Hy-Vee boosts food safety compliance for in-store kitchens

Hy-Vee has bolstered food safety monitoring in all of its in-store kitchens with the deployment of the ComplianceMate solution from CM Systems LLC.

Automating the process of food safety compliance, ComplianceMate is now being used in Hy-Vee’s Italian, Asian, Hickory House and Market Grille foodservice kitchens as well as the Midwestern grocer’s meat, seafood, deli and bakery departments, Lawrenceville, Ga.-based CM Systems said yesterday. The customizable software tracks key indicators of food safety risk and, as the system generates data, it can alert any level of management — from store level to corporate offices — of potentially unsafe food before it’s served. 

“We’ve already seen terrific engagement from our stores. It’s getting employees even more involved than they already were,” according to Ellen Ciarimboli, director of food protection at West Des Moines, Iowa-based Hy-Vee, which operates more than 280 stores in Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wisconsin.

Hy-Vee has deployed ComplianceMate to its Market Grille, Hickory House, Italian and Asian foodservice kitchens as well as to its deli, meat, seafood and bakery departments.

For Hy-Vee, ComplianceMate’s ability to proactively draw attention to potential issues well before they become problems proved to be a key capability, CM Systems noted. The software can create configurable checklists for any regulatory or brand-specific compliance benchmarks and then enable smart notifications. That functionality also gives Hy-Vee’s management real-time visibility into each store’s food safety performance. 

Related:Hy-Vee opens 'reimagined' grocery store

“Seeing that data come in enables us to see what departments in specific stores are performing well or need support,” Ciarimboli reported.

CM systems added that ComplianceMate also makes above-unit auditing easier for Hy-Vee and its third-party auditing group. Auditors can use the system to collect and preview food safety data before entering stores, allowing them to develop an action plan  — based on information gathered and analyzed in advance — and expedite food quality and safety reviews.

Using the ComplianceMate software, Hy-Vee can create configurable checklists for any regulatory or brand-specific compliance benchmarks and set up smart notifications.

“Through our partnership with ComplianceMate, we are ensuring our customers the best experience, the highest-quality food, and the safest food prep,” Chuck Seaman, vice president of food protection and compliance at Hy-Vee, said in a statement. “We are proud to partner with a company that shares our dedication to innovation and superior customer service.”

ComplianceMate employs a combination of wireless temperature sensors, mobile technologies and customizable tools to provide “total control” over food safety and compliance in kitchens and foodservice operations, according to CM Systems. The solution captures reliable temperature data, eliminates human error from compliance checklists, upholds compliance with all HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) and internal standards and sends real-time alerts when temperatures are out of specification. In addition, the system provides time-stamped temperature data from any cooler or equipment at any store at any time and indicates employee accountability and opportunities for training. 
 
CM Systems said that, on average, customers cut their HACCP-related labor costs by more than 50% and see audit scores improve 20%. 

Related:Amid pandemic, grocery chains get ‘seal of approval’ for health, safety practices

“ComplianceMate protects brands and their customers, but in the process, it also delivers enhanced operational effectiveness through analytics, dashboards, etc.,” stated Steve Getraer, president of CM Systems. “We empower teams to achieve elite food safety performance with even less labor, ultimately improving service to Hy-Vee’s own customers.”