, and for the processes
adopted for supplier approval and monitoring.
Effective Date:
10/01/2020
Owner:
Matt Hollister
Document #:
GQR.Pro.58
Revision #:
7
Title:
Starbucks Guidelines for Food & Beverage Suppliers
This document is the property of Starbucks Coffee Company and may not be copied or disclosed to others without
authorization.
Printed copies are uncontrolled.
Page 35 of 55
5.3.8 If supplier monitoring activities identify deficiencies, relevant actions shall be
defined, implemented, verified for their effectiveness and documented.
5.3.9 Incoming produce shall be purchased from a supplier/packer with current,
internationally recognized GAP certification (e.g. Harmonized GAP, GLOBAL GAP,
GFSI GAP programs) and compliant with all applicable local/international
regulatory requirements. For example:
Produce grown within or imported into the US shall also comply to the
provisions of US FDA Food Safety Modernization Act.
Importers of produce to Canada for use by Starbucks in Canada will be
licensed by CFIA under the Safe Foods for Canadians Regulations and will
have an Importer Preventive Controls Program in place.
5.4 Raw material and packaging specifications
5.4.1 Ingredient and primary packaging specifications shall be available, adequate,
accurate and demonstrate compliance to relevant finished good specification and
regulatory requirements.
5.4.2 Raw material specifications and procedures shall, at a minimum, include:
Conformance to food grade standards for all food contact packaging
specifications
Compliance with relevant food safety requirement, e.g. relevant federal,
state, local and provincial regulatory requirements, as well as all
components of this document for all raw material specifications
Approval of all changes to food contact packaging or raw materials used for
Starbucks’ product by a Starbucks’ assigned authority.
5.5 Outsourcing and use of co-manufacturers
5.5.1 The supplier shall ensure that approval and monitoring of subcontractors
conforms to the Supplier approval and performance monitoring section of this
Standard.
5.5.2 Starbucks shall be notified prior to initiation of any subcontracted manufacturing.
Documented approval by Starbucks FSQ representative(s) shall be maintained.
5.5.3 The supplier shall establish inspection and test procedures for outsourced product
upon return, including visual, chemical and/or microbiological testing, dependent
on risk assessment.
5.5.4 Any outsourced processing operations shall:
Effective Date:
10/01/2020
Owner:
Matt Hollister
Document #:
GQR.Pro.58
Revision #:
7
Title:
Starbucks Guidelines for Food & Beverage Suppliers
This document is the property of Starbucks Coffee Company and may not be copied or disclosed to others without
authorization.
Printed copies are uncontrolled.
Page 36 of 55
Be undertaken in accordance with established contracts which clearly define
any processing requirements and product specification
Undergo annual audits by the supplier and/or maintain a GFSI certification
for that facility
Maintain product traceability
6 Product & Process Control
Product and process controls shall be risk based, including documented risk assessments
to determine where and which controls are needed to mitigate identified risks.
6.1 Control of operations
6.1.1 Documented risk-based process specifications and work instructions shall be
available for the processes in the production of products to ensure product safety,
legality and quality. The specifications, as appropriate, shall include, but are not
limited to:
Recipes – including identification of any allergens
Mixing instructions, speed, time
Equipment process settings
Cooking times and temperatures
Cooling times and temperatures
Labeling instructions
Coding and shelf-life marking
Any additional control points
6.1.2 Process monitoring, such as temperature, time, pressure and chemical properties,
shall be implemented, adequately controlled and recorded to ensure that product
is produced within the required process specification.
6.1.3 In circumstances where process parameters are controlled by in-line monitoring
devices, these shall be linked to a suitable failure alert system that is routinely
tested.
6.1.4 Where variation in processing conditions may occur within equipment critical to
the safety or quality of products, the processing characteristics shall be validated
at a frequency based on risk and performance of equipment (for example, heat
distribution in retorts, ovens and processing vessels; temperature distribution in
freezers and cold storage).
6.1.5 In the case of equipment failure or deviation of the process from specification,
procedures shall be in place to isolate impacted product and establish the safety
Effective Date:
10/01/2020
Owner:
Matt Hollister
Document #:
GQR.Pro.58
Revision #:
7
Title:
Starbucks Guidelines for Food & Beverage Suppliers
This document is the property of Starbucks Coffee Company and may not be copied or disclosed to others without
authorization.
Printed copies are uncontrolled.
Page 37 of 55
status and quality of the product to determine the action to be taken, undertake a
root cause analysis and correct the problem with full documentation.
6.1.6 Documented checks of the production line shall be carried out before
commencing production and following changes of product. These shall ensure
that lines have been suitably cleaned, are in good operating condition, and are
ready for production.
Documented checks shall be carried out at product changes to ensure all products
and printed packaging from the previous production lot have been removed from
the line before changing to the next production lot.
Packaging which is integral to the process or equipment (e.g. the food contact
layer of a multi-layer film), that does not contain customer-facing printing, AND
which includes preventive controls to ensure contamination and mislabeling risks
are controlled (e.g. aseptic packaging) may be allowed to remain on the line
during changeovers.
6.1.7 Documented procedures shall be in place to ensure that products are packed into
the correct packaging and correctly labeled for each production run. These shall
include:
Label and packaging verifications at the START of packing (first label
applied),
Label and packaging checks during the packaging run, using a
documented, risk-based frequency
Verifications following packaging changes and when changing
batches/rolls of packaging materials
Label and packaging verifications at the END of packing (last label
applied),
The procedures shall also include verification of any code information or
other printing carried out offline (e.g. in print/label rooms).
6.1.8 Supplier facilities that have initiated more than one (1) Starbucks-related recall for
mislabeling in the last 3 years shall install validated automated label control
systems, such as traditional barcode scanners, 2D/QR code scanners, HD camera
label scanners, or other vision systems, on line(s) associated with those failures.
6.1.9 Produce Processing Controls (PRODUCE PROCESSORS ONLY)
6.1.9.1 Damaged, bruised, and decaying produce shall be sorted and discarded
prior to processing.
Effective Date:
10/01/2020
Owner:
Matt Hollister
Document #:
GQR.Pro.58
Revision #:
7
Title:
Starbucks Guidelines for Food & Beverage Suppliers
This document is the property of Starbucks Coffee Company and may not be copied or disclosed to others without
authorization.
Printed copies are uncontrolled.
Page 38 of 55
6.1.9.2 Produce Washing Controls:
Produce washing systems shall be validated based on industry standards,
scientific research, and/or manufacturer’s recommendations to ensure
they can meet the following parameters:
o Manufacturer’s recommended throughput of the washing unit shall be
factored in for validating the wash process.
o Sanitizer/sanitizing solutions approved for intended use shall not
require a potable rinse step and shall also conform to any applicable
local or international regulatory requirements.
o Produce washing facilities shall only use produce sanitizers that are
legally approved for use in that region/country:
Facilities located within the United States shall use sanitizers
that are only listed in 21CFR173.315. Moreover, only chlorine
and/or PAA type process water sanitizers shall be used for
produce washing.
If the facility in the US is interested in using any other sanitizer
type, they shall communicate this change to Starbucks FSQ and
Starbucks shall evaluate the viability of this change.
o Sanitizer concentration shall be maintained as per sanitizer
manufacturer’s recommendations either with inline monitoring and/or
periodic manual testing via test strips and/or titration methods.
Where test strips are used, titration methods shall also be used
to verify test strips. Test strips may verify in line monitoring.
Where periodic manual testing is done, cadence of manual
testing shall be based on risk assessment.
o Appropriate minimum dwell time in wash system shall be defined and
shall be based on legal limits and the sanitizer manufacturer’s
recommendations.
o Wash water temperature shall be appropriate for the commodity and
shall be based on the sanitizer type. Water temperature shall be
monitored continuously or at documented intervals and adequately
maintained.
o Wash water shall be evaluated for turbidity (e.g. via turbidimeter, visual
comparison to a set standard, measurement of ATP bioluminescence) at
predetermined intervals and with defined thresholds to assess water
replacement frequency.
o Proper agitation shall be included in wash flumes including air or water
jets or submersion wheels.
o Washed produce shall have an adequate de-watering period post-
washing.
Effective Date:
10/01/2020
Owner:
Matt Hollister
Document #:
GQR.Pro.58
Revision #:
7
Title:
Starbucks Guidelines for Food & Beverage Suppliers
This document is the property of Starbucks Coffee Company and may not be copied or disclosed to others without
authorization.
Printed copies are uncontrolled.
Page 39 of 55
6.1.9.3 Incoming produce with higher soil and debris load shall receive an
additional wash and may be minimally scrubbed to minimize
contamination.
o This includes produce that contacts soil directly/indirectly while growing
and/or harvesting.
o Any produce with excessive soil loads which are unlikely to be removed
via normal washing shall be graded out and discarded.
6.1.9.4 There shall be a clearly defined policy for initiating corrective actions in
response to deviation(s) to the scheduled wash process. Deviations shall
be addressed, tracked properly and measures shall be taken to prevent
them from reoccurring.
6.1.9.5 There shall be a clearly defined policy for handling produce that has been
washed with inappropriate sanitizer concentrations. They shall be placed
on hold and discarded.
6.1.10 Produce Post-Washing Controls:
6.1.10.1 Post-wash, RTE produce shall be visually inspected to verify absence of soil
and/or organic material.
6.1.10.2 Where initial wash does not effectively remove all visible soil/debris, cut
produce shall receive an additional wash.
6.1.10.3 Produce temperature should be monitored post-wash to ensure any
produce temperature increase during washing is reduced to <41F/5C as
quickly as possible (ideally, within 2 hours). Where produce temperature is
not monitored post-wash, appropriate controls shall be in place and
verified to ensure produce/product temperature is maintained properly.
6.1.10.4 Post-wash, produce shall have a defined shelf life to be incorporated into
final product and this shall be validated via shelf-life testing.
6.2 Temperature Control
6.2.1 All temperature recording equipment shall be in good operating condition and
conform to the requirements in the Calibration and Control of Measuring and
Monitoring Devices section of this Standard.
6.2.2 Where temperature control is required, the temperature shall be monitored and
documented at an appropriate frequency to ensure adequate processing.
6.2.3 All temperature control equipment shall be checked on an on-going basis. Where
temperature recording equipment is used, this shall be linked to a failure alert
system which alerts the management. Action and/or verification records shall be
available.
Effective Date:
10/01/2020
Owner:
Matt Hollister
Document #:
GQR.Pro.58
Revision #:
7
Title:
Starbucks Guidelines for Food & Beverage Suppliers
This document is the property of Starbucks Coffee Company and may not be copied or disclosed to others without
authorization.
Printed copies are uncontrolled.
Page 40 of 55
6.2.4 All food and food handling/storage areas shall be kept at a temperature to ensure
that the product maintains its safety and quality throughout its shelf life.
6.3 Quantity – Weight, Volume and Number Control
6.3.1 The supplier shall operate a quantity control system which conforms to legal
requirements in the country where the product is sold and any additional industry
sector codes or specified customer requirement.
6.3.2 The frequency and methodology of quantity checking shall meet the requirements
of appropriate legislation governing quantity verification, and records of checks
shall be maintained.
6.3.3 Where the quantity of the product is not governed by legislative requirements (for
example, bulk product), the product must conform to Starbucks requirements and
records shall be maintained.
6.4 Calibration and control of measuring and monitoring devices
6.4.1 Equipment shall be readable and be of a suitable accuracy for the measurements
it is required to perform. All identified measuring devices, including new
equipment, shall be calibrated at a predetermined frequency based on risk
assessment and to a defined method traceable to a recognized national or
international standard, where possible. Where a traceable calibration is not
possible, the supplier shall demonstrate the method and rationale of the
standardization carried out.
Results shall be documented and if calibration is outsourced, calibration
certificates must be available.
6.4.2 Equipment shall be labeled with identification codes and calibration due dates.
The company shall have documented procedures that include:
A documented list of equipment and its location
Identification of equipment used to monitor CCP
Methods for prevention from adjustment by unauthorized staff
Methods for protection from damage, deterioration or misuse
6.4.3 Verification procedures shall be in place to ensure equipment is of a suitable
accuracy for the measurements it is required to perform. Frequency of
verification checks shall be based on risk assessment.
6.4.4 Procedures shall be in place to record actions to be taken when the prescribed
measuring and monitoring devices are found not to be operating within specified
limits.
Where the safety or legality of products is based on equipment found to be
inaccurate, action shall to be taken to ensure at-risk product is not offered for
Effective Date:
10/01/2020
Owner:
Matt Hollister
Document #:
GQR.Pro.58
Revision #:
7
Title:
Starbucks Guidelines for Food & Beverage Suppliers
This document is the property of Starbucks Coffee Company and may not be copied or disclosed to others without
authorization.
Printed copies are uncontrolled.
Page 41 of 55
sale. Non-compliant equipment must comply with maintenance requirement of
this Standard to prevent accidental use.
6.5 Physical contaminant control
6.5.1 There shall be written procedures to control foreign materials in finished
products. Foreign material findings shall be trended and reviewed during
meetings specified in the Management Review section of this Standard to identify
additional opportunities for their prevention and elimination.
6.5.2 Where appropriate, there must be adequate systems in place to protect product
from glass or brittle material contamination.
Glass or other brittle materials shall be excluded or protected against breakage in
areas where open products are handled or there is a risk of product
contamination; all glass windows should be designed and maintained so as not to
pose a potential risk to product
6.5.3 Documented procedures for handling glass and other brittle materials shall be in
place and implemented to ensure that necessary precautions are taken;
procedures shall, at minimum, include:
A list of items, detailing location, number, type and condition
Recorded checks of items, carried out at a specified frequency, which is
based on the level of risk to the product
Details on cleaning or replacing items to minimize potential for product
contamination
Instructions for handling breakage that covers quarantining product,
cleaning of area, disposal/changing of PPE used during clean up
Inspection for post clean-up
6.5.4 When metal equipment is used, there must be adequate systems in place to
protect product from metal contamination:
Effective Date:
10/01/2020
Owner:
Matt Hollister
Document #:
GQR.Pro.58
Revision #:
7
Title:
Starbucks Guidelines for Food & Beverage Suppliers
This document is the property of Starbucks Coffee Company and may not be copied or disclosed to others without
authorization.
Printed copies are uncontrolled.
Page 42 of 55
There shall be an appropriate preventive maintenance program in place for
metal food contact equipment.
There shall be a documented policy to the control of the use of sharp metal
implements, including knives; knives employing snap-off blades shall be
prohibited within the facility; the policy shall include a record of inspection
for damage and the investigation of any loss or damage of the
aforementioned items.
When appropriate, policies describing visual inspection of cutting blades,
needles and cutting wires on equipment shall supplement existing
maintenance policies.
6.5.5 When appropriate, there must be adequate systems in place for the control of
physical product risks (for example, magnets, filters, sieves or optical sorting
equipment). Systems shall, at a minimum:
Be documented on the Preventive Control plan and have validation and
ongoing verification that demonstrates their effectiveness
Be subject to regular checks to confirm the integrity of systems and records
of such checks
6.5.6 Where metal detectors or X-ray equipment are used, this shall be situated at the
latest practical step in the process flow and, wherever possible, after the product
has been packaged.
Validated metal detection devices shall be in place on all lines, unless a risk
assessment demonstrates that this does not provide additional protection from
metal contamination to finished products.
Historical trending of metal foreign material findings, both internally and
externally reported (e.g. via customer complaints), shall be used to inform any risk
assessment performed in lieu of using metal detection devices. If trending
indicates a consistent pattern of failure or potential loss of control, the supplier
shall install automated metal detection devices on all lines associated with these
failures.
6.5.7 The supplier shall establish and implement documented procedures for the
operation and testing of the metal detector or X-ray equipment. This shall
include, at a minimum:
Effective Date:
10/01/2020
Owner:
Matt Hollister
Document #:
GQR.Pro.58
Revision #:
7
Title:
Starbucks Guidelines for Food & Beverage Suppliers
This document is the property of Starbucks Coffee Company and may not be copied or disclosed to others without
authorization.
Printed copies are uncontrolled.
Page 43 of 55
Individuals responsible for the testing of equipment and frequency of tests
Activities to monitor the operating effectiveness and sensitivity of the
detection and rejection mechanisms (and any variation to this for particular
products)
The methods and frequency of checking the detector
Requirements for cleaning of test pieces to prevent contamination of other
products
6.5.8 The detector operation shall be checked with the use of test pieces incorporating
a sphere of metal (ferrous metal, stainless steel and non-ferrous metal) of a
known diameter.
Test pieces shall be marked with the size and type of test material
contained.
Validation of detector operation shall be documented in statistically valid
reports (one per product or product type) based on the product, the metal
detector (e.g. aperture size, model, sensitivity settings, etc.), and the
process (e.g. line speed, packaging, rejection mechanism timing, etc.).
Test pieces shall be no larger or smaller than needed to successfully
produce the product without excessive false rejections or failures to reject.
The rationale for the procedure and frequency of metal detector verification
shall be documented based on risk.
6.5.9 Metal detector test pieces shall be passed through the center of the aperture and,
when possible, inserted inside a clearly marked sample of the food produced or, in
the case of in-line equipment, within the product flow
6.5.10 Checks shall be performed that test the memory/reset function of the metal
detector by passing successive test packs through the unit. At a minimum, checks
shall be documented immediately prior to production, immediately after
production, and throughout production at defined, risk-based intervals.
Results of checks shall be recorded.
6.5.11 The metal detector or X-ray equipment shall incorporate one of the following:
Effective Date:
10/01/2020
Owner:
Matt Hollister
Document #:
GQR.Pro.58
Revision #:
7
Title:
Starbucks Guidelines for Food & Beverage Suppliers
This document is the property of Starbucks Coffee Company and may not be copied or disclosed to others without
authorization.
Printed copies are uncontrolled.
Page 44 of 55
An automatic rejection device, for continuous in-line systems, which shall
divert contaminated product out of the product flow (optionally, to a secure
unit accessible only to authorized personnel)
A line stop or verified rejection system and an alarm (either visual or
audible) to signify the detection of metal contamination
6.5.12 In-line detectors which identify the location of the contaminant shall be operated
to allow effective segregation of the affected product.
6.5.13 Based on risk assessment, procedures shall be implemented to minimize foreign
material contamination originating with the packaging container (for example,
jars, cans and other pre-formed rigid containers).
This may include the use of covered conveyors, container inversion and
foreign material removal through rinsing with water or air jets
The purchase of ingredients and packaging which use staples or other
foreign-body hazards as part of the packaging materials shall be avoided;
where staples or other items are present as packaging materials or closures,
appropriate precautions shall be taken to minimize the risk of product
contamination
6.5.14 The effectiveness of the container cleaning equipment shall be checked and
recorded during each production. Where the system incorporates a rejection
system for dirty or damaged containers, the check shall incorporate a test of both
the detection and effective rejection of the test container.
6.5.15 There shall be a written policy for the use of wood pallets. Wood pallets used in
processing areas shall be maintained to control potential food safety risks. The
supplier must document standards to identify pallets which may be used and
guidelines for pallets which present a threat to food safety and must be discarded.
Where wood pallets are permitted, employees must have documented training on
the standard. Slip sheets shall be used with wood pallets.
6.5.16 Staples, thumb tacks, pins and paper clips shall not be used in open product areas.
A system for documenting, investigating and preventing the introduction of found
foreign material to the food stream must be available.
6.6 Allergen management
6.6.1 Documented procedures shall be established to ensure the effective management
of allergenic materials to prevent cross-contact into products not containing the
allergen. This procedure must take into account the pertinent regulatory
requirements with regard to allergens relevant to the appropriate geographic
region.
This shall include, as appropriate:
Effective Date:
10/01/2020
Owner:
Matt Hollister
Document #:
GQR.Pro.58
Revision #:
7
Title:
Starbucks Guidelines for Food & Beverage Suppliers
This document is the property of Starbucks Coffee Company and may not be copied or disclosed to others without
authorization.
Printed copies are uncontrolled.
Page 45 of 55
Physical or time segregation while allergen-containing materials are being
stored, processed or packed
The use of separate or additional protective uniforms when handling
allergenic materials
Use of identified, dedicated equipment and utensils for processing
Scheduling of production to reduce changes between products containing
an allergen and products not containing the allergen
Systems to restrict the movement of airborne dust containing allergenic
material
Process flow procedures to prevent cross-contact during raw material or
finished product movement
Waste handling and spillage controls
Restrictions on food brought onto site by staff, visitors, contractors and for
catering purposes
Storage conditions must prevent cross-contact and conform to the
requirements found in the Storage facilities section of this Standard
6.6.2 The supplier shall identify and list allergen-containing materials handled on site.
This shall include raw materials, processing aids, work-in-process and finished
products and any new product development ingredients or products.
6.6.3 The supplier shall carry out an assessment of raw materials to establish the
presence and likelihood of contamination by allergens. This shall include review
of raw material specifications and, where required, obtaining additional
information from suppliers; for example, through questionnaires, to understand
the allergen status of the raw material, its ingredients and the factory in which it is
produced.
6.6.4 Where a claim is made regarding the suitability of a food for allergy or food
sensitivity sufferers, the supplier shall ensure that the production process is fully
validated to meet the stated claim. This shall be documented.
6.6.5 Where the nature of the production process is such that cross-contact from an
allergen cannot be prevented, a warning shall be included on the label. National
guidelines or codes of practice shall be used when making such a warning
statement.
6.6.6 Routes of contamination shall be risk-assessed, and procedures for handling raw
materials, work-in-process and finished products documented to ensure cross-
contact is avoided.
Effective Date:
10/01/2020
Owner:
Matt Hollister
Document #:
GQR.Pro.58
Revision #:
7
Title:
Starbucks Guidelines for Food & Beverage Suppliers
This document is the property of Starbucks Coffee Company and may not be copied or disclosed to others without
authorization.
Printed copies are uncontrolled.
Page 46 of 55
6.6.7 Procedures for return of non-allergen-containing raw materials, after exposure to
allergens during production and processing activities, into storage shall be in
place.
6.6.8 Where rework is used, or reworking operations carried out, procedures shall be
implemented to ensure rework containing allergens is not used in products that
do not already contain the allergen.
6.6.9 Supplier shall have written general procedures on how cleaning processes will be
validated to remove allergens from food contact surfaces. These validation
procedures shall include:
Who is responsible for performing and approving the validation study
The acceptance criteria for the study
Sampling procedures & analytical methods (including sensitivity of methods)
A documented report for each cleaning procedure being validated, outlining
the execution and results of the study, that clearly indicates whether the
cleaning process is valid.
Data supporting a conclusion that allergen residues have been reduced to
an “acceptable level”
Corrective action(s) and re-validation activities to achieve a fully validated
process, where validation is not met, based on supplier criteria
When revalidation will be required, e.g. frequency of validation
6.7 Product inspection and laboratory testing
6.7.1 There shall be a defined program of product inspection and testing as appropriate
to control risks:
This may include microbiological, chemical, physical and organoleptic
testing according to risk.
The methods, frequency and specified limits shall be documented. Where
applicable, product safety testing shall conform to requirements outlined
by Starbucks.
6.7.2 Test and inspection results shall be recorded and reviewed regularly to identify
trends. Appropriate actions shall be implemented promptly to address any
unsatisfactory results or trends.
6.7.3 Procedures shall be in place to ensure reliability of laboratory results and
conformance to Good Laboratory Practices. These shall include:
Effective Date:
10/01/2020
Owner:
Matt Hollister
Document #:
GQR.Pro.58
Revision #:
7
Title:
Starbucks Guidelines for Food & Beverage Suppliers
This document is the property of Starbucks Coffee Company and may not be copied or disclosed to others without
authorization.
Printed copies are uncontrolled.
Page 47 of 55
Use of recognized and validated test methods (e.g. ISO or AOAC approved),
where available (For EMP methods shall be validated and recognized)
Documented testing procedures
Ensuring staff are suitably qualified, trained and competent to carry out the
analysis required
Use of a system to verify the accuracy of test results (for example,
proficiency testing)
Use of appropriately calibrated and maintained equipment
Appropriate disposition of food products entering the lab to prevent
reintroduction to the production environment and storage facilities
6.7.4 On site labs should be under a check-sample program at least once per year.
6.7.5 Where testing laboratories are present on the manufacturing site, they shall be
located, designed and operated to eliminate potential risks to product safety.
Documented controls shall include:
Design and operations of drainage and ventilation system
Access and security of the testing facility
Movement of laboratory personnel
Protective clothing arrangements
Disposal of laboratory waste
6.7.6 Enrichment for pathogenic organisms shall not occur in buildings/facilities where
food or raw material production or storage is present.
6.7.7 Where food safety (i.e. pathogen, heavy metal, etc.) testing is used for
product/swab analysis, the laboratory shall be accredited to ISO 17025 or
equivalent. The scope of the accreditation shall cover the applicable
microbiological testing.
6.7.8 Where products require positive release, procedures shall be in place to ensure
that release does not occur until all release criteria have been completed and
release authorized.
6.7.9 Test records shall conform to the applicable document control and record
retention requirements of this Standard.
6.7.10 Samples of every production run shall be retained at the production premises for
the duration of the shelf life.
6.8 Shipping and receiving
6.8.1 Raw Material and Packaging Receiving and Inspection:
Effective Date:
10/01/2020
Owner:
Matt Hollister
Document #:
GQR.Pro.58
Revision #:
7
Title:
Starbucks Guidelines for Food & Beverage Suppliers
This document is the property of Starbucks Coffee Company and may not be copied or disclosed to others without
authorization.
Printed copies are uncontrolled.
Page 48 of 55
6.8.1.1 The supplier shall have a documented procedure for the receipt of raw
materials and packaging upon receipt. A list of raw materials and the
requirements to be met for acceptance shall be available. Raw material
acceptance and its release for use shall be based on procedures that
define a combination of the following:
Visual inspection with clearly defined accept or reject criteria
A documented procedure for any variances to acceptance criteria,
including exceptions (i.e. Product Exception Notice)
Acceptable product and trailer temperatures for all temperature-
controlled materials
Certificates of conformance – specific to each lot
Certificates of analysis – specific to each lot
Purchase from an approved supplier
Product date and/or expiry checks
Integrity checks on the packaging of all incoming goods
Product sampling and testing to verify compliance to specification
6.8.1.2 Certificates of Analysis for products requiring microbiological assessment
shall be held on file.
6.8.1.3 Temperature-controlled products shall not be accepted if the temperature
is above previously determined temperature levels to control food safety
risk. A procedure shall be in place to ensure that all out of specification
incoming goods are quarantined and clearly labeled to prevent these
products from being used.
6.8.1.4 Ingredient or work-in-process contact liners used by the supplier shall be
appropriately colored to be distinct from product and resistant to tearing
to prevent accidental contamination.
6.8.2 Produce-Specific Receiving, Inspection and Storage Controls:
Starbucks suppliers shall ensure that all produce, purchased as a Raw Agricultural
Commodity (RAC) and processed into an RTE ingredient, meets the following
expectations. Where an RTE produce ingredient is directly procured by an
assembler and used in Starbucks products, the assembler shall ensure upstream
supplier’s compliance to these minimum expectations:
6.8.2.1 Threshold limits shall be defined for receiving incoming produce:
Incoming produce specifications shall be documented. Limits of
defection shall be defined for each produce type and shall be
Effective Date:
10/01/2020
Owner:
Matt Hollister
Document #:
GQR.Pro.58
Revision #:
7
Title:
Starbucks Guidelines for Food & Beverage Suppliers
This document is the property of Starbucks Coffee Company and may not be copied or disclosed to others without
authorization.
Printed copies are uncontrolled.
Page 49 of 55
agreed upon by both parties (supplier and assembler). Where
available, these may also be based on USDA AMS produce grades
and standards or the CFIA and Canadian Fruit and Vegetable
Dispute Resolution Corporation.
RACs shall be inspected upon receiving for acceptability including,
but not limited to damage, debris, foreign material, spoilage and
pest activity.
Inferior quality produce shall be rejected and handled as non-
conforming material.
Produce damaged during unloading and transit shall be discarded
and documented per facility policy and traceability programs.
6.8.2.2 Internal RAC shelf-life specifications shall be developed by the supplier for
each produce type. Produce lots that have reached the end of internal RAC
shelf life specifications shall not be used for further processing.
6.8.3 Shipping and Transportation:
6.8.3.1 Documented procedures to maintain product safety and quality during
loading and transportation shall be developed and implemented. These
may include, as appropriate:
Controlling temperature of loading dock areas
Securing loads on pallets and using other measures such as shrink
wrap, load-locks, and straps to prevent movement during transit
Inspection of loads prior to shipping
Any restrictions on the use of mixed loads
Requirements for the security of products during transit, particularly
when vehicles are parked and unattended
Clear instructions in the case of vehicle breakdown, accident or failure
of refrigeration systems which ensure the safety of the products is
assessed and records maintained
Documented compliance with temperature requirements during
transport
Temperature verification of truck prior to loading
Integrity of the transport vehicle
Documented cleaning from prior loads
Effective Date:
10/01/2020
Owner:
Matt Hollister
Document #:
GQR.Pro.58
Revision #:
7
Title:
Starbucks Guidelines for Food & Beverage Suppliers
This document is the property of Starbucks Coffee Company and may not be copied or disclosed to others without
authorization.
Printed copies are uncontrolled.
Page 50 of 55
Where cross-docking occurs, measures must be taken to ensure that
cross-docked products do not pose a contamination risk to products
being shipped from the facility.
6.8.3.2 Traceability shall be ensured during transportation. There shall be a clear
record of shipping and receipt of goods and materials demonstrating that
sufficient checks have been completed during the transfer of goods.
6.8.3.3 All vehicles used for the transport of raw materials, including packaging,
and finished goods, shall be suitable, hygienic, in good repair, and free of
visible infestation. Inspections shall be complete, and records shall be
available to demonstrate on-going compliance
6.8.4 Where the company employs third-party contractors, all the requirements
specified in this section shall be clearly defined in the contract and verified or the
contracted company shall be certified to a Global Food Safety Initiative
benchmark for Storage and Distribution or similar internationally recognized
standard.
6.9 Waste/Waste Disposal
6.9.1 Waste and waste containers shall be managed, identified, collected, removed, and
disposed of in a manner which prevents contamination of products and
production areas.
6.9.2 Waste management and removal services shall be contracted by an approved
service provider. Labeled materials, products, or printed packaging designated as
waste shall be disposed in a manner to ensure trademarks cannot be reused.
Waste disposal shall be managed in accordance with applicable legal
requirements.
6.10 Control of Nonconforming Product
6.10.1 Suppliers shall ensure that any out-of-specification product is effectively identified
and quarantined to prevent accidental release. A method for reconciliation of
quantities quarantined shall be in place and procedures should exist to control the
disposition of quarantined product.
6.10.2 Suppliers shall ensure that responsibilities are clearly defined for decision making
on the use or disposal of products appropriate to the issue (for example,
destruction, reworking, downgrading to an alternative label or acceptance by
concession).
6.10.3 Decisions and associated actions associated with nonconforming products shall be
recorded in a manner that allows for review and trending.
7 Preventive Control Programs (HACCP/HARPC)
Effective Date:
10/01/2020
Owner:
Matt Hollister
Document #:
GQR.Pro.58
Revision #:
7
Title:
Starbucks Guidelines for Food & Beverage Suppliers
This document is the property of Starbucks Coffee Company and may not be copied or disclosed to others without
authorization.
Printed copies are uncontrolled.
Page 51 of 55
A risk based preventive control strategy using a food safety plan shall be used to control
and manage food safety risks. This approach can leverage all current HACCP plans and
critical control points. However, the approach must assess other risks that require controls
for food safety and establish appropriate controls as needed.
Risk based preventive control plans must be compliant with local, state, and national
regulations. For example, Preventive Control Plans for CFIA licensed manufacturers,
exporters and importers must have measures to control food safety risk and also, non-
food safety regulatory risks such as net quantity, truth in labeling, nutritional labeling,
health claims, grades, origin and organic claims, and “free from” claims such as Gluten-
Free, Nut Free, GMO free.
7.1 Assemble the Preventive Control Team
7.1.1 The Food Safety plan shall be developed and managed by a multi-disciplinary food
safety team that includes those responsible for quality/technical, production
operations, engineering and other relevant functions.
7.1.2 The team leader shall have an in-depth knowledge of food safety preventive
control strategy and be able to demonstrate competence and experience.
The team members shall have specific knowledge of risk based preventive
controls and relevant knowledge of product, process and associated hazards.
Relevant records must be available to demonstrate each team members training
and qualification.
In the event of the supplier not having appropriate in-house knowledge, external
expertise may be used, but day-to-day management of the food safety system
shall remain the responsibility of the supplier.
7.2 Describe the products in scope
7.2.1 The scope of each Food Safety plan, including the products and processes
covered, shall be defined. Food Safety plans shall exist for all Starbucks Coffee
Company products produced at the facility.
7.2.2 For each product or group of products, a full description shall be developed, which
includes all relevant information on food safety.
All relevant information needed to conduct the hazard analysis shall be collected,
maintained, documented and updated. The supplier will ensure that the Food
Safety plan is based on comprehensive information sources, which are referenced
and available on request.
7.3 Describe the intended use
7.3.1 The intended use of the product by the customer shall be described, defining the
consumer target groups, including the suitability of the product for vulnerable
groups of the population (for example, infants, elderly and allergy sufferers).
Effective Date:
10/01/2020
Owner:
Matt Hollister
Document #:
GQR.Pro.58
Revision #:
7
Title:
Starbucks Guidelines for Food & Beverage Suppliers
This document is the property of Starbucks Coffee Company and may not be copied or disclosed to others without
authorization.
Printed copies are uncontrolled.
Page 52 of 55
7.3.2 Information regarding storage and handling requirements, further processing
requirements, and exclusions to the product shall be described.
7.4 Develop a flow diagram
7.4.1 A flow diagram shall be prepared to cover each product, product category or
process. This shall set out all aspects of the food process operation within the
Food Safety plan, from raw material and packaging receipt through processing,
storage and distribution. The flow diagram must include inputs and outputs from
the process (for example, waste, animal feed, etc.).
7.4.2 The food safety team shall verify the accuracy of the flow diagrams by on-site
audit and challenge at least annually. Daily and seasonal variations shall be
considered and evaluated. Records of verification of flow diagrams shall be
maintained.
7.5 Conduct a hazard analysis
7.5.1 The food safety team shall identify and record all the potential hazards that are
reasonably expected to occur at each step, in relation to product, process and
facilities. This shall include hazards present in all raw materials, those introduced
during the process or surviving the process steps, and allergen risks (see
Management of Allergens within the Standard). It shall also take into account the
preceding and following steps in the process chain.
7.5.2 The food safety team shall conduct a hazard analysis to identify hazards which
need to be prevented, eliminated or reduced to acceptable levels. In addition to
all applicable regulatory requirements, consideration shall be given to the
following:
Likely occurrence of hazard
Severity of the effects on consumer safety
Vulnerability of those exposed
Survival, growth and/or toxin formation of micro-organisms of specific
concern to the product
Chemical (including allergen) or foreign object contamination of raw
materials, work-in-process/semi-processed product, or finished product
7.5.3 Where elimination of the hazard is not practical, justification for acceptable levels
of the hazard in the finished product shall be determined and documented.
7.5.4 The food safety team shall consider the control measures necessary to prevent or
eliminate a food safety hazard or reduce it to an acceptable level. Where the
control is achieved through existing prerequisite programs, this shall be stated
and the adequacy of the program to control the hazard validated and
Effective Date:
10/01/2020
Owner:
Matt Hollister
Document #:
GQR.Pro.58
Revision #:
7
Title:
Starbucks Guidelines for Food & Beverage Suppliers
This document is the property of Starbucks Coffee Company and may not be copied or disclosed to others without
authorization.
Printed copies are uncontrolled.
Page 53 of 55
documented. Consideration may be given to using more than one control
measure.
7.6 Determine preventive control approach
7.6.1 For each hazard that requires a preventive control, an appropriate preventive
control shall be developed. This requires a logical approach and may be facilitated
by use of a decision tree. Preventive controls deemed critical to food safety (e.g.
CCPs) shall be those controls which are required in order to prevent or eliminate a
food safety hazard or reduce it to an acceptable level. If a hazard is identified at a
step where control is necessary for safety, but the control does not exist, the
product or process shall be modified at that step, or at an earlier or later step, to
provide a control measure.
7.7 Establish critical limits
7.7.1 For each preventive control deemed critical to food safety (e.g. CCPs), the
appropriate parameters shall be defined in order to identify clearly whether the
process is in or out of control.
7.7.2 The food safety team shall validate each preventive control deemed critical to
food safety (e.g. CCPs). Documentation of validation shall be based upon scientific
principles, known standards or recognized bodies of knowledge.
7.7.3 Documented evidence shall show that the control measures selected, and critical
limits identified, are capable of consistently controlling the hazard to the specified
acceptable level.
7.8 Establish a monitoring system for each preventive control
7.8.1 A monitoring procedure shall be established for each preventive control deemed
critical to food safety (e.g. CCPs) to ensure compliance with required parameters
to ensure food safety. The monitoring system shall be able to detect loss of
control and provide information in time for uncontrolled product be identified
and corrective action to be taken. As a guide, consideration may be given to the
following, although this is not an exhaustive list:
Online measurement
Offline measurement
Continuous measurement
Where discontinuous measurement is used, the system shall ensure that
the sample taken is representative of the batch of product
7.8.2 Records associated with the monitoring of each preventive control deemed
critical to food safety (e.g. CCP) shall include the date, time and result of
measurement and shall be signed by the person responsible for the monitoring
and verified, as appropriate, by an authorized person. Where records are in
Effective Date:
10/01/2020
Owner:
Matt Hollister
Document #:
GQR.Pro.58
Revision #:
7
Title:
Starbucks Guidelines for Food & Beverage Suppliers
This document is the property of Starbucks Coffee Company and may not be copied or disclosed to others without
authorization.
Printed copies are uncontrolled.
Page 54 of 55
electronic form there shall be evidence that records have been checked and
verified.
Employees responsible for recording or verifying records of preventive
controls must conform to the Personnel Training portion of the Standard.
7.8.3 Records shall be kept for a minimum of two years or for the length of the shelf
life, whichever is longer.
7.9 Establish a corrective action plan
7.9.1 The food safety team shall specify and document the corrective action to be taken
when monitored results indicate a failure to meet a control limit, or when
monitored results indicate a trend towards loss of control. This shall include the
action to be taken by nominated personnel with regard to any products that have
been manufactured during the period when the process was out of control.
7.10 Establish verification procedures
7.10.1 Procedures of verification shall be established to confirm that the food safety
plan, including controls managed by prerequisite programs, are effective.
Examples of verification activities include:
Internal audits
Review of records where acceptable limits have been exceeded
Review of complaints by enforcement authorities or customers
Periodic review of incidents of product withdrawal or recall
Results of verification shall be recorded and communicated to the food
safety team
7.10.2 Product shall not be released for shipment until verification of all preventive
control deemed critical to food safety (e.g. CCPs) have been completed and
approved by a second trained individual.
7.11 Preventive Control documentation and record keeping
7.11.1 Documentation and record keeping shall be sufficient to enable the supplier to
verify that the preventive controls, including controls managed by prerequisite
programs (aka mandatory elements), are in place and maintained.
7.11.2 Deviations from Food Safety Plans must be clearly documented; preventive and
corrective actions taken must be documented.
Documentation and record keeping shall comply with the Document control and
record retention section of this Standard.
7.12 Review and maintenance of the Food Safety plan
Effective Date:
10/01/2020
Owner:
Matt Hollister
Document #:
GQR.Pro.58
Revision #:
7
Title:
Starbucks Guidelines for Food & Beverage Suppliers
This document is the property of Starbucks Coffee Company and may not be copied or disclosed to others without
authorization.
Printed copies are uncontrolled.
Page 55 of 55
7.12.1 The food safety team shall review the Food Safety plan and prerequisite programs
at least annually and prior to any changes which may affect product safety.
Appropriate changes resulting from the review shall be incorporated into the Food
Safety plan. As a guide, these may include the following, although this is not an
exhaustive list:
Change in raw materials or supplier of raw materials
Change in ingredients and/or recipe
Change in processing conditions or equipment
Change in packaging, storage or distribution conditions
Change in consumer use
Emergence of a new risk (for example, Change to the facility’s allergen
program)
Developments in scientific information associated with ingredients, process
or product
7.12.2 Procedures must be in place to assess when Food Safety Systems are not
operating effectively.
7.12.3 The scope of the annual review must be documented, and signature and date
recorded for each individual participating in the review.
- End of Document -
