Consulting Portfolio
Real engagements. Measurable outcomes. Each case study represents a distinct challenge — and a documented result.
Ground-Up SQF Fundamentals Intermediate QMS Development
Initial Certification Success | Independent Confectionery Manufacturer
Project Overview
Designed and implemented a complete SQF Fundamentals Intermediate Quality Management System from the ground up for an independent confectionery manufacturer producing premium toffee products preparing for first-time SQF certification. Built the full compliance infrastructure from zero baseline — including quality systems, sanitation programs, preventive maintenance, supplier controls, and workforce development — with the dual objective of achieving initial certification and creating scalable, sustainable systems capable of supporting long-term customer and regulatory expectations.
Initial Conditions
The facility had no formal QMS, no structured preventive maintenance program, no CAPA system, no Approved Supplier Program, and limited documented procedures. Sanitation and GMP controls were inconsistent, traceability systems were minimal, and audit readiness was not established.
Scope of Work
Phase 1 – Gap Assessment
Conducted a full facility walkthrough covering GMP and sanitation conditions, process flow, supplier approval status, traceability, maintenance practices, and documentation. Benchmarked against SQF Fundamentals Intermediate requirements, FDA preventive control principles, and sanitation best practices. Developed a risk-ranked gap assessment, implementation roadmap, corrective action strategy, and certification timeline.
Phase 2 – QMS Development
Created and implemented the SQF policy manual, full SOP and SSOP library, Master Sanitation Schedule, GMP programs, Approved Supplier Program, CAPA system, traceability and recall procedures, food defense procedures, verification and validation systems, internal audit program, document control systems, and record retention structure. Program design prioritized operational practicality, workforce usability, and audit defensibility.
Preventive Maintenance Program
Developed the facility's first structured PM program aligned with SQF requirements and food safety risk reduction objectives. Built equipment inventory, PM scheduling, maintenance documentation workflows, food safety priority ranking, overdue escalation procedures, and verification controls. Integrated PM directly into sanitation verification, pre-operational inspections, foreign material prevention, and corrective action workflows.
Sanitation, GMP & Supplier Programs
Implemented sanitation verification systems, allergen and cross-contamination controls, pre-operational inspection programs, and GMP accountability expectations. Built the Approved Supplier Program including supplier risk-ranking, COA review procedures, ingredient verification workflows, and non-conformance escalation.
Training & Audit Readiness
Developed GMP training, sanitation onboarding, documentation training, and audit awareness coaching. Conducted internal audit simulations, traceability exercises, GMP readiness inspections, and documentation verification reviews to prepare leadership and staff for auditor interaction and real-time compliance verification.
Key Outcomes
- 94% score on initial SQF Fundamentals Intermediate certification audit
- Passed on first attempt with minimal non-conformances
- Strong auditor feedback on program structure and operational integration
- Established fully functional SQF-ready QMS from zero baseline
- Created facility's first structured preventive maintenance program
- Improved sanitation consistency and traceability
- Positioned facility for future customer growth and expanded business opportunities
Standards Applied
Rapid SQF Audit Turnaround – High-Risk Facility Rescue
SQF Compliance Recovery | Separate Location — HunnCo LLC Consulting Support
Project Overview
Provided intensive consulting support to a separate manufacturing location that was significantly at risk of failing an upcoming SQF audit due to systemic compliance deficiencies across documentation, programs, and operational controls. With only one month of preparation time and substantial systemic issues in place, executed a focused, high-priority compliance recovery effort that resulted in the facility passing its SQF audit with an 88% score.
Initial Conditions
The facility presented with widespread systemic gaps including deficient documentation controls, incomplete or non-functional food safety programs, and limited audit readiness across multiple compliance categories. The audit timeline allowed no margin for extended remediation — every action had to be prioritized, sequenced, and executed rapidly.
Scope of Work
Accelerated Gap Assessment
Conducted an accelerated gap assessment to identify and risk-rank the most critical compliance deficiencies against SQF requirements.
Compressed Remediation Roadmap
Developed and executed a compressed remediation roadmap, triaging systemic issues by audit impact and operational feasibility within the available timeframe.
Comprehensive Documentation Review
Performed a comprehensive documentation review across 20 trend reports and document categories, analyzing over 20,000 records spanning April 2025 through April 2026 to establish compliance baselines, identify failure points, and build audit-defensible data packages.
Program Rebuilding
Strengthened or rebuilt program documentation, corrective action records, and verification activities across food safety, sanitation, maintenance, pest control, and supplier management categories.
Audit Preparation
Prepared facility leadership and operational staff for auditor interaction, documentation presentation, and real-time compliance verification under audit conditions.
Documentation Review Scope
20 trend reports and record categories — totaling over 20,000 records analyzed:
Key Outcomes
- Facility passed SQF audit with 88% score
- Achieved in one month against significant systemic compliance challenges
- 20,000+ records analyzed across 20 categories
- Rebuilt systemic compliance deficiencies under extreme time constraints
- Established audit-defensible data packages across all major program areas
Standards Applied
International Fish Feed Export Compliance Program
China Export Market Support
Project Overview
Designed and executed the facility's first international export compliance program for animal feed ingredients destined for China's aquaculture and fish feed market. Built the full program infrastructure to establish the facility's first operational framework for compliant international trade. Program scope included export sanitation controls, supplier verification, traceability, laboratory verification, shipment release governance, and export documentation management.
Initial Conditions
The facility had no existing international export compliance framework, no country-specific documentation controls, and no established laboratory verification or shipment release processes for international trade. The program needed to be built entirely from scratch to meet APHIS requirements for China-bound aquaculture feed.
Scope of Work
Export Compliance & Documentation
Managed export readiness and shipment verification workflows for China-bound product. Established country-specific documentation controls and export record retention. Directed shipment release verification processes tied to laboratory approval.
Sanitation & Supplier Controls
Developed export-specific sanitation controls and supplier verification requirements aligned with destination country standards and APHIS certification requirements.
Laboratory Verification Workflows
Established laboratory testing protocols and verification workflows required for APHIS certification, including documentation chains from testing through shipment release.
Traceability Systems
Built traceability infrastructure to support export documentation requirements, enabling end-to-end product tracking from ingredient sourcing through international shipment.
Key Outcomes
- Established facility's first international export compliance program
- Built full APHIS certification infrastructure from zero baseline
- Created country-specific documentation and record retention systems
- Developed laboratory verification and shipment release workflows
- Positioned facility for ongoing China aquaculture feed export business
Standards Applied
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