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News Release Pillitteri Estates Receives Highest Level of HACCP Certification June 2, 2008
Niagara on the Lake - Pillitteri Estates Winery, a producer of premium VQA (Vintner Quality Alliance) wines, has become the first Ontario winery to achieve the rigorous Advantage Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) Plus certification from the Canadian General Standards Board (CGSB). HACCP is a system of quality control for food safety that addresses physical, chemical and biological threats as a means of prevention. A HACCP program identifies potential food risks of an operation (known as critical points) and provides a means of monitoring, tracking and handling those areas. HACCP was initially developed by NASA and has been adopted as one of the best food-safety systems applied worldwide. Pillitteri's
Advantage HACCP Plus certification is the highest level of
HACCP attainable, requiring additional systems for bio-security
and traceability. This certification ensures customers and partners
that Pillitteri is committed to food safety and that it provides
a safe and high quality product. Charlie Pillitteri, President of
Sales, initiated the program and affirms that "in the scope
of today's global geo-economic environment, HACCP certification
is a crucial and necessary element to any successful exporting business.
Although HACCP is not a requirement for the exporting of our wines,
it will become increasingly necessary in the future." Currently,
Pillitteri exports to over 20 countries with export sales generating
a third of total revenue. Charlie adds "We are proud to be
one of only 2 businesses in Ontario to receive Advantage HACCP
Plus certification. We hope to continue in our role of leadership
and advancement in our field by investing resources in an accreditation
which is not currently mandatory." Nestled between Lake Ontario and the Niagara Escarpment, Pillitteri Estates Winery has been producing premium vitis vinifera and French hybrid grapes for over fifty-five years on their Niagara-on-the-Lake vineyards. The family's philosophy is simple: to produce the finest VQA wines possible from the highest quality grapes grown in Niagara. This approach has earned Pillitteri Estates over 450 international and domestic medals reflecting the winery's commitment to producing premium VQA wines. Pillitteri Estates is recognized as the world's largest estate producer of Icewine and one of the most innovative. -30- For further
information contact: For further
information on Advantage HACCP Plus visit:
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