ISO 9001 for a Holding Company which owns several Food Companies

[toto2010]

Hi Everyone,

My company is a holding company which owns several food companies. These food companies are considered its subsidiaries; however my company does sell products to these subsidiaries. These subsidiaries own food stalls. Therefore, our end-customers are consumers who patronize our food stalls to buy food.
My company is setting up an ISO 9001 system. But it likes to define the subsidiaries as its customer instead of the end customers. Not sure whether this is possible.

Thank you if someone can reply.

Hi Everyone,

My holding company is in food industry. It is setting up an ISO 9001 QMS. In return of a fee, it allows its subsidiaries to use its trademark on their premises (food stalls). My company intend to define its customer as its subsidiaries instead of the end customers. Should permitting the usage of trademark be counted as a product or service offered by my holding company? If yes, then is this considered a product or service offered?

Thank you very much. Appreciate any replies.

Dear Sir/Madam,

I'm currently helping my holding company to develop ISO 9001 QMS.
My holding company is in food industry. In return of a fee, it allows its subsidiaries, which are defined as my company customers, to use its trademark on their premises (food stalls). My company intend to define its customer as its subsidiaries instead of the end customers. Should permitting the usage of trademark be counted as a product or service offered by my holding company? If yes, then is this considered a product or service offered?

Really appreciate any replies.

Thank you very much.

Best Regards,
Toto2010

 

[harry]

Welcome to the Cove.

.............................. But it likes to define the subsidiaries as its customer instead of the end customers. Not sure whether this is possible. ............

Basically, it is up to your organization - what it wants and how it would like the QMS to work for them.

From what you described, it looks like they choose to be a 'trading' company (not selling to end users) and certification is certainly possible. However, if you are selling to your own subsidiaries why even bother to be certified?

A rational approach is to go for group certification where the main company and its subsidiaries can benefit together from its interaction with their 'true' customers.

 

[DannyK]

Hi Everyone,

My company is a holding company which owns several food companies. These food companies are considered its subsidiaries; however my company does sell products to these subsidiaries. These subsidiaries own food stalls. Therefore, our end-customers are consumers who patronize our food stalls to buy food.
My company is setting up an ISO 9001 system. But it likes to define the subsidiaries as its customer instead of the end customers. Not sure whether this is possible.

Thank you if someone can reply.

I agree with Harry. If you are looking to get the greatest benefit of certification and the implementation of a QMS- the multisite approach is the way to go.

If you are only going for the holding company, then you want to emphasize the controls that you have imposed on the food stalls and the way that you monitor these controls.

 

[toto2010]

Hi DannyK,

Can I also emphasized on the financial dealings between the holding company and its subsidiaries which are the customers of holding company? Because these subsidiaries bought food from the holding company. Also they gave a sum of management fee to the holding company for us to manage them. For example, we help them to service the IT and electrical facilities at the food stalls.

Also, the controls that you states could be the hygiene levels and service standard at the food stall? technically we cannot impose to them because they are our customer. But we do help them to check the hygiene level and service standard.

 

[mguilbert]

Does the holding company produce the food for the food stalls to sell? Why then 9001 and not the ISO 22000 HACCP standard?

Also the corporate McDonalds sells food to food stalls (Franchises) and they dictate the hygiene and other standards of the food stalls. I would highly suggest having the food stalls under the same certification especially if they are selling your product with the holding companies brand name.

If someone becomes ill from the food stands food and it makes the news all of those food stands with that name will be labeled as bad. It is not right but that is what people do. I would want to have as much control as possible because one would think the holding company bought them to make money not lose or ruin the brand they purchased.

Just some thoughts.

 

[toto2010]

Hi MGuilbert,

Our holding company do not produce food but actually buy from outside and sell to the food stalls. So in this sense, it behaves like a trading company.

Regarding why not directly HACCP or ISO 22000? This is a very good question. The main reason is we want to start a QMS in small scale and 9001 is a basic. Currently, the ISO project is handled by me alone which is very tedious as our holding company is not very small. I am the ISO project in charge and only me have ISO knowledge.

From the questions you asked, I can tell that you are very experience with ISO in the food industry. Not sure whether I can email you directly for advice? If you are fine with it, I can give you my email address here in this forum.

Thank you very much.

Regards,
toto2010