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Yakima, WA - Yakima Chief Hops (YCH) is pleased to announce completion of the Food Safety Systems Certification (FSSC) 22000 for the production facilities in Yakima and Sunnyside, Washington; and Mont Saint Guibert, Belgium. In addition to the FSSC, their newest facility in Belgium received its ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certificates for Quality and Environmental Management Systems.

The FSSC certification signifies that Yakima Chief Hops products are processed and certified as food safe. While hops are not a designated food product, YCH recognizes the need to exceed the minimum standard in accordance with the ISO standards they adhere to in service to brewery customers worldwide. “This certification shows our customers that we’re committed to producing products using food safe practices” says Missy Raver Sr. Vice President of Grower Relations and Quality. “The certification is recognized internationally and is accepted throughout industry supply chains, setting industry benchmarks for sourcing suppliers.”

In 2015 YCH became certified companywide after meeting all standards set forth by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Quality Management System (QMS). Maria Delgado, Food Safety Manager, adds that “ISO really focuses on quality and continuous improvement, and FSSC 22000 compliments the ISO standards nicely with additional rigorous food safety requirements.”

The goal to complete this process was set late in 2021, and the final certification issued was to the Belgium facility in June 2022, and both locations in Washington in December of 2022. The certification process entails a two-stage audit, and the preparation can typically take up to a year to complete. Yakima Chief Hops facilities finished the process in five months. “We were challenged by some existing physical limitations in our buildings but were able to produce solutions” says Elvira Romero Director of Global Quality Systems, whose team facilitated the audit preparation and implementation. “We had zero findings in our audits, a big accomplishment for our entire team!”

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Yakima Chief Hops

YCH is a 100% grower-owned global hop supplier with a mission to connect brewers with family hop farms. Operating for more than 30 years, we have become leaders in innovation, quality and customer service. We are a resource for brewers, providing industry-leading research and products. We are advocates of sustainability and meaningful social causes, working to support the communities around us. https://www.yakimachief.com/

Contact:

Elvira Romero

Director, Global Quality Systems

Elvira.Romero@yakimachief.com