Corporate News

Food safety assured as Club earns international certification

4 August 2008

Patrons of The Hong Kong Jockey Club's two racecourses and three clubhouses now have additional reassurance that all food served there will be of the very highest quality standards, as the Club has recently attained full HACCP certification.

HACCP, which stands for Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points, is an internationally-recognised food safety certification system, pioneereed in the 1960s for the US Space programme.  Obtaining full certification involves site assessments, the development of systems and manuals, comprehensive staff training and a pre-certification audit, to ensure that all requirements are being thoroughly met.

The Club previously obtained HACCP certification for its Trackside Catering Production Kitchen at Sha Tin Racecourse in 2004, but the latest achievement is far broader, covering all banqueting and restaurant kitchens and service outlets at Sha Tin and Happy Valley Racecourses, Sha Tin and Happy Valley Clubhouses, and Beas River Country Club at Sheung Shui.  It also covers the entire food handling operation including procurement, receiving, storage, food preparation, cooking, hot and cold holding, packaging, serving and external catering services.

The Club has in fact been working towards this for more than seven years, says Head of Hospitality Services (Special Projects and Planning), Mr Fritz Sommerau.  ''In 2001, we established a programme called 'Journey to Excellence', with the aim of meeting or exceeding global best practices in every single aspect of our service to Club Members and racecourse customers,'' he explains.  ''We set ourselves the goal of being the very best in Asia.

''Since then, we have already implemented a wide range of food management and staff training programmes which have taken our operations to a very high level.  However, the 'Journey to Excellence' is a journey without end, because to achieve excellence, you have to keep challenging yourself and setting the bar even higher.  That is what we have done in seeking international HACCP certification.''

Mr Sommerau notes that in addition to ensuring that customers can have full confidence in the Club's food safety, the enhanced food management processes help the Club reduce wastage and achieve higher productivity and efficiency, which in turn helps to keep down costs.

As a first step towards achieving the HACCP certification, the Club's Catering Department implemented a comprehensive Food Safety Management System in August 2007, providing policies and guidelines for the operations of all its catering outlets and kitchens.

Mr Sommerau also notes that one of the greatest challenges in the process is to change the employees' mindsets and working habits in a traditional kitchen in order to keep abreast of the international standard.  ''Despite this, our colleagues succeeded in reaching the high standards within a year,'' he said.

 

 

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