| |
Since the foundation of the Ostfriesische Tee Gesellschaft (OTG) in 1907, we have maintained the unqualified principle that we offer our customers exquisite quality. This principle of quality is therefore an essential part of our company philosophy, including all steps of the production process for tea products, and it assumes highest priority in our daily thinking and actions.
Quality of the products
Already in the purchasing of raw materials, our tea purchasing department insists on the delivery of selected high-quality products from all over the world. It's target-oriented selection is carried out on the basis of predefined quality criteria. Our experienced tea-taster teams taste and critically assess a large number of tea samples, both from purchased lots and samples of teas offered for sale. A tea lot will only be purchased after the samples have been approved and a subsequent analytical examination.
Already in the decision process for buying certain tea growths, our tea tasters prove their expertise in blending teas. Their superior sense of taste assures that our finely-tuned tea recipes are recreated and stay at the same high level. They achieve this despite the fact that tea is subject to natural quality variations, which are due to the various tea gardens and cultivation regions, differences in harvesting times and changing harvest results.
Quality and product safety
The technological processes that are required for packaging tea change little about the quality of the natural tea product. Nevertheless, product safety is a major concern at OTG, all the way from raw and packaging materials to the final product. Already in the tea cultivation phase, OTG uses all available means for influencing the delivery of a safe and high-quality product. Furthermore, the experts of OTG are active in various associations on a national and international level, for increasing safety measures in the countries of origin and for the entire sector.
|
|
On the basis of our experience, the years of quality controls that have been carried out, and also the documentation and assessments of our analysis results, we are able to create detailed risk profiles for a wide variety of tea sources and tea drugs. This results in a highly specialised inspection plan, in which not only the above-mentioned buying samples are tested, but also shipment samples from the country of origin, acceptance samples on receipt of the goods in our warehouses, as well as tea blends and packaged tea products. After a precisely planned sampling procedure, the corresponding tea samples are analysed. Specialised, independent and certified laboratories are used for these tests. That is how we guarantee that the newest technology and the best methodological competence are always at our disposal.
Besides testing the quality characteristics of the product itself, special attention is paid to an examination of possible pesticide residues and contaminants.
The internal limit bounds that are prescribed by our quality assurance department, and which must lie below the examination parameters, often display stricter standards than the already strict legal standards set by German food legislation.
Quality of procedures
For the assurance and further development of our quality demands, OTG had established a Quality Assurance Management System some years ago. In this system, procedures for quality assurance and improvement are defined. Fulfilment of these regulations is audited on a regular basis. All processes and procedures fulfil the regulations for foodstuff hygiene, which have been documented in our in-house HACCP concept.
The first of our tea production units was officially certified already in 1993. In the meantime, all production units and our headquarters have been certified. Independent of such certificates, it is the promise of superior quality that continues to motivate OTG for further optimisation in all areas.
|
|
