Case Studies

FSQ Systems Optimization for External Manufacturing Partners

2 minute read

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: A fast-growing frozen dessert company was acquired by a global food conglomerate and needed to elevate the food safety and quality standards of its external manufacturing partners. Catena Solutions provided an experienced FSQ expert to assess partner capabilities, establish new quality processes, and prepare the network for alignment with the parent company’s standards. The result was a significant reduction in non-conformances and a more consistent, compliant FSQ program across all partner sites

The Challenge: Ensuring FSQ Readiness After Acquisition

Following an acquisition by a multi-billion-dollar global food brand, a frozen dessert company faced pressure to evaluate and strengthen the Food Safety & Quality (FSQ) systems of its external manufacturers. The organization needed support to:

• Assess the capabilities of each manufacturing partner
• Prepare partners for new corporate quality management standards
• Foster a stronger quality culture across the network
• Serve as the central FSQ liaison and problem solver

Neither the client nor the acquiring company had the internal expertise or bandwidth to lead this comprehensive effort.

The Solution: FSQ Oversight & System Integration

Catena Solutions deployed a senior FSQ consultant with 15 years of experience leading large-scale quality programs in major food and beverage organizations. Leveraging a deep understanding of operational FSQ needs, the consultant designed and executed a structured approach that included:

• Leading all weekly quality assurance meetings and managing quality issues by developing written technical reports
• Managing and updating onsite assessment trackers for multiple sites, which included closing out Corrective and Preventative Actions (CAPAs) from a previous audit
• Investigating and dispositioning non-conformances for finished products and making recommendations to correct non-conformances based off the sampling plan
• Conducting quality validations and assessments of the new Panning & Polishing Room and Packaging Line, which included one site for hyper-dried products and one site for hyper-chilled products
• Leading the foreign material inspection program to repack and secondary test finished product to release product into commerce; included leading an 8-month project to work through a release with a specific co-manufacturer
• Closing CAPAs and customer complaints
• Onboarding and training new third-party logistics (3PL) and third-party warehouse (3PW) partners on FSQ standards and hold capabilities
• Leading the dialogue to run specific samples needed based off pathogenic risk, or retesting if the product didn’t meet specifications
• Completing Product Related Incident Management Process (PRIMP) write-ups for the entire division to review
• Supporting the release process and transfer postings during the integration of SAP S/4HANA

Navigating Key Challenges:

The consultant successfully delivered results while managing two significant project complexities:

1. Leadership turnover: Three leadership changes occurred during the project. Despite evolving priorities, the consultant aligned new leaders quickly and maintained project momentum.

2. Remote project environment: Strong communication skills and diverse industry experience ensured smooth collaboration across distributed teams.

The Benefit: Stronger FSQ Performance Across the Partner Network

The project delivered measurable improvements, including:

Our FSQ experts partner with brands to improve compliance, reduce risk, and align manufacturing partners with corporate standards. If you are facing similar challenges, we would be happy to help. Contact us to discuss how we can support your goals.