We have a 5-star food hygiene rating! And that’s just the start.

For those of you who are frequent visitors to our blog and social media channels, you’ll know that Express Refreshments, a trusted branch division of Coinadrink Limited, does a lot when it comes to enforcing good hygiene standards in the workplace. Your Micro Market is the ultimate refreshment solution that delivers a delicious variety of fresh food. So it’s reassuring to know that our food hygiene standards are incredibly stringent for your peace of mind.

You don’t need us to tell you about the importance of food hygiene. And as emphasised by our 5-star food hygiene rating, we take it very seriously.

Our 5-star food hygiene rating – explained.

We were awarded the 5-star food hygiene rating from the Food Standards Agency.

The scheme was designed to provide consumers with vital information on an organisations’ food hygiene standards in order to help them make an informed decision on whether to use them. This includes any service that involves the production, preparation and delivery of food, including suppliers, restaurants, takeaways and fresh food vending machines!

The scheme gives businesses a rating from 5 to 0 which is displayed at their premises and online.

• 5 – Very good food hygiene standards.
• 4 – Good food hygiene standards.
• 3 – Satisfactory food hygiene standards.
• 2 – Some improvement necessary in food hygiene standards.
• 1 – Urgent improvement required in food hygiene standards.

Ratings are given by the inspectors when they’re on site. They closely analyse how food is handled, stored, prepared in addition to the cleanliness of facilities. It’s certainly a demanding assessment, to which we were awarded the 5-star food hygiene rating.

Tailoring the HACCP procedures to suit the way we work.

Our operators are all trained in food safety. They regularly clean, maintain and replenish your Micro Market as part of a tailored schedule. In addition, we follow HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) when managing the food hygiene and safety procedures. This explains the process from when we purchase and receive the products, right up to when we add them into the Micro Markets.

We work closely with only the very best food suppliers who also have HACCP procedures in place. Upon delivery, we closely examine the products and check that they have the correct labelling and expiry date information.

We then undertake a thorough temperature test. If we find that high-risk products (items that need to be kept cool) are above eight degrees Celsius, we follow the correct rejection procedure. This either means we send them back to the supplier or discard of the item appropriately. Items in line with the correct guidelines are suitably stored in a chilled environment.

Our vans used for our fresh food service are regularly checked for cleanliness and cooled to a temperature ranging from one to four degrees Celsius. They should never exceed eight degrees Celsius. Our operators are required to carry out temperature monitoring every four hours and record the result. If the vans ever exceed eight degrees Celsius, our operators are required to notify us at the office.

All high-risk products are to be displayed for sale between one and four degrees Celsius and must be labelled in line with Food Safety Regulations. If the temperature in the Micro Market ever exceeds eight degrees, the service will shut down for consumer safety. Should this happen for longer than four hours, all high-risk food will be classed as not being fit for human consumption.

It will then be brought back to our office to be discarded of using the correct wastage procedures.

Our HACCP policy, tailored to suit the way we operate, helps us remain pro-active with regards to the food hygiene measures. We identify any potential risks and eradicate them. This provides our customers with complete peace of mind.

The importance of fresh food services in the workplace.

According to a recent study from ZeroCater, 60% of employees say that having fresh food services in the workplace is one of the top three perks. And over 50% of them said it was ‘extremely important’ that their company provides this specific benefit.

Therefore, your Micro Market is a fantastic perk. The convenience of being able to “grab-and-go” without having to leave site is extremely underrated, and healthier options including salads, freshly prepared sandwiches and wraps are available.

Working closely alongside Coinadrink Limited, Express Refreshments is a supplier you can trust.