Compliance and operations consulting for food manufacturers, co-mans and growing CPG brands
We fix the plant behind the paperwork.
Behind on orders and behind on compliance? We fix both, remotely. We set up the SOPs, labor standards and floor processes, get you USDA, FDA or SQF certified, and build a custom ERP system to run it all. Led by an operator who came up from the production line.
- ✓ Food safety plan reanalysis signed by PCQI
- ✓ Supplier approvals and COAs current
- ✓ EMP swabs, Zones 1 to 3 logged
- ✓ Allergen changeover verified and signed
- ✓ Mock recall: 100% traced in 2 hrs
- ✓ Scale and thermometer calibration on file
The scale-up
6.5x the output with 47% fewer people, in 4 months.
A ready-to-cook manufacturer landed a national warehouse-club contract and had four months to multiply its output. It got there on time, with a smaller crew.
230K → 1.5M
units per day
150 → 80
people on the floor
~12x
units per person per day
The audit record: every compliance program we've built has passed its audit. USDA, FDA and SQF, over 7 years.
2-minute self-assessment
Could your operation handle twice the volume next quarter?
Ten questions we ask on every first site visit. Answer honestly and you'll get a score, plus the area most likely to break first when volume goes up.
Nothing is sent anywhere unless you choose to send it.
The calls we usually get
If one of these sounds familiar, we should talk.
- "We have more orders than the plant can make, and the audit is next month."
- "We need a USDA grant of inspection before we can ship our new line."
- "FDA left a Form 483 and we have fifteen business days to respond."
- "A national retailer wants SQF certification in six months."
- "We keep hiring, and output barely moves."
Remote by design.
No travel costs, a faster start, and you pay for expertise, not airfare.
-
01
Remote Baseline Assessment
We review your documents, production and labor data, recorded floor video and live video walkthroughs. You get a written compliance gap audit plus a labor and productivity plan: what's breaking first, and how to fix it.
-
02
Fix the floor and the paperwork together
We write the programs and SOPs, set labor standards, plan headcount and equipment, and train your team by video. Larger projects are quoted from what the assessment finds.
-
03
Pass the audit and keep scaling
Remote mock audit, coaching on audit day, and ongoing support on a monthly retainer if you want us on call.
Compliance and certification
We get plants certified and keep them that way, with programs written by someone who has run the line they apply to.
What we cover
- USDA grant of inspection
- FDA compliance and FSMA Food Safety Plans
- SQF certification
- HACCP plans
- Baseline internal audits
- Audit and inspection readiness, including Form 483 responses
- Label review and approval
- Shipping compliance
What you get
- Programs written to how your plant actually runs
- Staff trained by video
- A remote mock audit, and coaching on audit day
Track record: every program we've built has passed its audit.
Plant operations and scale-up
We set the plant up from the ground up: SOPs, processes, labor standards and everything on the floor, so you can make more with the people you have.
What we cover
- SOPs, processes and floor setup
- Labor standards and standard labor cost
- Headcount planning
- Time-and-task and productivity studies
- Finding the bottleneck that limits output
- Choosing equipment that cuts labor or multiplies output
- Production planning and procurement
What you get
- A labor and productivity plan with clear numbers
- A headcount plan and equipment recommendations
- A production plan your team can run without us
Proof: 6.5x the output with 47% fewer people, in 4 months.
Custom ERP and MRP systems
Most ERPs are built for every industry, so they fit food badly. We build one system for one plant, around its own products, formulas, planning, inventory, lot tracing and costing.
- Demand forecasting and production planning
- Materials planning (MRP) and procurement
- Inventory and lot tracing, forward and back
- Formulas, yields and costing
- Line scheduling
- Integrations with your accounting or order systems
Starter systems take 6 to 10 weeks. A full-plant system takes 3 to 5 months. Ongoing support is available monthly.
Talk to us about a custom ERP →| Material | Needed | On hand | Order |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rolled oats, lb | 4,800 | 1,250 | 3,550 |
| Clover honey, lb | 960 | 1,100 | 0 |
| Sunflower oil, gal | 210 | 85 | 125 |
| Dried cranberries, lb | 640 | 200 | 440 |
| 12 oz stand-up pouch | 18,000 | 6,500 | 11,500 |
Example data. We never show client products.
One point of contact. The right specialist for every problem.
Food manufacturing problems rarely stay in one lane. A label review turns into a nutrition panel question. A new line turns into a freight question. So we don't work alone. Every engagement is led by Compliance Chef, and we bring in vetted specialists from our network when the work calls for it.
FSQA
PCQIs, SQF practitioners and auditors
Nutrition panels
Nutrition facts panels and analysis
Food science
Formulation, shelf life and process validation
Logistics
Truck booking, freight and distribution
Engineering
Equipment installation and facility design
Packaging
Materials, suppliers and co-packers
Supply chain and sourcing
Ingredient sourcing and supplier qualification
People
Hiring plans and supervisor training
Every specialist works under the same confidentiality terms we do, and reports through us. You never have to manage a crowd of consultants.
Led by an operator who came up from the line.
Erick Mejia started on the production line and worked his way up through QA management into operations. That's why the programs we build match how a plant actually runs: he has done the jobs they apply to.
- Line lead. Trained crews to written standards, using time-and-task studies.
- Production supervisor. Ran a larger team to the production plan.
- QA lead, supervisor and manager. Built and implemented compliance programs for USDA, FDA and SQF Edition 10.
- Operations. Took over planning, labor and scale-up at a ready-to-cook manufacturer.
He knows raw and ready-to-cook foods, recipe meals and refrigerated products, and can review any product and process to say what it needs to be safe and to scale. He works down to the last detail, and he'll tell you where things really stand, even when it isn't what you want to hear.
Credentials
- PCQI, FSPCA Preventive Controls for Human Food
- HACCP certified
- SQF Practitioner
- 10 years in food manufacturing, 7 of them leading certifications
Questions people ask first
How do you work remotely on a plant floor?
Through your documents, your production and labor data, recorded floor video and live video walkthroughs. Training is done by video, and mock audits and audit-day coaching happen live. It means no travel costs and a faster start.
Where do we start?
With a Remote Baseline Assessment. You get a written compliance gap audit plus a labor and productivity plan. Larger projects are quoted from what it finds, so you only pay for the work you actually need.
What does it cost?
Our work is project-based, with a fixed fee agreed up front. The baseline assessment is a flat fee, and we'll quote it on the first call. There's no cost for that first conversation.
Are you one consultant or a firm?
Both, in the way that matters. Erick Mejia leads every engagement, and we bring in specialists from our network, such as nutrition panels or logistics, when the work calls for it. You get one point of contact and one invoice.
Can you guarantee we'll pass our audit?
Nobody honest can guarantee an audit result. What we can tell you is that every compliance program we've built has passed its audit, across USDA, FDA and SQF.
Why a custom ERP instead of an off-the-shelf one?
Off-the-shelf systems take months to set up and still handle food poorly: formulas, yields, lots and shelf life. A custom system fits your process from day one and connects to the accounting and order tools you already use.
Will you show my products or data to anyone?
No. We sign an NDA before any work starts, your data stays in your systems, and we never publish client names, products, formulas or numbers. Every product shown on this site is a made-up example. References are available on request, with the client's permission.
Start with a Remote Baseline Assessment.
Tell us what's going on in your plant. We'll reply within one business day to set up a free first call, and everything you share stays confidential.
- [email protected]