How to Record an Approved Suppliers Video for Your Food Safety Management System

Step 1: Set the scene and context

Using reputable, approved suppliers isn't just about getting good products—it's a fundamental part of your food safety management system. If something goes wrong—a food poisoning outbreak, an allergic reaction, a foreign body, or chemical contamination—you need to be able to trace that problem back to its source. If your suppliers aren't approved, aren't traceable, or don't have proper food safety systems in place, you've broken the chain of accountability and potentially put your customers at serious risk.

Your team needs to understand that every ingredient, every piece of equipment, and every service that enters your operation must come from suppliers who have been vetted and approved. This isn't bureaucracy—it's your protection and your customers' protection.

Where to film this video:

Film in your delivery area or goods-in location where deliveries are received and checked. Have your approved supplier list to hand, along with examples of delivery documentation. If you have copies of supplier accreditation certificates or audit reports (with sensitive details removed), these can help illustrate what proper approval looks like.

What to have ready:

• Your approved supplier list
• Examples of delivery notes and invoices
• Supplier accreditation certificates (BRC, SALSA, etc.) if available
• Your corrective actions log for delivery issues
• Temperature records for chilled/frozen deliveries
• Contact details for your suppliers and senior management

Start your video by explaining:

"This video covers why we only use approved suppliers and contractors, and what that means for everyone involved in receiving deliveries and working with external providers. Our approved supplier policy isn't just a piece of paperwork—it's how we ensure every ingredient we use is traceable, every piece of equipment is safe, and every contractor working in our kitchen meets our standards. I'm going to explain what makes a supplier 'approved,' what to check when deliveries arrive, and what to do if something isn't right."

Step 2: Plan what to record versus what to write down

Approved supplier training combines policy explanation with practical delivery procedures. Split your content strategically.

Best for video (on camera):

• Explaining why approved suppliers matter for traceability and legal protection
• What happens if there's an incident and you can't trace the source
• The difference between approved and unapproved suppliers
• What accreditations like BRC and SALSA actually mean
• How to check a delivery against your standards
• What to do when a delivery doesn't meet requirements
• Why contractor standards matter when they're working in your kitchen

Best for supporting written text:

• Your complete approved supplier list with contact details
• Specific accreditations to look for (BRC, SALSA, etc.)
• Delivery acceptance checklist
• Temperature requirements for chilled and frozen goods
• What to record in the corrective actions log
• Who to contact for supplier issues
• Contractor requirements and approval process

Example written checklist to include:

Delivery Acceptance Checklist:
□ Supplier is on the approved supplier list
□ Delivery temperature checked (chilled: 0-5°C, frozen: -18°C or below)
□ Use by dates/best before dates are acceptable
□ Packaging is intact with no damage
□ No signs of pest damage or contamination
□ No cross-contamination risk (raw/ready-to-eat separated)
□ Delivery note matches order and received goods
□ Any issues recorded and reported immediately

Step 3: Core rules and requirements

Cover the essential knowledge your team needs about supplier approval, traceability, and contractor standards.

Why approved suppliers matter:

Explain that using reputable, approved food suppliers, equipment suppliers, and contractors is critical to the supply of safe food, equipment, and services. This isn't optional—it's a core requirement of any food safety management system.

Tell your team: "If a customer has a food poisoning incident, an allergic reaction, or finds a foreign body in their food, the first question investigators will ask is: where did this come from? If we can trace every ingredient back to an approved supplier with proper documentation, we can identify the source of the problem. If we can't—if we've been using unapproved suppliers or don't have proper records—we're in serious trouble, both legally and reputationally."

Traceability requirements:

Explain that individual ingredients must be traceable so that if there's an incident, the relevant supplier can be notified and investigated by the local authority if the source of the problem is traced back to them. This means:

• Keeping delivery records with dates, batch codes, and supplier details
• Maintaining accurate stock records
• Being able to identify exactly which supplier provided which ingredients on which date
• Retaining or transferring product codes, date codes, and batch codes from original packaging

What makes a supplier 'approved':

Explain the criteria for supplier approval:

For food suppliers:

• Must be approved by the directors/senior management
• Must have robust HACCP-based food safety management systems in place
• Must have robust documentation and strict temperature controls for storage and supply
• Must exercise due diligence in their own supply chains
• Smaller suppliers should be audited by an experienced food safety consultant before approval

External accreditations to look for:

• British Retail Consortium (BRC) certification
• Safe and Local Supplier Approval (SALSA)
• Other recognised food safety certifications

Explain: "Suppliers with these accreditations have undergone very strict audits to obtain them. This gives us confidence that their systems are robust. It's good practice to work with suppliers who hold these certifications wherever possible."

Equipment suppliers:

Explain that equipment suppliers must also be approved and reputable. Equipment should come with robust warranties and guarantees. Unapproved or cheap equipment can fail, contaminate food, or create safety hazards.

Contractor requirements:

Explain that contractors working on your premises—whether for maintenance, pest control, cleaning, or any other service—must also meet specific standards:

• Must be adequately trained to carry out their job safely in a food environment
• Should have industry experience and relevant qualifications
• Must have the resources and manpower to respond quickly when called upon
• Only use contractors who have been approved and who listen to your concerns

Tell your team: "A contractor working in our kitchen has the potential to contaminate food, damage equipment, or create safety hazards. That's why we only use approved contractors who understand food safety and know how to work safely in our environment."

Step 4: Demonstrate or walk through

This is where you show your team exactly how the approved supplier policy works in practice. Use detailed narration throughout so staff understand not just what to do, but why.

The approved supplier list

Where to find it and how to use it:

"Let me show you our approved supplier list. This is kept [in the kitchen office/on the wall by the delivery door/in our digital system]—wherever you receive deliveries, this list should be accessible."

"Look at the format: supplier name, what they supply, contact details, and their accreditations if they have them. See this one—ABC Foods, they supply our fresh meat, they have BRC certification. This one—Local Farm Dairy—they supply milk and cream, they have SALSA accreditation."

"When a delivery arrives, the first thing I do is check: is this supplier on this list? If they're not here, I don't accept the delivery. It doesn't matter if the food looks fine, if the price is good, or if the driver says they've supplied us before. If they're not on the approved list, they're not approved."

How suppliers get approved:

"Before any supplier gets on this list, they go through an approval process. For food suppliers, we check that they have HACCP-based food safety management systems in place. We look for proper documentation and strict temperature controls for storage and supply."

"Larger suppliers will typically have external accreditations—BRC or SALSA. These certifications mean they've been audited by an independent body and their systems meet recognised standards."

"For smaller suppliers without these accreditations, we may require an audit by a food safety consultant before approval. This isn't us being difficult—it's ensuring that even local suppliers meet food safety standards."

"Once senior management approves a supplier, they go on this list. Only then can we place orders with them."

Receiving a delivery—the complete process

Checking the supplier first:

"A delivery van has just arrived. Let me show you the complete delivery acceptance process."

"Step one: I check who's delivering. The driver says they're from 'Fresh Fish Co.' I check my approved supplier list... yes, Fresh Fish Co is on the list. They're approved to supply us with fish and seafood."

"If they weren't on the list—if this was a new company we'd never ordered from, or a substitute driver from a different supplier—I would not accept this delivery. I'd contact the office to clarify before accepting anything."

Temperature checks:

"Step two: temperature verification. This is chilled fish, so it needs to be between 0-5°C. I'm using my probe thermometer—sanitised first."

"I'm checking between the fish boxes where it's been stored. The reading is 2°C—that's within range, so the cold chain has been maintained during transport."

"If this had read 8°C or above, I would reject the entire chilled delivery. Food delivered above safe temperature has already spent time in the danger zone. I can't trust that bacteria haven't started multiplying."

"For frozen deliveries, I check for -18°C or below. Anything warmer than -15°C and I'm questioning whether the freezer on the van was working correctly."

Date checking:

"Step three: I check the dates on the products. This salmon has a use by date of... the 25th. Today is the 18th. That gives us seven days to use it—plenty of time."

"But look at these prawns—use by date is tomorrow, the 19th. Can we realistically use all of these prawns by tomorrow? If not, I'm flagging this with the driver."

"Accepting short-dated stock is how you end up either serving food that's past its date or throwing away food you couldn't use in time. Both are problems. If the dates aren't acceptable, I discuss with the driver whether they can substitute longer-dated stock or whether I need to reduce the order."

Packaging inspection:

"Step four: I check the packaging. Is it intact? Any damage, tears, wet patches, or signs of tampering?"

"This box is slightly dented—I'm opening it to check inside. The inner packaging is intact, the fish inside looks fine. A minor dent is acceptable if the contents are unaffected."

"This box has a wet patch on the bottom. That could mean the packaging has leaked, or it could mean thawing has occurred. I'm checking the contents... yes, there's damage to one of the vacuum packs and liquid has leaked out. This item is rejected."

Cross-contamination checks:

"Step five: I check for cross-contamination during transport. Was raw food kept separate from ready-to-eat food?"

"On this delivery, all items are raw fish, so that's straightforward. But on a mixed delivery—say, raw chicken and cooked meats from the same supplier—I'd be checking they weren't stored together, that raw products haven't leaked onto cooked products, that there's no risk of cross-contamination."

Pest activity:

"Step six: I look for any signs of pest damage. Gnaw marks on boxes, holes in packaging, droppings, or any evidence of infestation."

"This delivery looks clean—no signs of pest activity. If I found gnaw marks or droppings, I'd reject the delivery and contact the supplier immediately. Pest-contaminated goods are not acceptable under any circumstances."

Documentation verification:

"Step seven: I check the paperwork. Does the delivery note match what was ordered? Does it match what's actually been delivered?"

"My order was for 10kg salmon, 5kg prawns, 3kg mussels. The delivery note says the same. I'm physically checking—yes, that matches what's in front of me."

"I'm also noting batch codes and use by dates from the packaging. If there's ever a product recall, I need to be able to identify whether we received affected stock."

Handling delivery problems

Rejecting a delivery:

"This delivery has arrived but the temperature is reading 9°C—well above the safe limit for chilled fish. Let me show you how to handle this."

"First, I explain to the driver what I've found. 'Your temperature probe or my temperature probe shows this fish is at 9°C. That's above the safe limit for chilled products. I cannot accept this delivery.'"

"I'm not accepting substandard goods just because the driver is waiting or because we need the stock. Food safety comes first."

"I note down what happened: time, date, what was rejected, what the temperature reading was. I inform senior management so they can follow up with the supplier."

Partial rejection:

"Sometimes part of a delivery is acceptable and part isn't. Look at this scenario: the salmon is fine—correct temperature, good dates, intact packaging. But the prawns are short-dated and the mussels have damaged packaging."

"I accept the salmon, reject the prawns and mussels. The delivery note gets annotated: 'Salmon accepted. Prawns rejected—use by date tomorrow, insufficient time to use. Mussels rejected—damaged packaging.'"

"The driver signs to confirm what was returned. This protects us and documents what happened."

Recording delivery issues:

"Every delivery issue goes in the corrective actions log. I'm writing: date, supplier name, what was delivered, what the problem was, what action was taken, who was informed."

"Why does this matter? If Fresh Fish Co has one temperature issue, maybe their van had a bad day. If they have three temperature issues in a month, there's a systemic problem with their cold chain. Without records, we wouldn't see the pattern."

"Persistent problems with a supplier get escalated to senior management. They may address it directly with the supplier, or in serious cases, the supplier may be removed from the approved list."

Working with contractors

Contractor arrival process:

"A maintenance engineer has arrived to service our extraction system. Let me show you how we manage contractors."

"First, sign-in. The contractor signs into our visitors' book: name, company, time of arrival, reason for visit. This means we always know who's on-site."

"Second, I brief them on our food safety requirements. 'You're working in a food preparation area. Please don't bring tools or equipment into contact with food surfaces. If you need to move anything, let me know. Wash your hands before you start work.'"

During contractor work:

"While the contractor works, I'm keeping an eye on what they're doing. Not supervising every moment, but ensuring they're not creating food safety risks."

"If they need to work above food preparation areas, we cover those surfaces first. If they need to access areas near food storage, we move food away."

"Contractors working in our kitchen have the potential to contaminate food, damage equipment, or create safety hazards. That's why we only use approved contractors who understand food safety and know how to work safely in our environment."

Contractor departure:

"When the work is complete, the contractor signs out with the time of departure. They give us documentation of what work was done."

"I check the area they worked in: is it clean? Are tools or debris left behind? Is everything back in its proper place?"

"If there are any issues—if the contractor left a mess, contaminated a surface, or didn't complete the work properly—I report it to senior management. We need to know so we can address it with the contractor company."

Maintaining traceability records

Why traceability matters:

"Let me explain why we keep such detailed delivery records. Individual ingredients must be traceable so that if there's an incident, the relevant supplier can be notified and investigated."

"Imagine a customer has a food poisoning incident. The first question investigators will ask is: where did this ingredient come from? With proper records, I can say: 'That salmon was delivered on the 18th, batch code XY123, from Fresh Fish Co, use by date 25th.'"

"That information allows the local authority to trace the source of the problem. If we can't provide that information—if we've been using unapproved suppliers or don't have proper records—we're in serious trouble, both legally and reputationally."

Keeping codes and dates:

"When we open products, I ensure batch codes and date codes are either kept with the product or recorded in our delivery log."

"For products we decant—like transferring fish from the delivery box to our storage container—I note the batch code and use by date on our label. The original information doesn't disappear just because the product moved containers."

"If there's ever a product recall, I need to be able to identify immediately whether we received affected stock. Without batch code records, I'd have to assume the worst and discard everything from that supplier."

Step 5: Common mistakes to avoid

Cover the errors that can compromise your supplier controls.

Mistake 1: Using unapproved suppliers

"The most serious mistake is ordering from a supplier who isn't on the approved list—maybe because they're cheaper, or more convenient, or because your usual supplier is out of stock. This breaks your entire traceability chain. If something goes wrong with that product, you have no assurance about their food safety systems, no audit trail, and potentially no legal recourse. Only use approved suppliers—no exceptions."

Mistake 2: Accepting deliveries without proper checks

"When you're busy and there's a queue of deliveries, it's tempting to just sign and move on. But if you accept a delivery at the wrong temperature, or with damaged packaging, or with products that expire tomorrow, you've accepted a problem into your kitchen. Take the time to check every delivery properly. A few minutes of checking can prevent a food safety incident."

Mistake 3: Not recording delivery issues

"If you reject a delivery or part of a delivery, but don't record it, there's no trail. Senior management won't know there's a problem with that supplier. The pattern won't be visible. Record every issue in the corrective actions log, even if it seems minor. If the same supplier has issues repeatedly, that's important information."

Mistake 4: Losing traceability information

"When you decant products into containers or remove original packaging, you can lose the batch codes, date codes, and product codes that allow traceability. Make sure this information is transferred—write it on the new container, keep a record, don't just throw away the packaging without capturing the details. If there's a product recall, you need to be able to identify whether you have affected stock."

Mistake 5: Letting contractors work unsupervised

"Contractors might be experts in their field, but they're not experts in your food safety systems. If a pest control technician leaves bait in an inappropriate location, or a maintenance engineer contaminates a food contact surface, that's a food safety risk. Make sure contractors understand your requirements, and check their work when they're done."

Mistake 6: Assuming accreditation means no problems

"Just because a supplier has BRC or SALSA accreditation doesn't mean every delivery will be perfect. Accreditation means their systems have been audited—it doesn't guarantee that every employee follows those systems every time. Still check every delivery. Still report problems. Accreditation reduces risk; it doesn't eliminate it."

Step 6: Key takeaways

Finish your video by reinforcing the critical points.

"Let me recap what you need to remember from this video:

Why it matters: Using approved suppliers ensures traceability. If something goes wrong, we can trace it back to the source. If we can't trace it, we can't investigate, we can't prove our due diligence, and we're exposed legally.

Approved suppliers only: Every food supplier, equipment supplier, and contractor must be on our approved list before we use them. No exceptions, no shortcuts, no 'just this once.'

What to look for in suppliers: Robust HACCP systems, proper documentation, temperature controls, and ideally external accreditations like BRC or SALSA. Smaller suppliers should be audited before approval.

Check every delivery: Verify the supplier is approved, check temperatures, check dates, check packaging, check for contamination or pest damage. If it's not right, reject it.

Record everything: Delivery issues go in the corrective actions log. This protects the business and helps identify problem suppliers.

Maintain traceability: Keep batch codes, date codes, and product codes. Transfer this information when decanting. If there's a recall, you need to identify affected stock immediately.

Contractor standards: Only use approved contractors who understand food safety. They must follow our hygiene rules and work safely in our environment.

Reject substandard deliveries: You have the authority and the responsibility to reject deliveries that don't meet our standards. Don't accept problems into our kitchen.

Our approved supplier policy is one of the foundations of our food safety system. It protects our customers, protects the business, and gives us the traceability we need if anything ever goes wrong. Follow these standards for every supplier, every delivery, every time."