Pacific Spice is a full-service U.S. spice manufacturer with a wide range of spices and herbs. We offer seasoning blends, custom blends and formulations, and an extensive list of organic products to all segments of the food industry. Our customers include food manufacturers, foodservice companies, retail, and private label. When it comes to product safety and quality, there are many unique advantages of U.S. spice manufacturing.
In this blog, we’ll discuss our commitment to domestic quality control, our strict safety protocol, and the many benefits of working with a U.S. spice manufacturer.
Global Sourcing, Domestic Processing.
As a spice manufacturer, it’s our priority to source the highest quality, most flavorful spices from around the world. We start by selecting quality spice vendors and putting them through a careful vetting process. This vetting process continues even after vendors have been approved so that we can sign off on them with confidence.
Once raw spices and herbs arrive at our facility, they undergo rigorous testing and processing. Spice processing is a highly specialized undertaking. Using state-of-the-art equipment, the raw product is sifted, cleaned, milled, and blended. As the herbs and spices are processed, they undergo quality inspections and rigorous testing. These strict measures allow us to guarantee that the product is clean and safe, free of any contaminants or adulterants.
The U.S. Processing Advantage
The spice supply chain is notoriously complex. While spice trading companies buy a finished product from overseas as the last step in a long line of middlemen, spice manufacturers source directly from vendors and test, manufacture, process, blend, and pack everything in-house, adhering to strict Food Safety Programs.
U.S. spice processing and manufacturing allows for better oversight, clear product traceability, compliance with U.S. regulations, and higher overall quality. Because of these careful measures, we can confidently guarantee the safety and quality of our products.
Safety and Quality Control
As a spice manufacturer, it is our job to enforce strict Food Safety Programs and ensure safety guidelines are followed throughout the supply chain.
Food Safety Programs are in place to ensure our products remain clean and free of contamination. They include Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP), and Standard Sanitary Operating Procedures (SSOP). As part of these safety programs, we also take special safety measures for allergens, and conduct thorough environmental testing.
In addition to these, we go the extra mile to adhere to the strictest standards in Food Manufacturing. The most notable of these is our SQF Certification.
SQF – Safe Quality Food – This is an elite certification that is significantly above and beyond what is legally required. The motto of this certification is “Do what you say, say what you do”. It is a 3rd-party food safety auditing program that ensures that every written program and protocol we have in our facility is being followed. They inspect us on our food safety programs, pest control, GMPs, equipment calibration, air filter testing, and any other SOPs. The SQF certification is the food safety gold standard. Our food safety systems are certified by NSF as Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) compliant and our GMP and HACCP programs are consistently given high marks when audited under SQF code.
Certified Organic – We are certified by Quality Assurance International (QIA) and all of our vendors for our organic product line are vetted and qualified under the strict organic standards. For more on our organic line of spices, read our previous blog, Conventional vs. Organic Spices: What’s the Difference?
Kosher Certified – Our products are certified by the Orthodox Union for consumption by those who practice kosher dietary laws.
For more on our commitment to safety and quality, read Spice Safety and Quality: The Gold Standard or contact us directly.
The Benefits of U.S. Spice Manufacturing
Working with a U.S. Spice Manufacturer has many benefits.
- Predictable Lead Times: Pacific Spice Company has decades of experience partnering with the most reputable growers from around the globe. Working closely with our vendors, we are able to predict lead times and ensure that you receive your spices when you need them.
- Consistent Flavor and Quality: Because we source the highest quality spices, vet our suppliers, and process in-house, we can guarantee that our products are fresh, flavorful, and consistent.
- Knowledgeable Customer Support: We bring experience, expertise, and wisdom to every customer we serve. Our company operates during normal business hours in the U.S., making it easy to contact us.
- Innovation and Collaboration: We are at the forefront of the herb and spice industry and are deeply knowledgeable about current flavor trends in the U.S. We regularly introduce new, innovative spice blends that support regional, national, and global trends, and work directly with clients to create custom blends.
- Supporting our Local Economy: Choosing a U.S. spice manufacturing company means supporting local workers and the U.S. economy.
- Safe and Dependable Products: U.S. food safety regulations are some of the strictest in the world. At Pacific Spice, we exceed food safety guidelines to ensure the purity and quality of our products.
Behind the Scenes in Our U.S. Facilities
We caught up with Ricardo Rodriguez, Processing Plant Manager to ask him a few questions about his job at our processing facility. He was generous enough to share his unique expertise with our readers.
Q: Could you tell us about your role as the Plant Manager and how your work contributes to the high-quality products Pacific Spice is known for?
A: As Plant Manager, I ensure that production personnel follow the company’s Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) as well as Standard Operating Procedures (SOP). I also work closely with the QC Department to ensure we meet product specs after grinding or reconditioning products.
Q: What does a typical day at our facility look like for you?
A: When I’m not dealing with specific issues that sometimes come up, I work on reports, I attend meetings to ensure I’m up to date on what’s going on at our facility, and I walk the warehouse and production departments. A lot of my time is also spent in the office checking and answering emails and speaking with employees that come to my office with questions or requests.
Q: As the Plant Manager, how do you ensure adherence to our quality control measures during the processing stages at our facility?
A: We rely on various employees in key positions with ample experience to ensure that setup of machinery is consistent and accurate. We also have QC Department sampling products to ensure these items are always within specs.
Q: Lastly, in what ways do you think our domestic processing operations contribute to the quality and consistency of Pacific Spice’s products?
A: We have various types of machinery that are able to recondition different types of spices. We have a capable Maintenance Department that keeps these systems going and a QC Department that communicates with production to ensure the product is always consistent and high in quality.
Working with Pacific Spice Company
At Pacific Spice, we are proud to source raw material globally and process domestically in our modern, 150,000 square foot facility. As a U.S. spice manufacturer, we are confident that we can provide you with the highest quality, safest, and freshest herbs and spices on the market.
Want to work with Pacific Spice on your next product? Let us put your mind at ease and help you bring your vision to life. Choose us for all your U.S. spice manufacturing needs.