Manna from Heaven

The Proof is in the Pudding

Over the past 17 years, Manna From Heaven has grown from a small home kitchen-based operation into one of Sydney’s largest providers of cakes and biscuits. And everything is still made by hand, with an exceptional attention to detail, original recipes and hand-sourced ingredients.

In order to continue growing, and widen their distribution channel opportunities, Manna From Heaven recognised that their business and products would need to gain Food Safety (HACCP) certification. Together with NCS International (NCSI) they were able to successfully achieve this certification, and confidently manage their growing scale of operations and distribution.

Meeting the Challenge

Manna From Heaven’s success stems from the quality of their ingredients, all hand-selected by Rachel Grisewood, founder of Manna From Heaven. It also comes from the dedication of her staff – over 35 employees who are passionate about handmade cakes and biscuits.

Skye Blackburn, QA Manager for Manna From Heaven, says; “Our key customers now require us to have HACCP certification to supply them. We began working with NCSI over three years ago to ensure we always meet these standards. At the time we were developing our business with David Jones, Woolworths and QANTAS, and it was an essential part of getting those customers on board.”

Skye says they choose NCS initially because, as the regions leading food certification and auditing body, they had such a great reputation in the food industry.

“The service they provide is fantastic. The auditors are very friendly, and give proactive advice and observations that really make a difference. Knowing that we can sort out corrective actions within their timeframe reduces the stress of the audit.”

NCSI understands the challenges that small businesses face, and have the experience and technical ability to make HACCP certification work for them.

Regular audits also provide an opportunity to offer focused advice. As an example, a recent audit observation helped Manna From Heaven find new ways to reduce the risk of allergen contamination by colour-coding the dry ingredients storage tubs. New tubs with lids on top and wheels have also improved the efficiency within the kitchen.

Continued Growth

Manna From Heaven’s business has continued to grow. They now supply QANTAS business and first class with handmade treats, as well as the David Jones Food Hall. The Sydney Biscuit Company has been established as a sister company to manage the growing demand for large-scale biscuit orders. It requires production techniques that are more mass-market, but still maintaining the quality ingredients and personal recipes that have ensured Rachel’s business will stand the test of time.

Skye says; “Having HACCP certification has given our customers peace of mind that their products have been made and handled correctly, and our kitchen and staff meet best practice standards in everything we do. We’ve certainly increased our business as a result.”

And the proof, as they say, is in the pudding. Manna From Heaven also recently won medals in eight categories at the 2009 Sydney Royal Easter Show. Delicious!

For more information on how NCS International can assist you with your certification, call 1300 856 554 or Request a Quote Online.