Food Management in Line with the Hygiene Law and Policies - Essay Example

Portfolio Name Date Course Introduction In the United Kingdom, food industry has been undergoing a rapid expansion due to the ever increasing number of customers. The industry is considered as the largest private sector employer in Britain. About € 177.5 Billion is usually generated from sales in the industry every year (Lang & Heasman, 2015). Due to the vast nature of the industry, about 3.8 million people are employed directly from the industry. This accounts for about 14% of all the employment in the United Kingdom. As a result of the growth, workers in the industry earn 5% more than the UK average. About 318,470 SMEs operate in the industry which has contributed to high levels of competition (Graham & Potter, 2015). The growth of the industry has attracted a high number of Chinese and Asian-style food. The presence of Chinese restaurants in the United Kingdom has seen an increase in the consumption of the cuisines. About 87% of the people who have tested the Chinese cuisine usually consume in on a regular basis in restaurants. The first Chinese restaurant was first opened in the United Kingdom in 1908 and the number has been on the increase since then. The average purchase of the Chinese food per person per week in UK is 12 grams (Nestle, 2013). This is an indication that the almost everyone in UK consume Chinese food at least once per week. A number of regulations are in place for the purposes of ensuring that industry standards are high. Due to the competitive nature of the industry, information is required in order to facilitate the market entry. The paper is thus a portfolio of research in the industry in relation to a business that will be opened at Bournemouth town center. Discussion Health, safety knowledge and employment of safe practices In order for the restaurant to operate effectively, the knowledge of health and safety practices is required. Food safety involves the aspects related to handling, preparation and storage of food. This is mainly for the purposes of avoiding foodborne illnesses. A number of routines must be followed in order to avoid the health hazards. Harm to the consumers may impact negatively on the restaurant as it may face closure or other legal challenges (Law, Harvey & Reay, 2013). The health and safety practices are categorized based on the relationship between the industry as well as the consumers. Food safety is closely associated with the issues of hygiene, additives, pesticide residues and biotechnology. The business has to consider the aspects related to additives as this is common with the Chinese food. The food industry has health concerns and aspects that may affect the consumers. Food has the ability of transmitting diseases from one person to the other (Scott, 2013). It may also serve as a growth medium for bacteria which is responsible for food poisoning. The availability of adequate and safe water is one of the main requirements for the businesses operating in the industry. Safe water is vital in ensuring that any form of contamination is avoided (Grunert & Traill, 2012). Intricate standards for food preparation are also in place in the developed countries in order to deal with the safety issues. The business also needs to follow the guidelines that have been put in place by the International bodies such as the World Health Organization. This is mainly for the purposes of ensuring that food poisoning is completely avoided. In order to enhance safety and prevent food poisoning, contamination of food from pathogens spreading from people, pets and pests has to be carried out (Lelieveld, Holah & Napper, 2014). This can be achieved through various practices during the handling of food. Raw and cooked food has to be separated during the preparation process in order to avoid any form of contamination. This is considering that the raw food may have some pathogens which may contaminate the cooked food. Cooking the food for the appropriate length of time and temperature is an important practice that ensures pathogens are killed (Lloyd, 2016). It is therefore healthy to ensure that food is cooked within the right temperature and length of time. Proper storage also demands that the food should be stored at the proper temperature. Safe water and raw materials must be used at all times when preparing the food. In order to ensure that the business is able to guarantee the health and safety of the customers, other international standards such as ISO must be adhered to. This involves ISO 22000 which was developed by international Organization for Standardization (Pyle, Fryer & Reilly, 2012). The standard specifies the requirement for a food safety management system. This includes interactive communication, system management prerequisite programs and HACCP principles. The health and safety aspects are important in the industry as about 5,000 people usually die every year a result of foodborne illnesses. The business will have to register to the relevant authorities that include the Food Standards Agency which is an independent government department responsible for food safety and hygiene. Food management in line with the Hygiene law and policies Food standards Agency has developed various policies that are aimed at assisting the businesses attain the highest levels of hygiene. However, the failure of the businesses to abide by the regulations may lead to legal implications. There are 4cs that have been developed in order to deal with the issues of hygiene which include cross-contamination, cleaning, chilling and cooking (Indaco-Patters, Fearon, Nolan & Warden, 2013). Good food hygiene is vital in ensuring that the business is able to obey the law, reduce the risk of food poisoning and protect the reputation of the business. Cross contamination involves the spread of bacteria between the food surfaces or equipment. This is more likely to occur when the raw food is in contact with the cooked food. This has been cited as one of the major causes of food poisoning. The hygiene policy requires that the work surfaces should be cleaned and disinfected before and after the food preparation (Beske, Land & Seuring, 2014). When dealing with different types of raw food such as raw meat and ready to eat food, different equipment should be used. The business also needs to ensure that the personnel comply with the basic policies such as washing hands before preparing food. The policy also requires that the raw food should be placed below the ready to eat food in the fridge if separate fridges are not available. The policy requires that the staff members are aware of the cross-contamination issues (Qing, Na, Chang & Im, 2015). The business will therefore be required to train the staff on the matters related to cross-contamination. Effective cleaning is one of the main methods that are used to get rid of bacteria on the hands, equipment and surface (Wyness, Butriss & Stanner, 2012). All the staff members will have to wash their hands thoroughly before handling any food. All the used equipment must be cleared and cleaned. Work surfaces must also be cleaned thoroughly after use. Cleaning and disinfection products that are suitable should be used. This is in accordance with the BS EN standards which has several codes. The business has to ensure that food wastes are not let to build up as it may end up compromising on the hygiene of the facility. Chilling is one of the 4cs that has been highlighted in the policy for the purposes of improving on the hygiene (Duran & Marcato, 2013). The Chinese cuisines include some of the food such as salads and desserts. Such type of food requires chilling in order to ensure that they are fresh. This is also applicable for the food with use by date and ready to eat food. It is therefore important to ensure that the food is cold enough at the time of delivery. All such food should be placed in the fridge immediately after cooking. Regular checks have to be carried out so as to ensure that the fridge and display units are cold enough. Thorough cooking of the food is vital in ensuring that the harmful bacteria are killed. Policy requires that the food should be cooked properly before it is served to the customers (Galizzi & Venturini, 2012). To achieve this, checks have to be put in place to ensure that the food is steaming hot all the way through. Food such as poultry, pork, minced meat, burgers and sausage need to be cooked thoroughly. Hygiene rules require that the food handlers should be fit to work (Yakovleva, Sarkis & Sloan, 2012). All the staff with symptoms of illnesses should report to the mangers. This is important in ensuring that the illnesses are not transmitted through food. The rules require that the water supply should be safe so as to avoid any form of contamination. Proper control mechanism has to be put in place to ensure that the customers are protected from E.coli. This form of bacteria is usually transmitted through contaminated water and hence the need for using water of good quality (Sirieix, Delanchy, Remaud, Zepeda & Gurviez, 2013). The businesses handling food need to put in place Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP). This is vital in ensuring that the business is able to put in place systems aimed at looking at how food is handled. This has to be put in place to make sure that the food produced is safe to eat. The law requires that the food business operators must ensure that their handlers receive appropriate training on the aspects of hygiene. Appropriate supervision as well as instruction should also be in place so as to ensure that the process is enhanced (Eyles, et al, 2013). The Unite Kingdom is still a member of the European Union. The business therefore need to comply with all the EU laws and regulations related to food hygiene. Pre-production analysis Pre-production analysis involves the activities that need to be carried out before the production process begins. The necessary infrastructure has to be in place before the production process. This includes all the equipment and facilities that is required during the food production process. The pre-production process also requires that the necessary team is put in place. This includes the chefs as well as the other personnel who will be involved in the food production process. The business has a team that is experienced in the production of the Chinese food. All the necessary licenses have to be obtained before the production process (Hawley, et al, 2013). The licenses and permits from different agencies are vital in ensuring that the business is able to operate without any legal constraints. An inspection of the facility is required before the production process so as to ensure compliance with all the legal and health requirements. In order to ensure that the personnel working at the facility are fit, medical tests has to be performed. The processes are vital in ensuring that the clients have confidence with the facility and the food produced. The suppliers have to be identified in advance before the production process. This is considering that a restaurant is dependent on fresh produce for producing the food. Bournemouth which is the location of the business has all the required facilities and infrastructure that supports the growth and development of the restaurant. All the activities at the pre-production stage need to be documented so as to ensure any problem is dealt with before the actual process (Ingram, et al, 2013). Financial analysis The entry in the market requires financial resources so as to ensure that the business is able to operate effectively. The development of the facilities as well as the start up costs requires the business to have adequate capital (Hossain & Hossain, 2012). The financial resources required is useful during the first three months of the business as it is assumed the company will not have made much profits. In the hospitality industry, the number of meal served is the determinant factor of the revenue generated as well profits. The average cost of meals at the restaurant will be € 20.00.The high demand for the Chinese cuisine in the market is one of the main factors that drive its consumption. This means that the businesses can be able to serve up to 1000 meals per day to the customers as soon as it gains a footing in the industry. As a result of the sales, the business has the ability of generating up to € 600,000 per month. The table below shows the financial analysis in relation with the company Price per unit ($) 360,000 produced per year Variable costs per unit Gross margin per unit Fixed cost per unit Net margin per unit 20 Labour costs = 1,000,000 Raw materials = 2,000,000 Sales costs = 500,000 Other costs 50,000 Total variable costs = (1,000,000 + 2,000,000 +500,000 + 50,000) = $ 3,550,000/360,000 $ 9.86 Per unit (Revenue- cost of goods sold)/ revenue = (7,200,000-3,550,000)/ 7,200,000 = 0.51 Total fixed cost = Labour + rental cost 1,000,000 + 2,000,000 = $ 3,000,000 Per unit = 3,000,000/360,000 = 8.33 = Net profit/ Revenue = 7,200,000- 3,550,000 = 3,650,000/7,200,000 = 0.506 The financial analysis indicates that the industry is thriving and the business is likely to make huge profits every year. This is an indication that the business in the industry is viable and sustainable. Market knowledge The market information is required in order to ensure that effective strategies are developed. The development of the marketing strategies is useful in ensuring that the business is able to compete effectively in the market. In Bournemouth, there are a number of Chinese restaurants as well as other restaurants that serve Chinese food. This can be attributed to the increasing demand for the Chinese food as well as the flexible nature of the cuisines (Madsen, et al, 2012). The market knowledge is vital in ensuring that the dynamics are better understood. This in turn enables the business to undertake a continuous development of its products and services. The information about the industry is readily available from different sources due to its rapid growth and development. Frequent market research is required in order to ensure that the businesses are able to enhance its strategies. It is also important for the businesses to ensure that information is collected from the customers in order to use the feedback for continuous improvements. Communication Interactive communication is one of the aspects that that has been highlighted in ISO 22000 standards which specify the requirement for a food safety management system (Ammar, et al, 2012). Communication is essential in the food chain in order to ensure that the food safety hazards are identified and controlled at each step. The business therefore needs to put in place communication mechanism both upstream and downstream in the food chain. This will ensure that the organization is able to carry out its activities effectively. An effective communication process with the customers and suppliers is also vital in ensuring that the hazards are identified and controlled effectively. Communications can be carried out through the use of social media which is increasingly becoming popular among the customers. Effective communication ensures that clarifications are made to the customers and suppliers in order to avoid hazards (Everett & Slocum, 2013). The presence of good communication is effective in ensuring that the issues of hygiene are adequately addressed. An internal communication strategy is vital during the process as it ensure that the staff members are able to take immediate action to ensure that problems are solved immediately. Recognition of the role of the organization in the food chain can be achieved in the presence of interactive communication. The presence of a structured management can be vital in ensuring that the communication at the organization is effective. Effective communication has to be put in place as part of the overall management activities of the organization (Stuckler & Nestle, 2012). Environmental constriction and competitor assessment Although the industry has high prospects, there are various challenges that may impact negatively on the business. The industry factors involve the strict laws and regulations that govern the disposal of wastes (Notarnicola, Hayashi, Curran & Huisingh, 2012). The business will be generating a high amount of wastes that must be disposed well. Companies also need to put in place sustainable measures as this is increasingly becoming useful among the customers as well as other stakeholders. The measures in most cases require a lot of finances which may increase the cost of operations of the organization. The success of the industry has also seen it attracting a high number of companies. This has created intense competition in the market. The main competitor at Bournemouth is The Mandarin which is a restaurant that serves high quality and expertly made Chinese food (Everett & Slocum, 2013). The restaurant is the market leader and it holds the largest market share in Bournemouth. Another competitor in the region is known as the Noodle Bar which offers delicious menu capturing the authentic flavours of China. The restaurant is located at 3-5 Lansdowne Road City Center in Bournemouth (Lloyd, 2016). The other competitors include Oriental Garden, Wonderful kitchen and City Bay views. The competitors are already established in the market and hence the need for aggressive marketing strategies. The intense competition in the market is likely to cause a constraint to the company during the initial stages of market entry. However, in the presence of good marketing strategies, the company is likely to counter the competition. Conclusion In conclusion, it is evident from the portfolio that the market is viable for the Chinese food. The UK food industry is the large and it employs hundreds of thousands of people. The number of people in UK who consume the Chinese food has been on the increase. The business is supposed to ensure that high hygienic standards are maintained. The laws and regulations that are in place have to be adhered to by the business. This is to avoid the chances of foodborne diseases as well as poisoning which can be fatal. Measures have to be taken to ensure that contamination is completely avoided. The business is profitable although high cots may be incurred in terms of labour as well as raw materials. The market is however quite competitive and this requires high intensive marketing strategies. A number of companies are already established in the market and hence creating a source of competition. Bibliography Lang, T. and Heasman, M., 2015. Food wars: The global battle for mouths, minds and markets. Routledge. Nestle, M., 2013. Food politics: How the food industry influences nutrition and health (Vol. 3). Univ of California Press. Graham, S. and Potter, A., 2015. Environmental operations management and its links with proactivity and performance: A study of the UK food industry. International Journal of Production Economics, 170, pp.146-159. Law, R., Harvey, A. and Reay, D., 2013. Opportunities for low-grade heat recovery in the UK food processing industry. 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