Food Standards Agency Board Visit Oakdale Based Manufacturer

Members of the Board of the Food Standards Agency recently visited Oakdale based nut allergy-friendly cake manufacturer Just Love Food Company. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Board visited the factory to meet with Managing Director Mike Woods and staff from Caerphilly County Borough Council’s Environmental Health and Trading Standards Departments to discuss the process and procedures that are in place to ensure products are 100% nut-free. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Established in 2009 by Mike Woods Just Love Food Company manufactures a range of nut free celebration cakes for a number of national retailers including Sainsbury’s, Tesco, ASDA, Ocado and Nisa. This year the company launched a new gluten and milk free range. Based on Oakdale Business Park the company has continued to grow and now employs 54 staff and produces 60,000 cakes each month; however the company’s nut free promise remains at the centre of the business. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Just Love Food Company has strict standards in place to ensure that no nuts are used in any of its ingredients; there are also safeguards in place to ensure that the entire manufacturing premises remains nut free. In addition to the steps taken during manufacturing, all cakes are wrapped on site and final products are regularly tested to ensure the procedures are working correctly. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Nigel George, Cabinet Member with the responsibility for Communities and Leisure Services said: “I am pleased that the Just Love Food Company, together with Caerphilly County Borough Council Environmental Health and Trading Standards Officers, were able to host a meeting with the Food Standards Agency Board. It provided an ideal opportunity to discuss with them the issues faced by food allergy sufferers and the challenges facing small food businesses today.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​