SALSA Launches in Ireland

Press Release

For nearly 20 years SALSA has been in operation in the UK providing support to micro and small producers ensuring food and drink is both safe and legal. With its central approval process and working with only 80 mentors and auditors, SALSA has always stood for a high degree of quality and trust allowing smaller companies to develop their food safety culture.

In 2025 SALSA has expanded its scope into Ireland allowing smaller producers to adopt the same framework as nearly 2000 approved members with a new Purpose: To provide affordable and relevant food assurance certification and support for small and micro businesses to produce and deliver safe food.

Many specifiers across retail, food service and wholesale currently use SALSA as part of their supplier approval process. The certification scheme supports an organisation’s emerging and artisan supplier policy, as they seek to offer consumers new, innovative and sustainable products. However, supply chains are complex and not restricted to just the UK, with many specifiers sourcing products from micro and small business globally.

SALSA can now deliver an assurance product for the Irish micro and small food and drink market as a first step to potentially globalise the brand and offer a wider supplier approval solution ensuring food is legal and safe for the consumer.

Over time this could replace expensive 2nd and 1st party audits as well as ineffective self-assessment questionnaires and could be a solution for a retailer, food service or wholesaler to manage their supply chain “tail”.

Chris Grimes, Managing Director, SALSA Technology Ltd stated: “Having set up this business in 2007 to provide support for UK companies who are generally underserved, but provide a huge benefit to the UK food and drink industry, I am delighted we are looking to offer the same level of service to micro and small businesses in Ireland.”

Jon Poole, Chairman, SALSA Scheme Ltd commented: “I am delighted and excited by the prospect of SALSA becoming available in Ireland. There is a great tradition or artisan and local producers in Ireland who will be able to benefit from managing food safety in the same way as their UK counterparts. This is good news from retailers and food service operators who will be able to use this type of assurance ensuring food is both legal and safe.”

Key Messages

• SALSA supports micro and small food and drink businesses by providing a food safety framework that is affordable and proportionate to company size
• Been active in the UK since 2007, founded by several key Trade Associations
• Ireland is a critical market with many micro and small companies exporting to the UK
• This market segment (FTE <50) is nearly 90% of the total market by volume in the UK and critical to the national and local economy, drives entrepreneurialism and benefits the consumer in providing exciting, innovative food and drink
• The SALSA standards cover post farmgate to consumer with some category-specific requirements covering Beer, Cheese and Brokers, Storage & Distribution

Ends

For more information, please contact:

Email: info@salsafood.co.uk

Website: www.salsafood.co.uk/ireland