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Bella Bulgaria Certified under the Latest Version of IFS Food Standard - v. 8
April 17
Bella Bulgaria is strengthening its leading position in the international food industry. The company’s newest dough products factory in Svilengrad has been certified under the latest version – 8th – of the IFS Food Standard. This standard is designed to promote continuous improvement within companies and the implementation of next-generation technological innovations. In this regard, version 8 sets a new benchmark aimed at building a dynamic culture of food safety.
‘This next-generation certification is recognition of the company’s commitment to sustainable development, innovation, and the highest standards of quality and safety,’ commented Valeri Vasilev, Operations Director at Bella Bulgaria, on the implementation of IFS Food Standard version 8.
The Svilengrad factory is equipped with four fully automated production lines for filled dough products, two modern Frigoscandia spiral freezing tunnels with a capacity of 1 ton per hour, and an automatic cartoning machine by PATYN. As a result, Bella Bulgaria has increased its annual production capacity of dough products by 12,000 tons.
Technological innovations have also been introduced at the dough production factory in Yambol, allowing for an additional increase in production capacity by 17,000 tons per year for puff pastry and chilled pizza dough.
To meet rising customer expectations, enhance competitiveness, and comply with high food safety requirements, the dough production facility in Yambol has undergone numerous audits and external inspections in recent years. These include certification audits for the implemented food safety management system according to the IFS Food v.8 requirements, all of which were successfully passed at a high level. The system was also audited according to the RSPO SCC Standard and RSPO Market Communications and Claims requirements, in support of promoting the growth and use of sustainable palm oil products.
Environmental management audits were also conducted in accordance with ISO 14001:2015, along with audits for compliance with HALAL standards for certain ethnic products, Rainforest Alliance, cocoa products under the MB module, and second-party audits commissioned by major European retail chains to verify compliance with contractual obligations and specifications.
A certification audit was also conducted for the production of BELLA vegan dough products, one of which is in partnership with Nestlé Bulgaria – pastries filled with vegan minced meat. Another product launched on the market in collaboration with Nestlé Bulgaria features a Kit Kat filling.
Bella Bulgaria’s dough products, under its own and private labels, are available in all key markets through the company’s direct relationships with leading European retailers such as Mercadona (Spain), the Schwarz Group – Lidl (Germany) and Kaufland International (Poland, Croatia, Czech Republic, Romania, Slovakia, and Germany), Aldi Süd and Aldi Nord, REWE, and Tesco (Central Europe).
Production facilities in Bulgaria are powered by green energy. The company holds registered patents confirming world-first innovations in food production.