Tesco also gives high priority to Hungarian suppliers when purchasing meat products - the supermarket chain contracts 16 Hungarian suppliers for delivering fish products, 14 for poultry and 15 for red meat. In order to provide customers with the highest quality meat, compliance with Tesco’s own strict food safety standard (TFMS) is a key requirement for all suppliers.

The quality control process begins with supplier selection - Tesco conducts a thorough inspection before receiving the first delivery to determine if a partner complies with all the requirements. Later on, quality management experts arrange for regular visits by food technologists, as well as various third party audits to ensure proper quality of meat products.

The central depot accepts 1-1.2 million kilograms of meat each week, where the products are tested again for quality. Tesco experts inspect labelling and integrity of packaging, and also carry out storage tests. The quality control process continues in the stores as well. Expiration dates are tracked based on a strict system, and customer tests are also performed.

Across all the Tesco stores in Hungary, nearly 800 employees ensure that customers receive great service at meat and poultry counters. The support to this promise is that 248 of these employees have obtained professional carcase meat seller qualifications through Tesco’s 'Meat Academy' program. The purpose of the company’s in-house training program is to provide customers with expert advice during the meat selecting process.

Customer feedback is another key focus area for Tesco - the chain actively monitors and evaluates customer feedback, and takes necessary actions to live up to the highest expectations. In an effort to serve all customer needs, Tesco offers free services, such as mincing and slicing meats, moreover, customers can even buy a single slice of meat if they wish.

TESCO in Hungary - Did You Know:

* Across its 209 Hungarian stores, Tesco serves an average of 3 million customers each week with fresh food products.
* Employing more than 20,000 workers, Tesco is one of the largest employers in the private sector.
* The company contributes 1% to the gross national product of Hungary. Half of its 3,200 own label products are manufactured in Hungary, and nearly 80% of its suppliers — almost 1,100 businesses — are domestic.

With its online grocery shopping service, small-scale stores and hypermarkets, Tesco brings affordable and high quality products closer to customers every day. The chain actively promotes the consuming healthy foods, supports efforts to minimize food waste and helps local communities.

Source: www.tesco.hu