Cold Storage operator Dairy Farm Group also said it adheres to stringent food safety and hygiene standards.
These comprise multiple checkpoints such as “robust quality checks, receiving checks, temperature checks and visual checks”.
“In addition, we have a strict supplier partner selection process to ensure that we are only working with suppliers that are able to comply with our high standards,” Dairy Farm Group said.
All team members and supplier partners are trained on these requirements, with strict compliance checks in place.
“Supplier partners who operate in our stores such as fish and sushi counters conduct regular visual checks during food preparation and when food items are displayed in-store,” it said.
This helps to ensure the quality and safety of the products, it added.
RE&S said that there has been “occasional feedback” on food quality, and in such instances, it either replaces the items or refunds the customers.
“At the same time, we will conduct internal investigation to trace the cause of the quality issue,” RE&S added.
ENSURING QUALITY FOR DELIVERIES
For delivery orders, RE&S said it works with delivery partners such as GrabFood and Deliveroo.
“All our delivery sushi and sashimi products also bear ‘consume within 2 hours’ stickers and all sashimi products are accompanied by ice packs,” it added.
Describing food safety as being crucial to its business, delivery platform foodpanda said it works with its merchant, rider partners and the industry to maintain safety standards.
Practices and initiatives include insulating food delivery bags to ensure that food items either stay hot or cold items remain cold, as well as mandating that all completed deliveries are accompanied with a visual proof of delivery to verify that food is left in hygienic locations.
“As delivery partners do not repack the food to avoid inadvertently contaminating the food, we encourage merchant partners to pack cold and hot food in separate bags,” it said.
Frozen items, including from its online grocery store pandamart, are also packed in thermal bags with frozen gel packs to limit drastic changes in temperature while it is out for delivery.
“Food products such as fresh produce, raw meat and seafood typically require more attentive handling in order to ensure their freshness,” it said.
“Fresh produce and refrigerated food are also stored properly in chillers before they are packed and delivered.”
It added that customers who opt for contactless delivery are informed via in-app prompts when their food is picked up and when the delivery rider is nearby so that they can promptly collect it.
“This ensures that the food delivered is received and consumed in a timely manner,” foodpanda said.