Lidl North Macedonia organized the first conference on IFS certification for food safety and quality

Lidl North Macedonia organized the first IFS (International Featured Standards) conference. The IFS Food Standard is the highest standard in the food industry, reviewing products and production processes to assess a food manufacturer's ability to produce safe, authentic and high-quality products according to legal requirements and customer specifications. It also supports businesses in meeting the increasing demands for transparency and traceability in the market, and contributes to improving product integrity and increasing efficiency.

The event brought together more than 140 participants, including more than 60 local food and non-food producers, industry experts, the Food and Veterinary Agency, as well as specialized certification agencies and a representative from the IFS headquarters. With this, Lidl took a significant step forward towards its goal of improving food safety, providing high-quality products, developing suppliers and facilitating their integration into international markets. The event emphasized the importance of the IFS certificate for ensuring the highest standards in production and guaranteeing standardized product quality.

"At Lidl, the quality and safety of our products are at the heart of everything we do. By organizing this conference, we are taking a step closer to our goal of supporting Macedonian food producers in securing the IFS certificate, which will open the doors to new business opportunities and strengthen their presence on the local and international market. We are particularly proud to have organized such an informative and educational event that makes an important contribution to achieving the main goal – to provide Macedonian consumers with products of high standardized quality" - said Stefan Georgiev, Purchasing Director at Lidl North Macedonia.

As global consumer expectations and criteria grow, food safety is a top priority for businesses operating in the FMCG sector. The IFS Certification Conference presented the most important trends in the FMCG industry, provided important guidance on the IFS certification process and requirements, best practices from experienced Macedonian suppliers and certification bodies, insight into Lidl’s expectations for quality control measures, and was a great opportunity to network with food industry professionals and Lidl representatives.

"The IFS certificate, in addition to being a condition for cooperation with Lidl, is also an opportunity for local producers to improve processes, gain greater trust from consumers, and be more competitive in global markets. Lidl actively works with local farmers, food producers, and suppliers to integrate them into its supply chain. We believe that by working together and raising quality control standards, we can offer the best of the food industry, both to local consumers and to Lidl consumers in 31 countries" - emphasized Zoran Popovski, Head of Quality Control at Lidl North Macedonia.

The conference also featured certification institutions that shared information about the role of IFS standards in improving food safety and reducing risks in production.

“Achieving IFS certification is not just about meeting a certain standard, it is also about raising the bar for the entire industry. IFS certification is recognized worldwide as a benchmark for food safety and quality, helping businesses ensure compliance with global food regulations, improving supply chain transparency and efficiency, facilitating access to large retailers and export opportunities, and strengthening consumer confidence through rigorous product quality control,” emphasizes Agnieszka Wryk, IFS Development Manager for Central and Eastern European markets.