COFCO partners with AsureQuality and PricewaterhouseCoopers to improve food safety

China’s largest agriculture and food products supplier China National Cereals, Oils and Foodstuffs Corporation (COFCO) has signed an agreement with New Zealand Government-owned food safety firm AsureQuality and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) to enhance the country’s food safety and quality.

Drawn from New Zealand and international food and agricultural model, the agreement will see AsureQuality and PwC support COFCO in adopting the best practices in food safety and quality across the food and agriculture industries.

The agreement was signed on the sidelines of the 2014 Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit in Beijing, China.

PwC Asia Pacific Chairman Silas Yang said: "The goal of APEC is to support sustainable economic growth, encourage prosperity through economic and technical cooperation and to enhance human security in the Asia Pacific region; this cooperation is a shining example of this.

"Together, AsureQuality, PwC New Zealand and PwC China intend to introduce international good practice in food safety and quality to China, and thereby, contribute to the sustainable development of the country’s food sector."

AsureQuality chief executive John McKay said: "The growing affluence of China’s urbanised consumers and its middle classes are changing food demand dynamics and creating greater expectations not just of safety, but of quality, choice and provenance.

"The food bar in China is rising ever higher and increasing China’s reliance on premium imported foods as its people demand the best.

"We commend COFCO’s commitment to become an internationally recognised best practice leader in the food and agriculture industries. This will enhance COFCOs reputation and the reputation of New Zealand as a leader in food safety and quality practices."

COFCO claims to provide food products to one-fourth of the world’s population, around 1.8 billion customers.