Founded in 2008 and based in the foothills of the Brecon Beacons, Cradoc’s Savoury Biscuits produce savoury cheese crackers in unique flavour combinations, which are made with fresh vegetables.
Originally established as a kitchen table start-up, the family run business has grown to supply major UK supermarkets and export to customers across the world. Now employing seven people, Cradoc’s moved to a larger, renewable electricity powered production facility in 2019.
Having successfully secured SALSA food safety certification in 2019 and faced with the many demands of running a growing business, Cradoc’s owner, Allie Thomas, decided that she needed additional support to manage the company’s food safety systems.
Through the Project HELIX Knowledge Transfer Programme, Cradoc’s recruited Fran Lewis as a technical affiliate in March 2021. The Project HELIX Knowledge Transfer Programme employs part-funded technical or sales and marketing affiliates and embeds them within Welsh food and drink manufacturers with full support from ZERO2FIVE Food Industry Centre.
Fran’s responsibilities at Cradoc’s include maintaining and monitoring the company’s food safety management systems. Fran also runs the company’s internal audit programme, assessing the company’s practices and processes against SALSA guidelines, and has implemented a stage gate best practice approach to new product development.
Benefits of the support
Since Fran joined the business, Cradoc’s have successfully passed three SALSA audits. Most recently in July 2022, the company passed their audit with no non-conformances.
Maintaining SALSA certification has been vital for Cradoc’s to maintain their existing customer base as well as in securing new customers. In 2021, the company posted an 55% increase in turnover compared to 2020 and this year they’ve brought on board four new UK-based customers, including a major supermarket.
Fran has been instrumental in maintaining our SALSA certification. She knows pretty much everything you need to know about the system, and she’s also brought her administrative acumen into the business. We would not be at the level of food safety where we are now without Project HELIX and Fran.”