Almaty, Kazakhstan, July 26, 2012
—IFC, member of the World Bank Group, and food retailer Metro Cash & Carry have launched a new program to help Kazakh food producers ensure the safety of their products while becoming more efficient and competitive.
IFC and the grocer are reaching out to producers across the country, offering assessments, workshops, and advice on food safety. The program began with a four-day training session for consultants in Almaty designed to build local knowledge about food safety management systems. Participants were introduced to Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP), an internationally-recognized safety system, and visited local food producer Beñker for a first-hand look at its industry-leading safety systems.
“As a large wholesaler, we are responsible for delivering high-quality food to our customers,” said Lyazzat Sarbassova, Deputy General Director of Quality Assurance Department at Metro Cash & Carry Kazakhstan. “This project will help us work with our suppliers to ensure we deliver the safest food possible.”
The initiative is part of IFC’s new Global Markets Program, which is designed to harmonize international standards in food safety for food producers linked to international retailers.
“Ultimately, it is customers who will benefit from the implementation of international food safety standards in Kazakhstan,” said Yuriy Zvazhenko, an IFC Food Safety Specialist. “At the same time, following international standards will help food producers streamline their business and become more competitive.”
Since 2009, the Ministry of Finance of Austria has supported IFC’s Food Safety Project in Europe and Central Asia, a program active in Ukraine, Belarus, Georgia, Armenia and now Kazakhstan. Besides providing advisory services to local food producers, IFC is raising awareness about food safety and helping companies implement international food safety standards.
About IFC
IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, is the largest global development institution focused exclusively on the private sector. We help developing countries achieve sustainable growth by financing investment, mobilizing capital in international financial markets, and providing advisory services to businesses and governments. In FY12, our investments reached an all-time high of more than $20 billion, leveraging the power of the private sector to create jobs, spark innovation, and tackle the world’s most pressing development challenges. For more information, visit
www.ifc.org.
About Metro Cash & Carry
Metro Cash & Carry is represented in 29 countries with over 700 self-service wholesale stores. With more than 100,000 employees worldwide, the wholesale company achieved sales of about € 31 billion in 2011. METRO Cash & Carry is a sales division of Metro Group, one of the largest and most international retailing companies. In 2011 the Group reached sales of around €67 billion. For more information about Metro Cash & Carry, visit
www.metrogroup.de
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