Client Industry
Pet Toy Manufacturing (Food-Grade and Chewable Pet Products)
Engagement Type
BRCGS Issue 9 Implementation, Food Safety Culture Enhancement, and Certification Support
Engagement Period
Confidential (Project delivered in a phased approach)
Client Background
The client is a pet toy manufacturing organization specializing in chewable and ingestible pet toys designed specifically for dogs. These products are manufactured using food-grade materials and are intended to be safe for prolonged contact with pets, including chewing and partial ingestion. Due to the nature of the products and increasing regulatory expectations from global retailers and brand owners, the organization was required to comply with the BRCGS Global Standard, Issue 9.
The company had been certified against the BRCGS standard for several years. However, for two consecutive certification cycles, the organization achieved only a Grade B rating. While the products themselves met basic safety expectations, repeated audit findings highlighted systemic weaknesses in documentation, food safety culture implementation, and employee awareness of standard requirements.
Management recognized that maintaining a Grade B rating posed a reputational and commercial risk, particularly as customers increasingly demanded higher food safety maturity and demonstrable food safety culture. The organization engaged Emaza Services with a clear objective: to improve compliance maturity, embed food safety culture across operations, and achieve a Grade A rating under BRCGS Issue 9.
Business Challenges
The assessment phase revealed that the organization’s challenges were not rooted in intent or product quality but in structural and cultural gaps.
Limited Understanding of BRCGS Issue 9 Requirements
The leadership and operational teams had a basic understanding of BRCGS clauses but lacked clarity on the enhanced expectations introduced in Issue 9, particularly around food safety culture, senior management involvement, and measurable behavioral indicators.
Weak Food Safety Culture Framework
Food safety activities were largely compliance-driven rather than behavior-driven. While procedures existed, they were not consistently followed or understood at all organizational levels. Food safety culture elements such as leadership commitment, communication, employee engagement, and continuous improvement were not formally defined or measured.
Documentation and Evidence Gaps
The organization struggled with maintaining robust documentation aligned with BRCGS expectations. Records were often incomplete, inconsistent, or not linked clearly to risk-based decision-making. This resulted in repeated audit non-conformities despite corrective actions being taken in previous years.
Inconsistent Awareness Across Departments
Training programs were limited to basic hygiene and GMP topics. Cross-functional teams, including maintenance, procurement, and warehousing, lacked adequate awareness of how their roles impacted food safety and audit outcomes.
Expansion and Scalability Constraints
The company was planning to expand production capacity and add additional manufacturing units. However, the absence of a structured, scalable BRCGS implementation framework posed a risk of replicating existing compliance gaps in new operations.
Emaza Services Approach
Emaza Services adopted a phased, consultative, and culture-focused approach, ensuring that compliance improvements were sustainable rather than audit-driven fixes.
Phase 1: Comprehensive Gap Analysis and Site Review
The engagement began with a detailed site-level and system-level gap analysis against BRCGS Issue 9 requirements.
Key activities included:
• End-to-end walkthrough of production, storage, and dispatch operations
• Clause-by-clause documentation review
• Interviews with senior management, supervisors, and shop-floor employees
• Evaluation of existing food safety culture practices and communication mechanisms
This phase enabled the identification of critical gaps related to food safety culture indicators, documentation structure, management review processes, and internal audit effectiveness. A prioritized action plan was developed and presented to top management.
Phase 2: Pre-Audit Review and Food Safety Culture Awareness
Based on the gap analysis findings, Emaza Services conducted a structured pre-audit and awareness-building phase.
Key interventions included:
• Management-level workshops focused on leadership responsibility under BRCGS Issue 9
• Organization-wide training programs on food safety culture concepts, expectations, and behavioral indicators
• Clarification of roles and responsibilities across departments
• Introduction of food safety culture objectives aligned with organizational KPIs
This phase played a critical role in shifting the mindset from compliance-driven execution to ownership-driven food safety behavior.
Phase 3: Phased BRCGS Implementation
Rather than attempting a single-step overhaul, a phased implementation model was adopted to ensure controlled and measurable improvement.
Phase 3A: Foundational Compliance Strengthening
• Restructuring of food safety and quality documentation
• Alignment of SOPs, records, and risk assessments with BRCGS Issue 9
• Implementation of food safety culture monitoring tools
• Strengthening of internal audit and corrective action processes
Phase 3B: Expansion to Additional Units and Processes
• Extension of BRCGS-aligned practices to additional manufacturing units
• Harmonization of documentation and controls across locations
• Integration of supplier management and raw material risk controls
• Cross-functional engagement to ensure consistency
Phase 3C: Full Integration and System Maturity
• Integration of food safety culture metrics into management review
• Implementation of continuous improvement mechanisms
• Mock audits and readiness assessments
• Closure of residual gaps prior to certification audit
Phase 4: Final Audit Preparation and Certification Support
In the final phase, Emaza Services provided hands-on support to prepare the organization for the certification audit.
This included:
• Final pre-certification audit
• Evidence verification and record traceability checks
• Coaching of key personnel for auditor interviews
• Support during corrective action response preparation
The focus remained on demonstrating not only procedural compliance but also measurable food safety culture maturity.
Results and Impact
The engagement delivered both immediate certification success and long-term organizational benefits.
Achievement of BRCGS Issue 9 Grade A
The organization successfully achieved a Grade A rating in the BRCGS Issue 9 certification audit, marking a significant improvement after two consecutive Grade B outcomes.
Measurable Improvement in Food Safety Culture
Employee awareness, engagement, and accountability showed marked improvement. Food safety culture was no longer limited to the quality team but became a shared responsibility across departments.
Robust and Audit-Ready Documentation
All documentation and records were aligned with standard requirements and audit expectations, reducing the risk of repeat non-conformities.
Improved Management Ownership
Senior leadership actively participated in food safety reviews, decision-making, and continuous improvement initiatives.
Scalability for Future Expansion
The organization established a scalable compliance framework that could be replicated across new units without compromising certification outcomes.
Client Feedback
The client expressed high satisfaction with the structured and phased consulting approach. Management particularly valued the focus on food safety culture, practical training, and long-term system maturity rather than short-term audit preparation.
Client Value Summary
Through its engagement with Emaza Services, the pet toy manufacturer successfully transitioned from reactive compliance to proactive food safety leadership. The organization not only achieved its target Grade A certification under BRCGS Issue 9 but also embedded a sustainable food safety culture that supports business growth, brand credibility, and customer confidence.
Emaza Services delivered value by combining technical expertise, structured implementation, and cultural transformation, enabling the client to meet international food safety expectations with confidence and consistency.
