Food Safety – “Worth the Investment!”

As the global food system becomes increasingly integrated and complex, it’s essential that companies embrace food safety not only in their domestic market but also for export. Small to medium enterprises (SMEs) in particular face greater challenges when trying to export to lucrative yet strict markets like the UK and the U.S. These companies are the main customers for FES training and technical assistance services we offer globally.  

FES worked diligently with over 6,000 SMEs in three countries over a three-year period to improve food safety practices. We conducted a recent follow-up survey to explore the ROI from their investments in improving quality management systems and food safety training, and whether companies continue to apply what they learned two years after the project closed.  

“At Adhunik Meats, quality is more than standard. It is a promise we uphold at every stage of the process—from responsible sourcing to careful freezing and delivering safe, high-quality meat products to our customers.” — Mrs. Parbati Limbu, Adhunik Meats, an FES Client in Nepal 

Our work supported business engagement, training, and technical support aimed at improving food handling operations and raising food safety awareness among businesses and consumers. FES streamlined both international and local food safety standard requirements to a scale that SMEs could financially afford. The following were some of the services we scaled for SMEs:  

• Validation and prerequisite program (PRP) training modules tailored to different value chains 

• Training to help businesses prepare for third-party audits evaluating PRP implementation 

• Investment readiness training to support access to financing and capital investment 

  
  

At the close of the project, several notable impacts were documented: 

• Companies on average reported annual sales increase of US $12,000 

• Five food companies secured a combined US $5.8 million in debt and equity financing after strengthening their management systems and food safety controls 

• An innovative digital platform developed by FES reached thousands of food company operators and workers with self-directed training and guidance in multiple local languages 

  
  

Two years after the project ended, survey results suggest that many businesses continue to apply the practices introduced through BD4FS. Companies reported maintaining improved food safety procedures, strengthening their operations, and continuing to pursue new market opportunities. 

These results demonstrate that targeted food safety training and technical support can deliver real business value for SMEs. By investing in stronger food safety systems, companies were able to: 

• Access new and higher-value markets 

• Create jobs 

• Attract investment 

• Increase revenue 

• Provide safer food to consumers 

  
  

For many participating businesses, food safety proved to be more than a compliance requirement. It became a driver of growth, competitiveness, and long-term opportunities. 

FES would like to thank Babacar Sene (Senegal), Nirbek Shrestha (Nepal), and Aschalew Wondie (Ethiopia) for their valuable support in conducting the post-project survey. 

For more information, visit us at www.foodsolutions.global or contact us at info@foodsolutions.global