Orion Strengthens Summer Quality and Safety Management...Maintaining Logistics Warehouse Temperature and Pest Control

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Seon-ae] Orion announced on the 30th that it will actively strengthen food safety management targeting nationwide sales offices and distribution channels in Seoul and Gyeonggi regions in response to temperature changes during the summer season.

Orion will inspect whether nationwide sales offices are properly maintaining the temperature of product storage warehouses and adhering to pest control regulations. To manage jelly, chocolate, pies, and other products vulnerable to high temperatures, the company will frequently check the cooling facilities of logistics warehouses nationwide to prevent product deformation. Additionally, by monitoring the temperature and humidity of each sales office warehouse in real time, Orion plans to fully focus on securing product freshness and safety. In 2014, Orion enhanced facilities to block direct sunlight in nationwide sales office warehouses and installed a forced ventilation system to maintain an appropriate temperature below 25 degrees Celsius. As part of global quality and safety management, inspections of cooling facilities installed in the logistics warehouses of its China subsidiary will also be strengthened. Considering the vast area of China, Orion thoroughly manages the distribution stage by delivering products using refrigerated trucks to provide fresher products to local consumers.

Along with this, for the third consecutive year, Orion will provide pheromone traps free of charge to small and medium-sized supermarkets in the Seoul and Gyeonggi areas. This is to capture the Indianmeal moth, which is rampant during the summer and whose larvae, commonly called ‘ssalbeolle’ (rice bugs), cause damage that needs to be prevented in advance. The larvae of the Indianmeal moth have strong teeth and jaws capable of easily penetrating vinyl packaging or plastic, making them a major headache and challenge for the food industry. Especially from this year, quality safety team employees will conduct on-site inspections of stores where pheromone traps are installed to prevent the most frequently mixed Indianmeal moth larvae during the distribution process.

As part of ethical management, Orion regards ‘food safety’ as an essential value and continuously carries out quality management activities. It is the only domestic food company that has conducted AIB audits of global factories for over 20 years since 1996, raising food hygiene and safety to the world’s highest level. The American Institute of Baking (AIB), known as one of the strictest evaluation institutions in the global food market, conducts rigorous annual assessments of factory manufacturing environments, facilities, personal hygiene, pest control, and food safety programs. In 2009, Orion became the first in the confectionery industry to be designated HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. Through its own program, CVP (Certified Vendor Program), which evaluates quality control and legal compliance of raw material suppliers, Orion strictly manages the raw materials used in its products.

An Orion official said, “Since a hot summer is expected this year, we will advance the introduction of the summer food hygiene management program earlier than last year to provide safe food that consumers can trust and eat.” He added, “We will be sensitive and attentive to consumer complaints and demands and make every effort to thoroughly manage quality safety, which is fundamental to food.”