The Australian Financial Review (AFR) Fast Starters list for 2024 is out, with some impressive contenders taking out the top spots—including the team here at Squizify! Coming in at number 12, Squizify is proud to be chosen as one of the fastest growing start-ups in Australia.
What Is The Fast Starters List?
Officially referred to as the “2024 AFR Fast Starters – The fastest growing start-ups in Australia”, the Australian Financial Review publishes its annual Fast Starters list along with the additional Fast 100 list at the end of each year as a way of highlighting the achievements of some of the country’s most promising businesses across all sectors.
The Fast 100 List recognises the latest and greatest established companies, celebrating their contribution to the Australian economy through innovation and resilience. The Fast Starters list recognises these same contributions but in a fast-growing early startup sense (within the last five years).
To be eligible to make the list, entrants must be Australian-based companies, not subsidiaries of larger companies, generate most of their revenue organically, and meet minimum revenue requirements.
Who Is The AFR And What Do They Do?
The Australian Financial Review (AFR) is a mixed-media company that provides Australian business-focused news covering commercial and economic current affairs in Australia and the world. Their contributions include the Financial Review daily paper, the AFR Weekend, Fin Magazine, The Australian Financial Review Magazine, and The Australian Financial Review website and app, along with various newsletters and events.
For decades, the Australian Financial Review has tracked business performance across the rise of modern Australia, narrating the complex story of the Australian business environment through both its challenges and successes.
Over the years, the AFR Fast lists have come to represent excellence and determination across the business sector, with many companies who made the list going on to become household names across Australia and the world. The lists aid in showcasing the possibilities for Australian businesses that take a customer-first approach and find their niche, and how they can achieve rapid growth and success regardless of the economic backdrop.
Congratulations to Squizify for coming in at number 12 on the fastest growing start-ups in Australia AFR Fast Starters list for 2024!
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Strong food safety practices are one of the few essential elements for operating a successful business in the food industry. Not only does food safety impact your customers’ health, but earning poor grades is a sure-fire way to break your business. Many business owners fall into the trap of thinking food safety is difficult to track or maintain. They opt for archaic practices that require their staff to spend hours entering data that usually isn’t accurate anyway.
Not only is that a waste of their time, it’s also a waste of your money. That’s where Squizify comes in. Our industry-leading Digital Food Safety and Compliance Software has the power to revolutionize your business, so you can spend more time making money and less time stressing over food safety. But don’t just take our word for it—here are 10 reasons to take the plunge on Squizify’s Digital Food Safety System.
Food Safety
1. First And Foremost—It’s Easy!
Food safety compliance doesn’t have to be hard, and with Squizify, all it takes is a few mouse clicks. Our software has been carefully designed so it’s simple and easy to use, so you don’t have to micromanage staff to make sure it’s being used correctly.
2. Generate Checklists With Just A Few Clicks!
Checklists are a fast and easy way to make sure you’re on top of food safety requirements. That’s why Squizify’s Digital Food Safety System allows you to generate customisable checklists that you can use time and time again.
3. Reports Are Ready In The Blink Of An Eye
With the ability to auto-generate reports, our software completely eliminates the stress of scrambling to find paperwork buried in a file at the back of a cabinet. Data can be quickly and easily cumulated into structured reports that give you an accurate snapshot of your food safety performance, not to mention valuable operational insight.
4. Get Ahead Of Safety Inspections
Food safety inspections are known for being stressful, but they don’t have to be. Our one-touch Council reporting feature ensures you’ll have all the information your inspector requires at just the touch of a button.
5. Accuracy Is Guaranteed
No fudging numbers here! Squizify’s Digital Food Safety System ensures all data is up-to-date and accurate, so there’s no risk of fabricated data. You’ll know for a fact that all tasks have been performed properly, so you can confidently support your data.
6. Go Completely Paperless!
Welcome to the way of tomorrow! Our system is 100% paperless, with cloud-backup functionality so you never lose your valuable data. No need for photocopying or working out where you last left your pen—we are all digital, all the time.
Squizify Dashboard
7. Labelling Is A Breeze
Squizify offers streamlined labelling solutions that ensure your product labels are always accurate and on-brand. Our labelling functionality seamlessly integrates with food safety tracking features, mitigating the risk of human error and incorrect labelling.
8. Maximise Productivity…
By automating almost all of your compliance tasks, our system will free up time that’s usually dedicated to temperature monitoring and data entry. That means you can spend more time managing your business, and less time stressing over safety issues.
In a time where cancel culture runs rife, earning (and keeping) your customers’ trust is no small feat. With Squizify, your customers can rest assured you maintain strict food safety processes by scanning a QR code that links directly to live compliance data.
Want to learn more about what food safety software can do for your business? Get started with Squizify today.
9. …And Minimises Spoilage
Keeping food at safe storage temperatures is a critical component of good food safety practice. By tracking food temperatures through our automated software, your business can cut down on unnecessary spoilage, and ensure your customers always receive a safe meal.
10. Keep Customers On Your Side
In a time where cancel culture runs rife, earning (and keeping) your customers’ trust is no small feat. With Squizify, your customers can rest assured you maintain strict food safety processes by scanning a QR code that links directly to live compliance data.
We know most business owners work hard to ensure they are selling a quality product and an excellent customer experience. However, when it comes to food safety all it takes is a small slip up and it could be all over. If you are caught breaking strict food safety procedures, or even worse if a customer gets sick after consuming food from your restaurant, your business could be shut down faster then you can say ‘salmonella’. Here are 4 small common mistakes that can be costly for a business.
1. Crowding Food In Storage Areas
There are a number of reasons it is important to keep storage areas organised and uncrowded. Firstly, It allows for easier cleaning. Crowded food storage areas tend to be overwhelming and encourage negligence when it comes to cleaning. Crowded fridges can also lead to foods being forgotten and going off which can then lead to the contamination of other products in the same space.
2. Not Sealing Containers Properly
It doesn’t sound like such a big deal but according to Squizify CEO and food safety expert Daniel McDouall, staff not sealing containers properly can lead to serious food safety risks. “If you put a raw product into a room in a container that doesn’t have a lid on it, the bacteria can be transferred to other cooked product. Having sealed containers is critical to avoiding contamination.” Daniel also points out that sealed containers are critical from a pest control point of view. Not only are pests dangerous to customers, if an inspector arrives unannounced and finds any kind of infestation in your venue, you could be shut down instantly.
3. Not Paying Attention To Potentially Hazardous Foods
All staff involved with food handling should be first made aware of potentially hazardous food. According to the Queensland Health website potentially hazardous foods include;
Raw and cooked meat, or foods containing meat such as casseroles, curries and lasagne
Dairy products such as milk, custard and dairy‐based desserts
Seafood (excluding live seafood)
Processed or cut fruits and vegetables, such as salads
Cooked rice and pasta
Foods containing egg, beans, nuts or other protein‐rich food such as quiche and soy products
Foods that contain any of the above foods including sandwiches and rolls
It is important that when it comes to these foods you and your staff pay particularly close attention to how they are stored or prepared. When in doubt, throw it out.
Daniel says when it comes to hazardous foods a key thing is staff awareness and staff training. According to him a Survey done in 2016 indicates that 19.6% of staff members have poor worth ethics and 18.1% has low knowledge or skill level. Daniel says “That exposes 40% of your workforce straight away. There needs to be an emphasis on training starting with the basics and the fundamentals (such as what are hazardous foods) and consistently monitoring and following up with these activities.” This helps to generate better awareness within the staff.
4. Allowing Food Handlers To Use Mobile Phones In The Kitchen
Mobile phones have become an everyday part of our lives. While most people can’t go anywhere without their phone it is important you insist that any food handlers at your business keep their phones away from food prep areas and wash their hands after phone use. Why? It is a little-known fact that mobile phone surfaces are covered in potentially dangerous bacteria. In fact, a recent study found that there are potentially more bacteria on your phone than on a toilet seat [NCBI, 2017]. If you don’t think your customer would appreciate their food being made next to a toilet, then you should probably ban phones from the kitchen and food prep areas.
If you want to be sure you are abiding by all food safety regulations but dread the amount of time and effort needed to make sure your venue is up to code, let Squizify do the hard work for you. To find out how Squizify can help protect your business and give you more time to focus on making sure everything else runs smoothly, make an enquiry via our website today.
If you’re in the business of food, keeping things consistently clean can sometimes feel overwhelming. The bad news is that a mess is inevitable. The good news is that there are a few simple steps you can take to keep things clean with minimum effort. To help you keep your business running at its best, we’ve summarised 6 easy steps you can take to become a cleaner kitchen, which always leads to a happier team and more satisfied clientele—the best kind of win-win situation.
1. Keep Your Kitchen Clutter Free
When it comes to running your food business with ease, organisation is key. To keep your kitchen looking and functioning at its best, make sure all cupboards, storerooms, fridges and drawers are located and stocked in a way that makes the most sense. To improve efficiency, keep small gadgets within reach, utilise easy-to-access shelves and racks for frequently used ingredients, and create designated spaces within your layout, e.g. the prep station, the hot station, and the cleaning station. A well-mapped out and decluttered kitchen is far easier to keep clean and to navigate.
2. Clean As You Go, Not When It’s Too Late
If you work in a busy food business it can be tempting to cast tools to the side to be cleaned up later as you cook and prepare food. But habits such as these can lead to serious headaches at the end of the working day. To maintain a clean and hygienic environment cleaning as you go is paramount. This includes washing and sanitising all utensils straight after use and wiping down bench tops regularly. An unrinsed knife that’s been used to cut raw meat is not only visibly dirty, it’s also covered with invisible bacteria. This is why it’s not hygienic to leave cleaning to the end of the day, instead wash your utensils directly after use.
3. Put Things In Their Place
In order to avoid cross-contamination, it’s important to assign each kitchen utensil its own home. Once you’ve decided where things will go, remember to educate all team members on where different items belong. There’s nothing worse than losing precious prep time while trying to locate a grater because somebody put it back where the rolling pin should be.
4. Take Proper Care Of Cleaning Equipment
You can’t have a clean floor if you are using a dirty mop. To ensure you’re not mopping your way to nowhere, be sure to clean your mops and buckets daily. First, rinse your mop until the water is clean. Then soak your mop in its bucket with hot water and bleach. Wait 10 minutes and rinse your mop again before hanging it out to dry. And remember, never leave a wet mop to dry with its head to the ground. Seems obvious, but it is always worth a mention.
5. Take The Extra Step To Sanitisation
If you work in the food industry keeping all utensils and spaces germ-free is paramount. To keep in line with industry standards you need to be sure that your equipment and all areas of your kitchen are not only rinsed and washed but also sanitised. This includes benches, floors, inside/outside cupboards, under/inside/outside food storage units and windows. To maintain a healthy workplace for food preparation you can sterilise in two different ways: with chemicals or with heat. Applying these extra measures will ensure that your premises is better protected against potential contamination.
6. Let Us Prepare Your Personalised Cleaning Schedule
If you’d do essentially anything to avoid planning a cleaning schedule, we feel you. That’s why we’re here to help. Our tailor-made cleaning schedules make it easy for you to allocate tasks to your staff and ensure everyone is aware of their duties. That means less time worrying about stains and sanitisation and more time with your clientele.
If you run a food business it’s not always easy to determine what you can handle yourself versus what you should outsource. Some things are common sense, like working with reputable suppliers and hiring a team of competent staff. But how should you best handle the task of hiring a Food Safety Supervisor?
Before you can answer that question, it’s important to figure out if you need a Food Safety Supervisor at all, and if so, what role this person will play in your business dynamic. It’s also helpful to understand what exactly (in detail) a Food Safety Supervisor does. Sure, the name gives part of that away, but there’s more to the job title than meets the eye.
So, What Is The Role Of A Food Safety Supervisor?
Simply put, the role of the Food Safety Supervisor is to be aware of all relevant food safety legislation and standards applicable to your business. According to the Australian Institute of Food Safety, duties of the role include, but are not limited to:
Making sure all food handling tasks are carried out safely and properly by monitoring all food handlers.
Recognising, preventing and alleviating all food safety hazards in your food business.
Making sure all food handlers maintain safe, industry standard personal hygiene.
Ensuring that your business’s food safety program is up-to-date, maintained and adhered to by all members of staff.
Being ‘reasonably available’ to your food business and its local council during operating hours.
In order to qualify to carry out the above duties, your Food Safety Supervisor must first complete all required training to receive the necessary statement of attainment or certificate required within your state.
Do I Really Need A Food Safety Supervisor?
At the end of the day, this depends on two things: where your business is located and what type of food it serves. Certain Australian states and territories require all registered food businesses to nominate a qualified Food Safety Supervisor.
Generally speaking, all licensable food businesses must have a Food Safety Supervisor if they serve ready-to-eat food, potentially hazardous foods (e.g. raw and cooked meat), or food that has not been sold or served in its original packaging.
Does My Business’s Food Safety Advisor Need Professional Qualifications?
If you would like to nominate yourself or one of your team members as your Food Safety Supervisor, it’s definitely fine to do so. So long as the individual you assign to the role is qualified. To carry out their duties according to industry standards, your chosen Food Safety Supervisor must hold a a food safety supervisor certificate, the basic requirement to oversee the safe production and service of food.
The general rule is one Food Safety Supervisor per food business. However, some larger and busier businesses—especially those that operate around the clock—often choose to employ more than one. The most important rule to remember is: your Food Safety Supervisor must be reasonably available at all times. So if your establishment operates 24/7, employing or nominating more than one qualified Supervisor may be necessary.
Will My Food Safety Supervisor Be Able To Better Prepare My Business For Food Safety Inspections?
It’s natural to not look forward to food safety inspections. With so much to keep track of, it’s understandable to feel nervous about steps you might have missed. However, if your business has a confident and capable Food Safety Supervisor regularly overseeing all orders of proceeding, food safety inspections are generally a breeze. A fully qualified Food Safety Supervisor will make sure that your premises is always properly cleaned, that food is stored appropriately, and that the personal hygiene of your food handlers is up to industry standard.
In case you haven’t heard, Woolworths and Coles stores from Victoria, New South Wales, Tasmania and South Australia had been selling eggs infected with salmonella. 9News reported Bridgewater Poultry, a Victorian poultry farm, had been distributing these eggs and is under investigation.
Salmonella infection is a common bacterial disease that affects the intestinal tract. It is commonly associated with food poisoning and the sickness can last 24-72 hours. Usually risk of salmonella is significantly lower when eggs are cooked. Raw eggs should definitely not be consumed as the risk of salmonella is greatly increased.
Egg Product Recalls
Woolworths 12 Cage Free Eggs 700g
Victorian Fresh Barn Laid Eggs 600g
Victorian Fresh Barn Laid Eggs 700g
Victorian Fresh Barn Laid Eggs 800g
Loddon Valley Barn Laid 600g
Affected eggs have best-before dates of March 20, March 23, March 27, March 30, April 3, April 6, April 10, April 14, April 17, April 20, April 24, April 27, April 29
(Loddon Valley Eggs, 2019).
What Is Being Done Now?
Due to the seriousness of this case, many egg farms are having to cull their chickens to ensure the spread of salmonella is stopped. Coles and Woolworths are also urging anyone who has any of the recalled products to return them as soon as possible and not feed them to people or animals.
What Should Store Owners Do?
If you are a store owner, it is safe to purchase eggs now. The threat has been removed but it is now more important than ever to be following correct hygiene procedures. Do not keep any cracked or dirty eggs. For the storage of your current eggs make sure they’re being refrigerated at 4°C or colder at all times. To ensure your eggs are always being stored at a safe temperature, make sure all of your temperature monitoring systems are in working condition. SQUIZIFY can provide your store with this technology, which comes with live sync reports at any moment from anywhere.
Get in touch with us if you would like to know how we can save your eggs and ultimately your business.
Benjamin Ansell. (2019, March 21). Possible Salmonella Contamination of Eggs. 9News.
Loddon Valley Eggs. (2019). MEDIA STATEMENT: PRODUCT RECALL.
Whether you are opening your first independent restaurant, or you are in charge of a number of franchise stores there are many important factors to consider before opening your doors. Business owners tend to be so focused on hiring staff and designing menus that food safety is overlooked or left as an afterthought. Unfortunately not putting thought and effort into food safety processes could easily be the downfall of your business. Here are some quick easy tips to make sure your restaurant is meeting Australia’s food safety standards.
1. Engage All Staff In Proper Food Safety Practices
When it comes to training staff on food safety it is not enough to hand them a heavy pile of rules and ask them to read them over in their own time. If you want your staff to properly perform food safety practices they need to be engaged and truly understand what food safety means to the business and the danger bad food safety poses to customers. After all, proper food safety can save lives. There are plenty of creative strategies to familiarise your staff with safe food practices in ways that won’t feel tedious and overwhelming. Squizify’s CEO and food safety expert Daniel McDouall says “You are only as good as your weakest link so you want every staff member to be across the basics and every staff member to be an advocate in terms of safety.”
2. Train A Food Safety Supervisor
Across Australia, it is a legal requirement to have a Food Safety Supervisor on the payroll. This is a nationally accredited qualification. According to Daniel, having a good food safety officer is about more than just ticking a box. He says “Having advocates from the business that really care about food safety and are continually checking and following up on general safety and making sure staff are aware of procedures and rules is extremely beneficial for your business.” Nominating a Food Safety Supervisor is also a good way to reward a hardworking staff member by giving them extra responsibility and therefore demonstrating trust.
3. Keep Up To Date With All The Rules And Regulations
Rules and regulations relating to food safety are constantly changing and evolving. As a business owner, it is imperative that you stay up to date with the rules. This can be overwhelming, confusing and time-consuming. Luckily the Squizify platform is up to date with all the current food safety requirements so just by using this platform you know you are covering your bases.
4. Invest In Squizify
If you own a business the sells food you are going to spend a lot of money on staff training. This is just how the industry operates. If you are paying for it, it may as well be worth it. Daniel says, “If it’s not the right training, and doesn’t resonate with the staff members they’ll switch off.” When it comes to ensuring your business is following food safety practices, Squizify is a real game changer. This technology takes a lot of the manual labour out of food safety making it easier for you to focus on the fun part of running a food business. Daniel says “Let us do the heavy lifting, we’ll focus on health and safety while you look after the customers and running your business.”
If you want to make sure your food safety practices are always up to scratch make an enquiry about installing Squizify via our website today.
A food safety crisis is every food business’s worst nightmare. This doesn’t just happen small family businesses and cheap takeaway stores, a food safety crisis can happen to national and global businesses as well. If you are a business owner who has found themselves in the mists of a food safety crisis this article can provide some advice on how it can be managed and what you can do to prevent this from happening again in the future.
What Are The Common Food Safety Crisises Businesses Face?
A food safety crisis doesn’t necessarily mean a massive outbreak of foodborne illness where hundreds of people end up in hospital. While this does happen, it is the very worst case scenario. Some more common cases of food safety crisises are caused by undeclared allergens, contaminated foods which can lead to listeria infection or regulation infringements.
How Does A Business Go About Addressing The Issue In a way that will limit the damage?
1. Remove The Danger
No matter what has caused the food safety crisis your first call of duty is to remove the danger. This might be contaminated food, pest infestations, or incompetent staff.
2. Solidify Your Message
Once the danger is removed you need to consider your messaging. It is important to focus on making sure it is clear and consistent. The tone and wording will depend on the specifics of the situation. Be honest, authentic and apologetic when addressing the issue but also be firm about what changes will be made to address the problem going forward. The goal is to be as transparent as possible in order to regain the public trust.
3. Work With The Media To Spread Your Message
Nothing scares customers away like whispers of food safety infringements. If word has got out about a food safety infringement in your business you need to address the issue head on. Saying ‘no comment’ or ignoring the problem will only make things worse. Provide quotes to media outlets and use your internet platforms to explain the situation from your point of view.
4. Communicate With Customers Online
Facebook and Google reviews can be extremely helpful when positive but catastrophic when negative. If you are experiencing backlash online, it is important to stay calm. Do not ignore these comments but respond accordingly. Apologise directly and assure your customers of the improvements you are making. If it is possible, use these channels to demonstrate evidence of food safety compliance.
How Can Businesses Prevent This Problem From Happening Again In The Future?
If your business makes it through a food safety crisis you are one of the lucky ones. Don’t take this second chance for granted. It’s time to take food safety seriously. Squizify is your one-stop shop to taking care of all food safety areas of your business. Let’s be honest, if you had Squizify this wouldn’t have happened in the first place. Let us help you with food safety so you can focus on getting the rest of the business back on its feet.
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