Freshcare & HARPS Consulting
QMS Audits provides specialised consulting services to ensure success on your path to Freshcare certification. We are one of the largest providers of Freshcare approved training in Australia, with years of experience in developing robust Freshcare folders proven to achieve exceptional results at audit.
Our Freshcare auditors can run a full analysis for your business, including initial internal audits, advice tailored to suit your individual business and can even attend your Freshcare Certification audit. Meet the requirements of Freshcare and HARPS, as well as Australia’s largest retailers such as Coles, Woolworths and Aldi.
The Two Types of Freshcare
FRESHCARE & HARPS GAP AUDIT
We need to close the gap between HACCP & Freshcare
hourly rate
- Review and update all docs
- Farm/packing shed inspection
- Check farm/shed records
- Specific, practical advice
- Advice on Freshcare training
- Detailed audit report
Freshcare & harps complete package
We need to prep for a Freshcare & HARPS Audit
fixed fee package
- Full write up of Freshcare folder
- Complete all HARPS requirements
- Farm/packing shed inspection
- Coaching and support throughout
- Freshcare & HARPS Internal Audit
- Attend Freshcare & HARPS Audit
FRESHCARE & HARPS CONSULTING & aUDITS
We need annual support for our team
hourly fee
- Conduct Internal Audits
- Attend Freshcare & HARPS Audit
- Close out non-conformances
- Monthly/Quarterly check-ups
- General Freshcare consulting
- Coach and support staff
Why Choose QMS Audits
Freshcare Approved Trainers
QMS Audits are a Freshcare approved training centre. Our trainers have a thorough knowledge of the Freshcare Standard and what to expect from large suppliers.
Dedicated Freshcare Consultants in Melbourne, Sydney & Brisbane
Our consultants come from the food industry where they have implemented Freshcare, HACCP and other GFSI Standards and helped our clients achieve high audit scores.
Simple, Practical, Effective
Our consultants have years of experience auditing to the Freshcare Standard, and know make the certification process as simple as possible. Our materials have been to audit numerous times – we know what is effective!
Fast turn around times
Is your business looking for new opportunities or under pressure from a customer to have Freshcare certification or HARPS? Our consulting process takes as little as 2-6 weeks until Freshcare certification.
Government funded training
QMS Audits is the only Freshcare training provider that is both Freshcare approved and a Registered Training Organisation (RTO). This means that we are the only training provider that can offer government funded Freshcare training under the Farm Household Allowance available through Services Australia. This gives cover for farmers who are experiencing financial hardship. To claim you have to make an upfront payment and then make a claim using your invoice.
BALQAL Systems is now part of QMS Audits!
As of 2023, QMS Audits have purchased Brendan May’s business, Balqal Systems and will be taking over the remainder of their clients. If you are looking for consulting services from Balqal Systems, then look no further. QMS Audits Freshcare and HARPS Consulting and Training provides options for businesses in the Agriculture and Horticulture Industry. QMS Audits offers:
- Freshcare approved trainers
- Nationally accredited training
- Experienced Freshcare auditors and consultants
Freshcare Training Options
Choose training to kick off your path towards Freshcare certification, or find supplementary HACCP training
Freshcare
ed 4.2
1-day training
$990 (+GST)
Includes
-
Freshcare FQS 4.2
folder -
Electronic copies of
Freshcare forms -
Mandatory training for
Freshcare Certified businesses
note: Freshcare supply chain is only available on the Freshcare website.
UPCOMING DATES
HACCP
P&A
2-day training
$1,549(GST Exempt)
Includes
-
2-day HACCP P&A
Course -
Mandatory HARPS
requirements -
Accredited units
of competency
UPCOMING DATES
HACCP
REFRESHER
2-hour training
$335 (GST Exempt)
Includes
-
2 hour HACCP Refresher
Course -
For HACCP based
programs e.g. Freshcare -
Accredited units
of competency
UPCOMING DATES
Freshcare & HARPS Certification FAQ
Freshcare is the predominant GFSI standard serving the horticulture industry in Australia. HARPS (Harmonised Australian Retailer Produce Scheme) is often described as a bolt on Standard to the more prominent GFSI Standards such as Freshcare. It is possible to achieve both HARPS and Freshcare certification.
Freshcare is a HACCP based GFSI Standard, meaning that for Freshcare certification your businesses is required to have developed and implemented a HACCP plan in your business.
HARPS is a retailer led scheme that has combined each of the leading industry supplier requirements into one standard.Â
Both of these Standards are specific to businesses in the agriculture and horticulture businesses, usually farms and supply chain businesses.
The two types of Freshcare are:Â
- Freshcare Food Safety and Quality (FSQ)
- Freshcare Supply Chain
Freshcare FSQ is developed for farms and facilities that grow produce. Whereas, Freshcare supply chain has been developed for other supply chain operations facilities such as:
- Agents
- Brokers
- Fumigators
- Marketing groups
- Packers
- Ripeners
- Storage and distribution centres
- Transporters
- Wholesalers
Yes, QMS Audits are the only training centre in Australia that are both Freshcare approved and a registered training organisation (RTO). This means that our Freshcare training is covered by the Farm Household Allowance. You will have to make an upfront payment for the service but can claim back with Services Australia using your invoice.
HACCP is a gateway system for food safety. If you can understand that a pedestrian gate will probably only stop the dog from getting out, whilst a castle gate has a lot more controls and therefore should stop an entire army, then you can probably get your head around HACCP. HACCP is about identifying potential food safety and quality hazards and then deciding what type of gate you need to put in place – do I need a pedestrian gate or a castle with a moat, draw bridge, high, thick walls and guards with bows and arrows? Join us in HACCP Principles & Applications and you will learn to write your own HACCP Plan.
This Freshcare Training Course is the first step for growers/packers to satisfy HARPS requirements from Woolworths, Coles and Aldi.
This comprehensive training covers everything that is required for Freshcare certification. Attendees fill out templates/forms throughout the Freshcare training course. These templates can be used during the Freshcare audit. Wherever possible, we use grower’s records, such as spray diaries. This means that growers don’t need to start a new set of records, if they don’t have to.
We have distilled our two day HACCP course into a single day, where we focus on food safety and quality hazards which are relevant to horticulture. The course is structured to build on HACCP understanding as we work through the Freshcare course and manual.
Participants will learn how HACCP has been built into Freshcare before looking at each of the Freshcare requirements in detail, and learning how to conduct a Freshcare internal audit. The workshop fee includes registration with Freshcare and our Freshcare Ed.4.2 manual, which has been upgraded to make Freshcare audits as simple as possible.
We keep it real! We will teach you how to write up a HACCP Plan – we give you HACCP templates to give you a head start and you will get to write some of your HACCP Plan up in the class.
On the first day, we review the Food Standards Code, explain how bacteria and other pathogens grow in food. As a class, we find why you can’t legally sell hash cookies or ‘road kill’. We work through lots of examples from Packing Sheds through to small manufacturers to catering and high risk processing.
On the second day, we build a HACCP Plan together as a class, based on one of the participant’s business.
We keep our class sizes small. We drive healthy class discussion to keep you awake and to keep it relevant. It means you can get lots of real life examples from us and your classmates that you can use when you get back to work. There is plenty of time to ask specific questions about your business.
If you need HACCP Certification – please give us a call on 1300 404 505 – We are more than happy to explain the process to you over the phone.
All of our HACCP Refresher training courses satisfy the requirements for HARPS, Woolworths Supplier Excellence (WSE), SQF, BRCGS, Coles/CFSMR, GlobalGAP and FSSC22000. These courses are provided to cover the main requirements of a HACCP plan, and to ensure participants have the protocols in place to maintain and improve their existing plans.
There are no current pre-requisites for Freshcare & HARPS. However, it is helpful for you to have previously implemented a HACCP plan within your business.
