GS25 has set a new standard for safety management of convenience food by obtaining the ‘Smart HACCP’ certification for the first time in the convenience store industry. As a result, consumers can purchase major convenience foods such as lunch boxes, gimbap, rice balls, and sandwiches with greater confidence.
Smart HACCP is a comprehensive management system that incorporates IoT and other information and communication technologies into food manufacturing processes to automate the monitoring of critical control points and collect, manage, and analyze food safety information in real time. It enhances the limitations of the existing HACCP system technologically, improving both food safety and production efficiency simultaneously.
FreshServe, GS Retail’s subsidiary specializing in convenience meals, obtained Smart HACCP certification for all processes of ready-to-eat foods at its Osan factory, including metal detection, heating, and cleaning. It is the first case of a convenience store FF (convenience food) manufacturing plant in Korea having both HACCP and Smart HACCP certifications.
FreshServe, in particular, has introduced a system in the rice cooking process that automatically measures the temperature of ‘Mi-ban’ (the rice cooking state) and transmits the data in real time, the first of its kind in Korea. This method involves installing IoT sensors on major production equipment, such as rice cookers, steam pots, and washers, to record and manage internal and external temperatures, equipment display values, and residual chlorine in real time.
To establish a standardized measurement system, more than 40 consultations were held with HACCP certification experts over a period of one year and three months, resulting in a real-time monitoring system capable of immediate response to abnormalities. Due to the precise control of the production process, the quality and hygiene levels, as well as the overall operational efficiency, are expected to improve significantly.
Based on this certification, GS25 has established a system that can hygienically and systematically manage the entire process from production to distribution and consumption. ‘Beef Jajangbap Rice Balls’ and ‘Whole Pepper Fried Gimbap’ products, released on the 8th of this month, have the Smart HACCP certification mark attached. The packaging bears the phrase ‘Produced in a Smart HACCP certified factory, trust and eat,’ aiming to enhance consumer trust.
FreshServe CEO Kwon Young-hwan said, “As the demand for cost-effective meals increases, the safety of convenience foods has become more important,” adding, “With the introduction of Smart HACCP, we intend to manage the entire process in real-time and strengthen a quality-centered production culture to lead the convenience food manufacturing field.”