Global Food Safety Strategy
November 10, 2010
Darden
● Darden is the world’s largest full service restaurant company
 Red Lobster, Olive Garden, Longhorn Steakhouse
 Capital Grille, Bahama Breeze, Seasons 52
● Nearly 1,800 company owned and operated restaurants in over 1000 North
American communities
● Employs more than 180,000 people across North America
● Serves over 400 million meals to US customers annually
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A Fast Moving Global Supply Chain

$3.0 billion in purchases

6 distinct Brands

Supply 1,800 restaurants
– 2,200 SKU’s
– 1,500 suppliers
– 35 countries
– 180,000 people handling food at the restaurants

Largest food service direct importer of seafood in the US

Second largest buyer of US beef in full service restaurant sector

Move over 40 million cases of product per year through:
– Multiple Distribution Channels including:
o
Grocery, Produce, Fresh Fish, Dairy, Bakery and Beverage Alcohol
– More than 100,000 deliveries a year, and covering over 12 million miles
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Darden Global Food Safety Standards
Seasonal
Suppliers
TEAMWORK
SUPERIOR FOOD SAFETY & QUALITY
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Superior Team
“Category Experts”
Regional
Local
Suppliers
Superior Processes &
Systems
Large
Consolidated
Suppliers
Global Supply with
World Class Vendors
COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
SUPERIOR QUALITY, SERVICE, INNOVATION & VALUE
Development
of small
suppliers to
bring new
products to
market
Our Total Quality Mission
In alignment with our Brands’ objectives, provide Darden
with a competitive point of advantage, in terms of:
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
The highest levels of food safety

The cleanest restaurants

Food and beverage quality that always meets
our specifications
Total Quality Strategy
Strategy:

Utilizing a risk based, Hazard Analysis of Critical Control Points
(HACCP) approach, ensure food safety practices are integrated at all
levels of the Darden Supply Chain including Restaurants, providing:
– Highest level of security (domestic & international)
– Traceability from pond to plate/farm to fork
Strategic Focus:

Proactive vs. Reactive protection of our guests and Brand

Staying current with all food safety issues and trends

Building strategic relationships with Industry, Government and
Academia
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Darden Supply Chain
Food Safety Management and Control Process

Typical Product Safety
Checks:
– Long after harvest,
processing, distribution
– “Random” testing at end
– Inhibits feedback for process
improvements
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
Darden Inspection at the Source:
– Inspect product and processes at
the source
– Provide immediate feedback on
food safety
– Complete microbiological/chemical
testing before products are
shipped to the U.S. using FDA
approved methods
– Lot numbers and traceability
systems ensure product tested is
product received
Darden Global Food Safety

International Team of Food Safety and Quality Professionals
– Over 50 Biologists, Food Scientists, and Public Health
Professionals Located Around the World
 17 Field Plant Inspectors in US and 10 foreign countries who
inspect food plants, products and processes
 20 Field Total Quality Managers who review and certify inrestaurant processes
The best way to ensure quality is to go to the source
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Darden Restaurants
Global Food Safety
Benefits of Point Source Inspection
●
Inspection program shifts to the “source” ; becoming proactive vs.
reactive
●
Results in safer, more consistent products
●
Industry proactively engaged in food safety education and supplier
training
●
Focus resources on least developed supply sources
Supplier Food Safety Best Practices

Strategic alliance with suppliers to drive Total Quality
– Clearly defined product specifications
– Specification validation
– Technical resources, training and development
– Point of Origin Inspection and testing of seafood and fresh produce

Visibility to Manufacturing Facilities Inspection Data
– Products may only be purchased from approved Manufacturing Facilities

Visibility to Critical Product Data
– Full visibility to Food Safety and Quality Compliance
– Corrective Action Tools to drive Continuous Improvement
– Full visibility to supplier data verifying products meet the Specifications prior to
shipping

Full Product Traceability
– Highest level of security to the Darden supply chain with traceability from pond to
plate/ Farm to fork
– Shelf Life Management
– Food Safety Crisis Management
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Darden Food Safety Best Practices
SPECIFICATIONS
SUPPLIERS
• “Heart & Soul of
Product
Quality”
• Partnership for
Supplier
development
• Culinary, TQ,
Purchasing
Process
• Products are
purchased from
approved
Manufacturing
Facilities
• Process
validation
• Food Safety and
Quality Criteria
• Visibility to
Manufacturing
Facilities
Inspection Data
• Food safety and
production
process controls
• Traceability
• Recall Capability
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PRODUCT SAFETY
QUALITY VERIFICATION
• Laboratory
verification of
spec compliance
for all critical
Darden products
• Comprehensive
microbiological &
chemical testing
• Third Party
Certification
RESTAURANTS
• Full Product
traceability
• Rapid response/
recall capability
• Third Party
Certification
Darden Global Food Safety
Global Aquaculture Third Party Certification
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Darden Food Safety Systems

Proactive vs. reactive Food Safety controls
– Risk based
– HACCP Focus
– Third Party Verification

Inspect product and processes at the source

Complete testing before products are shipped to the U.S.

Lot numbers and traceability systems ensure product tested is product received

Darden and 3rd Party Companies verify products meet product specifications

In Restaurant HACCP Focus
Raw Material
Suppliers
Manufacturers
Distributors
Guests
Data into Information
Continuous System
Improvement
Food Protection – Darden
Verification at the Source
Timely Problem Identification,
Resolution & Communication
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Restaurants
Comprehensive Global Food Safety Model
Food Safety Education
Restaurants
Extensive network of external consultants
 Darden Team acts as teachers/consultants

Supplier Engagement
Processes and Tools
• Good Manufacturing Practices
• Clearly defined product
specifications
• HACCP
• On-site process validation
• Point of Origin Inspection
• Monitoring supplier data for
continuous improvement
• Food Safety Data Monitoring
and Corrective Actions
CONSUMER
SAFETY
Industry Leadership
Service Excellence
• GAA/NFI Standards Committee
• NRA QA Executive Study Group
• Produce Associations/Tomato Councils
Government and
Regulatory Partnership
• National Cattlemen’s Beef Association
• Conference of Food Protection
• Global Food Safety Initiative
• FDA, USDA, CDC
• State Public Health Associations
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• Traceability & Visibility
• Crisis Management
• Problem resolution
• Recall Capability
Thank you!