SALSA – Safe and Local Supplier Approval

The demand for locally or regionally sourced food and drink has gained significant momentum over recent months. The local sourcing challenge has now been taken up by many of the UK's major buyers including supermarkets, foodservice companies and other national or institutional buyers.

This growth in local sourcing initiatives has reinforced the need for a common, low cost, supplier approval process for smaller food producers and processors, particularly for those whom the BRC Global Standard has proved too daunting or costly for the size of their business.

Many buyers have already initiated their own local or regional supplier approval programmes and are keen that SALSA will be able to support or augment their own local sourcing initiatives.

National buyers, traditionally geared up to source food and drink in quantities suitable for national distribution, require an assurance that the locally sourced food which they are buying meets fundamental legal, food safety and due diligence requirements. SALSA has been developed to meet this need.

SALSA has been set up by the industry as a low cost, sustainable not for profit scheme to help local producers meet the standards buyers demand and overcome the barriers to trade. The associated costs of becoming a SALSA Member and becoming SALSA Approved are as follows:

Fees:
Membership Fee: £ + vat
First Year SALSA Audit Fee: £ + vat
Annual SALSA Audit Fee: £ + vat

Suppliers who should consider registering with SALSA are those companies who typically.
* already supply national buyers on a local or regional level
* supply to a defined locality, area or region ('locality food')
* produce specialist, artisan products under their own company brand
* are of a size where local and regional supply is the best option for sustainability

Buyers will ask companies to use or in some cases. consider the use of the SALSA scheme, as part of their purchasing arrangements. Each buyer will decide how best to utilise SALSA within its own purchasing policy. If you are talking to any particular buyers you should check their policy first. Many are indicating how they will use the SALSA scheme on their own websites.

If you currently hold or are seeking certification of a 'higher' food safety management Standard, such as the BRC Global Standard, SALSA may not be appropriate for you.