Quality Control in the Food Industry: What Capacity Do You Need?

First, assess your staffing needs 

A vacant position is often automatically equated with the need for a new full-time employee. However, the actual need may not correspond exactly to that. Perhaps there is a structural need for two extra days of QA capacity per week. Perhaps the QC team only needs support during peak periods. Or there may be enough people internally, but there is a temporary lack of specialized knowledge for an audit, certification, or improvement initiative. 

A thorough analysis prevents capacity from being organized around a job title rather than around the work itself. Therefore, start by answering four questions: 

• What tasks need to be performed or taken over? 
• Is it QA, QC, or a combination of both? 
• How much capacity does this require per week? 
• Is the need temporary, project-based, or structural? 

Flexible capacity to complement your in-house quality team 

QA and QC outsourcing are intended to complement an organization’s in-house quality organization. Permanent employees are familiar with the products, processes, customers, and internal procedures. External professionals can provide temporary capacity or specialized expertise when the team needs it. 

This allows an organization to bridge a staffing gap, cover for absences, handle peak workloads, or provide targeted support for an audit, certification, or improvement initiative. As soon as the additional need subsides, the deployment can be adjusted accordingly. 

Normec Foodcare works with you to determine the nature and scope of your staffing needs: QA, QC, or a combination; the required number of days; and the desired time frame. This results in a tailored solution that aligns with your quality team and the work at hand.