Success Stories
- Last Updated on: December 05, 2004
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Launching the Seal of Quality program
Eat Well, Live Well
Launching the Seal of Quality program
December 5, 2004 | Tiranė, Albania
The Seal of Quality program strives to guarantee quality of the Albanian meat and dairy product The Albanian Seal of Quality program was launched on this December. On all TV stations throughout the country, Albanian consumers are learning about the superior quality of dairy and meat products bearing the Seal.
As part of the USAID-funded Albanian Livestock and Service Center program, eight Albanian dairy and meat companies were able to qualify a total of 13 products in the initial wave of the program and are already showing increased sales. For three years, these Albanian dairy and meat companies were trained by USAID’s implementing partner, Land O’ Lakes, and are now showing the fruits of their trade. The recognition of the Seal by the government of Albania and the Albanian consumer is the first step in elevating the quality of Albanian dairy and meat products in the domestic marketplace.
The launch of the Seal of Quality (SOQ) is a good example of how the private sector, in collaboration with the public sector, can work together to benefit the Albanian consumer. The SOQ signifies a more competitive and vibrant private sector that adopts standards of quality that are even higher than those imposed by the government. With this achievement, ADAMA is raising the stakes for quality Albanian products and increasing the competitiveness of the sector in the face of a market filled with imported products.
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The Seal of Quality program, managed by Land O’ Lakes, Inc. and administered by the Albanian Dairy and Meat Association (ADAMA) strives to guarantee quality of the Albanian meat and dairy product. All consumer products emblazoned with the Seal of Quality and slogan band, “Eat Well, Live Well” (Ha Mire Jeto Mirė) must comply with the rigorous SoQ standards, which are higher than Albanian State standards. Each product manufacturer must have sound hygiene and sanitation conditions, pass a plant inspection and nine consecutive weeks of product testing in the ADAMA laboratory. A final sensory testing of the products is conducted by an independent board of leading experts from the government and scientific communities. Once the SOQ is awarded, random testing of the products continues to ensure that consistent quality is maintained. As more plants achieve the exacting standards, more products will be awarded the SOQ. Consumers can purchase these products with confidence. |
The economic restructuring program in Albania has introduced new technology to the dairy industry along with increased employment, sales, capacity and profitability. “The country has moved from a subsistence level of farming to a commercial one,” says Debbie Wagner, Director of Land O’ Lakes in Albania. “We are a catalyst to the development of the country.”
The industry still has a long ways to go. However, with the interest and the initiative for improved dairy quality the country may even be exporting their high quality products in the near future.
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