The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has appointed its first consultant in North America.
John Kukoly will be the BRC's Senior Technical Marketing Consultant. He will work on the BRC Global Standard for Food Safety in the North American marketplace.
This appointment is part of the BRC's commitment to developing the Standard in North America.
John brings to this position over twenty years technical management experience in the food industry. Formerly with QMI-SAI Global, a world leading Standards Auditing and Certification Body based in Toronto. John played a key role in the introduction, operation and management of several food Standards, including the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) programme of which the BRC Global Standard for Food Safety was the first Standard to be approved.
Through active engagement with key food industry stakeholders, retailers, restaurants, producers and major trade associations, John will work closely with leading North American based Certification Bodies to actively promote the BRC third party certification programme. He will develop training programmes, manage the North American Technical Advisory Committee and implement a marketing communication plan.
Dr. Geoff Spriegel, Director of BRC Global Standards, said: "This appointment demonstrates our firm commitment to developing the Global Standards in the Americas. I'm delighted John is joining the BRC team. He brings a wealth of experience to this role and will significantly enhance our presence in North America."
John Kukoly, said: "I'm absolutely delighted to be working with the BRC Global Standards technical team to help them increase the awareness and usage of the Global Standard for Food Safety in the North American market. Third party certification is relatively new in North America but many retailers, restaurants and producers are now requesting their supply chain adopt this approach to fulfill their obligations with regard to legal compliance and consumer protection. The BRC's expansion into the North American market provides it with a great opportunity to maintain the Standard as the world's most widely recognised Food Safety Standard."
The British Retail Consortium (BRC) is the UK's leading retail trade association. It represents the full range of retailers, large and small, multiples and independents, food and non-food, online and store based.
Last month the BRC and North America's leading retail trade association, the Retail Industry-Leaders Association (RILA), signed a joint agreement over another of the BRC's Global Standards. The support for the BRC's Consumer Product Standard is likely to lead to some of the world's biggest retailers requiring their consumer products suppliers to show they meet this BRC safety standard.