Food and Beverage Security Consulting

Does your Food Defense Plan and Program effectively protect your products against intentional and un-intentional contamination?

Does your Food Security and Defense Plan and Program support or conflict with your Food Safety Plan?

The security of food and beverage processing, production and storage facilities and operations is an issue of significant importance and much misunderstanding.   Risks that may be faced in this industry may include workplace violence, tampering and contamination, theft and pilferage, sabotage, terrorist attack, activist disruption, etc.  I have found that many such facilities are fairly accessible and that employee security awareness is lacking or weak.

Food and Beverage Security and Defense Consultant Services Provided

Sem Security Management is a leader and innovator in the area of food and beverage defense and security.  We have performed security assessments and surveys, developed security-related plans, policies and procedures, developed self-assessment methodologies, trained staff in conducting self-assessments, provided security awareness and workplace violence prevention training, planning for strikes and work stoppages, and enhanced contract and proprietary security officer programs.

We will work with you to develop a Food or Beverage Defense and Security Plan that will meet and exceed existing and anticipated food defense requirements of the FDA, USDA and the food industry.

We have experience performing food security assessments and developing related plans and policies that meet USDA, FDA and FSIS food defense, security and safety guidelines.

Dick Sem spoke on Security Assessments to the State of Connecticut Food Inspectors.

Key Concepts of Effective Food and Beverage Security

• An effective food and beverage security and defense program should complement existing programs and processes including food safety, safety and safety awareness, environmental management, hiring and screening procedures, emergency and crisis planning and response, shipping and receiving, etc.
• The team-based food and beverage security risk assessment (see the "Security Assessments" page) elicits local and corporate buy-in, understanding and support by involving key staff in the process.
• Don't forget overseas facilities when planning your security.  Risks, threats and vulnerabilities may be higher.
• In addition to counter-terrorism considerations, assessments should consider all sorts of security-related harm that could occur including contamination, tampering, sabotage, arson, theft and pilferage, vandalism, trespassing, workplace violence, activist disruption, etc.
• Positive security awareness by employees is the most powerful, cost effective and frequently neglected of all security countermeasures.  See "Security Awareness" page for more on Security Awareness.
• Effective and comprehensive food and beverage defense and security doesn't have to cost an arm and leg.
• Most food and beverage processing firms have comprehensive emergency planning and response processes, but those processes typically don't address security-related emergencies and responses as thoroughly.
• While most firms have done much to screen and manage their own employees, relatively little has been done concerning temps, contractors and non-company drivers who may have equal levels of access.
• For firms with many and diverse operations, it may not be necessary to personally conduct assessments of each facility.  Self-assessment and planning processes can be developed that will elicit involvement by all facilities, large and small alike.
• Most firms do not have dedicated security managers.  Typically the security function is managed by someone who wears "many hats" such as EHS, Human Resources, Safety, Facilities Management, Engineering, etc.  In those cases, we provide the support and expertise of the in-house security manager.

Please call or write if you have any questions or would like to confidentially discuss your food or beverage defrnse and security needs and concerns in more depth.

We can provide a proposal and list of clients and professional references upon request.

Helping you protect your people, assets, reputation and value

"It was a pleasure working with Sem Security Management and I would very much recommend Sem Security Management as would I use them again in the future."

"Sem Security's breadth of experience and knowledge was very helpful to us in improving our understanding of the issues and options we had regarding security." 

"The feedback I received from the staff and officers  interviewed by Dick was excellent.  They commented on his thoroughness and his professionalism and willingness to listen.  The report we received from him was complete, comprehensive, well-written and extremely helpful."

"To describe your report as comprehensive and excellent is an understatement"food security, beverage security, food security plan, food security consulting