Carnivore Meat Co. receives FSSC 22000

Carnivore Meat Co., manufacturer of Vital Essentials, has earned Food Safety System Certification, FSSC 22000.
The Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) certification validates Vital Essentials’ commitment to its food safety program for its manufacturing process at their USDA-certified and federally inspected pet food facility in Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA. Vital Essentials’ manufacturing process for frozen and freeze-dried pet food and pet treats adheres to the same safety and quality standards of top-tier human food companies worldwide.
“Accomplishing FSSC 22000 has been one of our top goals at Vital Essentials. Attaining this goal was a yearlong process, as it thoroughly audits every manufacturing practice, record-keeping system and employee activity in the facility that affects the production of our high-quality frozen and freeze-dried pet products,” said Lanny Viegut, owner and CEO of Vital Essentials. “I’m very proud of our entire team. FSSC 22000 certification is a testament to our company’s and our employees’ commitment to being a leader in innovative, safe and premium quality pet food and treats that our customers’ pets have grown to love.”
During the certification process, Vital Essentials’ facility went through an extensive audit process in which all areas of the operation were examined: management engagement and responsibility, GMP’s and SOP’s, supplier and sourcing audits, workplace safety, HACCP food safety program, emergency response and preparedness planning, traceability, validation, verification and continuous improvement.
The FSSC 22000 Food Safety System Certification provides a framework for effectively managing the organization's food safety responsibilities. FSSC 22000 is fully recognized by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) and is based on ISO Standards. It demonstrates that a company has a robust Food Safety Management System in place that meets the requirements of its customers and consumers.
Vital Essentials is the first in the raw pet food category in the U.S., to receive the FSSC 22000 certification. This certification bolsters several of the company’s other achievements. Vital Essentials is one of only three USDA-certified and federally inspected pet food facilities in the world. They have earned a superior rating (99.3%) from Bureau Veritas (BV), an international food safety audit firm, and recently received their EU certification, permitting the import of their pet products into Europe.