When it comes to fresh produce, quality has many forms. We all have our own criteria for assessing a piece of fruit. Is it fresh? Is it ripe? Does it look good? Does it smell appetising? Will it hold for long? Most importantly, does the taste leave you wanting more? Consistency of quality, across all these parameters is, therefore our first priority in selecting fruit to carry our TOP brand. In Total Produce, we believe that this process begins with planning and preparation at source. We are pro-active and enthusiastic participants in production – committed to bringing together the needs of our customers and the capacities of our suppliers. By bringing to bear our collective strength and in-house expertise we couple supply with demand and anticipate contingencies – securing the best produce, grown to the right standards from the right regions, in the right quantities at the right times.
Central to this is our maintenance of an on-the-ground presence in all the major growing regions of the world, putting in place experienced quality personnel, evaluating potential suppliers, providing technical expertise where needed and investigating and implementing innovation. And of course, our produce is certified by the most respected auditing bodies. All TOP branded produce is both GLOBALGAP and BRC accredited.
Our integrated quality strategy, though extends across the full length of our supply chain – our resources at production are complimented by a sophisticated logistical infrastructure encompassing state of the art transportation, storage, ripening and distribution facilities across Europe and the globe – one which supports complete traceability of our produce.
The care with which our produce is assessed on arrival in Europe reflects our efforts at source to deliver superior produce. Here experienced teams of Quality Assurance personnel apply stringent specifications and subject our produce to scrupulous testing before dispatch to retailers, wholesalers and FoodService professionals across Europe. Routine shelf life testing and taste panels ensure that our produce not only looks right and meets the right specifications.
Ultimately, though it is the combination of all these measures and a culture within our company which prioritises all things quality-related that contributes to a general consistency and quality of fruit and vegetables that truly differentiates TOP.