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Quality and Food Safety at PouchDirect, transparent and reliable

Our Quality: Transparency and Trust

At PouchDirect, food safety and reliability come first. We work exclusively with GFSI-certified manufacturers, supply a Declaration of Compliance (DoC) with every order and have our packaging tested on a sample basis by accredited laboratories.
On this page, you will find:

A clear overview of our quality systems
Our supplier statements and standard documentation
Frequently asked questions from QA departments
A detailed explanation of relevant EU legislation

Quality and Food Safety at PouchDirect, transparent and reliable

Quick overview

EU compliant: (EC) 1935/2004, (EC) 2023/2006, (EU) 10/2011 and the latest amendments
Production partners: GFSI-recognised only, including BRCGS Packaging Materials
Documentation: DoC with every delivery, product specifications available online
Testing: Sample-based laboratory analysis
Traceability: End-to-end, from manufacturer to customer

Quick navigation

Supplier Statements and Questionnaires

Many companies use their own templates or digital quality questionnaires. These are often developed for food production companies and therefore do not always match packaging materials intended for food contact. To keep information complete, consistent and audit-proof, PouchDirect works with one standardised document.

For this reason, we do not complete separate or external templates.

Question	Yes	No	N/A	Comment
Quality management
Do you have a GFSI-recognized certificate?		X
If you are not the producer yourself, do your producers have a GFSI-recognized certificate?	X			BRCGS Packaging Materials
Food safety
Have you conducted a formal risk analysis?	X
What are your CCPs and how are these controlled?				Production via GMP, by selecting suppliers with GFSI certification.
Are your products tested for microbiological and/or chemical contamination?	X			Chemical
Personnel and training
Is staff trained for the SOPs required to perform the work correctly?	X			Since PouchDirect has no in-house production, this applies to our producers.
Is staff trained in food safety and hygiene?	X
Are training records maintained and available?	X
Suppliers and raw materials
Are all materials purchased from approved suppliers?	X
Do you carry out regular supplier evaluations?	X			Annual evaluation
Does PouchDirect inspect materials upon receipt?	X			Incoming inspection before goods are released.
Do you retain samples of all finished products for at least the product shelf life?	X
Storage and transport
Do you have your own storage facility?		X
Do you organize the transport yourself?		X
Is storage arranged to ensure proper hygiene and prevent cross-contamination?	X			Since PouchDirect has no production or storage, this applies to our suppliers.
Do you separate raw materials and finished goods during storage?	X
Is there a food defense procedure?	X
Is access to production, storage and transport restricted to authorized personnel only?	X
Are procedures for cleaning and personal hygiene in place?	X
Is there a pest control program?	X
Are trucks clean and checked before loading?	X
Is stock managed according to FIFO or FEFO principles?	X			FIFO
Non-conformities and recalls
Is there a procedure to identify and control deviations?	X
Are non-conforming products blocked and kept separate?	X			Digital block so products cannot be released.
Is there a procedure for logging complaints?	X
Is a recall procedure available?	X
Is this procedure tested periodically?	X			Annually
Is it possible to trace product from producer to customer?	X
Can this tracing be completed within the required max. 4 hours?	X
Documentation
Does PouchDirect provide specifications for each product?	X			Listed on the website with the products.
Do you provide a CoA per batch?		X		Possible, at additional cost
Are analysis results regularly compared with specifications?	X
Does PouchDirect notify customers of changes that may affect product quality?	X
Do you ensure compliance with the latest applicable laws and regulations?	X
On-site activities
Production and packaging			X
Storage			X
Transport			X
Trading	X
Environment and ethics
Does the company comply with all national environmental legislation?	X
Does the company ensure a safe and healthy working environment that complies with national legislation?	X
Does PouchDirect maintain ethical working conditions?	X

Declaration of Compliance (DoC)

Declaration of Compliance

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

No, we are not certified ourselves. However, we exclusively work with manufacturers that hold a GFSI-recognised certification. This ensures that you receive products that meet the highest quality and food safety standards.

In practice, we see that purchasing requirements can be interpreted differently for trading companies like ours. We are happy to help you find a solution that fits your policy.

GFSI (Global Food Safety Initiative) is not a standard and not a certification body.
It is an international programme in which major retailers and brand owners work together to harmonise food safety schemes. They:

• define benchmarks for food safety systems
• assess schemes such as IFS, BRCGS, FSSC 22000 and SQF
• determine whether a scheme is “GFSI-recognised / GFSI-benchmarked”

You will never receive a certificate with “GFSI” on it. You receive a certificate for a scheme recognised by GFSI.

We cannot freely share the certificate of our manufacturer. However, you can review our documentation on-site under NDA.

We comply with all EU rules relevant to our products: plastic food contact materials.
Regulation (EC) 1333/2008 concerns additives in food, and (EU) 852/2004 concerns hygiene in food production. These do not apply to our products.

Since we do not produce ourselves, we purchase efficiently so our customers can order smaller quantities, helping to prevent unnecessary waste. We also offer sustainable options that meet the Planet Proof Pouches programme: recyclable or compostable.

PouchDirect mainly supplies smaller quantities, shipped as efficiently as possible. Box dimensions can vary.
For full pallet orders, you can request this information separately.

Yes, available on request.

Yes. Our packaging complies with all EU frameworks applied in the Netherlands:
(EC) 1935/2004, (EC) 2023/2006 (GMP) and (EU) 10/2011.

Always use the packaging according to the intended use, contact time and temperature stated in the DoC and specification.

Intended use includes:

• product category (dry, fatty, acidic, alcoholic)
• filling process (cold, hot-fill, pasteurisation)
• contact time and temperature
• transport and storage

We verify whether the packaging falls within the correct categories.

Questions?

Ask your question using the form on the right or use the contact details below.

Reclosable Packaging B.V. PouchDirect
Pastoor Somstraat 2
8162 AK Epe, The Netherlands

Email: [email protected]
Call: 0031 (0)85 486 5240

Extended Explanation: EU Requirements for Food Contact Materials

(EC) 1935/2004 – Materials in Contact with Food

Summary

Materials must not transfer substances in quantities harmful to health
No unacceptable change in composition, odour or appearance
Manufacturer must follow good manufacturing practices and ensure traceability.

What this means for you

You can use our packaging for food, within the stated specifications
You receive documentation needed for your supplier approval process.

What we ensure

Selection of GFSI-certified manufacturers, including BRCGS Packaging Materials
Sample-based analysis by accredited laboratories
DoC with every delivery
Product specifications available 24/7.

Full explanation

Article 3 is the core: materials may not migrate harmful substances, alter food composition or affect organoleptic properties. Traceability must be ensured and specific labelling requirements apply to food contact materials.

(EC) 2023/2006 – Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP)

Summary

Mandatory documented quality assurance and quality control system
Clear processes, training and records
Traceability and change management.

What this means for you

You receive materials produced under demonstrable quality control, audit-proof for QA and procurement.

What we ensure

Cooperation only with manufacturers implementing GMP within a GFSI-recognised scheme
Annual supplier evaluations and verifiable SOPs and training.

Full explanation

The regulation specifies organisational and technical requirements for production and quality control, including documentation, complaints, deviations, corrective actions and training.

(EU) 10/2011 – Plastic Materials for Food Contact

Summary

Contains positive list of permitted substances and migration limits
Defines test conditions and calculation methods
Requires a Declaration of Compliance (DoC) for plastics.

What this means for you

With the DoC and product specification, you can assess your own application
Test conditions can be clarified on request.

What we ensure

DoC with required information, based on the latest version
Migration testing by accredited laboratories.

Full explanation

This regulation sets limits for overall and specific migration, and prescribes the required content of the DoC. For multilayer structures, additional rules apply.
Note: our stock products currently contain no recycled plastics.

Other Legislation

Epoxy derivatives (EC) 1895/2005

Not applicable to our current products.

Recycled plastics

Additional EU rules apply. Our stock does not yet contain recycled plastics, but we follow this closely. Custom packaging with recycled material is available on request.

The overview of PouchDirect’s information and working methods

PouchDirect Company Information

Operator: Reclosable Packaging B.V. (PouchDirect)
Address: Pastoor Somstraat 2, 8162 AK Epe, The Netherlands
Website: pouchdirect.com Email: [email protected] Phone: +31 (0)85 486 5240
Chamber of Commerce: 08133630 IBAN: NL06 RABO 0351 7083 67 BIC: RABONL2U VAT: NL8146.16.380.B01

Crisis or Recall Contact

During office hours: call our main number.
Outside office hours: email [email protected].

Questions?

Missing documentation or need help with audits, DoCs or specifications?
Plan a short call or Teams meeting with one of our specialists.