Selecting the right food-grade warehouse that meets your storage requirements can sometimes be exhausting. A lot of work goes into the safe management, distribution, packaging, and delivery of food. Different food will have separate storage and shipping requirements based on their shelf-life.
You will also need to rent a warehouse that adheres to regulatory compliance, such as the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) or compliance related to strict manufacturer requirements.
Here are five key criteria for selecting a warehouse for food storage in the UAE.
1. Type of food to be stored
Evaluate the kind of food you're going to store. You can then choose the type of storage provision to enhance your products' safety and shelf life.
Dry storage warehouse: Canned foods, packaged snacks, dried fruits and nuts, cereals, flours, legumes, etc., can be stored in a dry storage warehouse. These warehouses will help maintain the ideal room temperature to prevent dry foods from freezing, melting, or getting spoiled due to humidity.
Frozen food storage: Frozen foods, such as dairy products, raw meat, farm produce, prepared foods, etc., must be stored in warehouses that maintain a constant freezing temperature to ensure a longer shelf life.
Refrigerated food storage: Refrigerated or air-conditioned food storage is ideal for storing a wide range of fresh meat, cheese, fish, fruits, Vgetables, and dairy at a cool, but not freezing, temperature.
2. Location of the warehouse
Effective food handling and storage supply chain management depends heavily on the location of your warehouse. Centrally located warehouses allow you to serve your clients from a single setting and keep your costs under control.
If you can have your warehouse closer to the delivery destination, it makes a big difference in the life cycle of the food. There is less risk of spoilage and expiry. You can also cut down on expenses for transport and distribution.
Flexible or on-demand warehousing makes acquiring multiple smaller warehouse facilities closer to your products' final destination easy.
3. Working conditions of the facility
The quality of working conditions of the storage facility would be one of the basic yet essential criteria for selecting a warehouse for food storage.
How clean is the warehouse?
The interior and exterior of a food-grade warehouse should be well-maintained and free of insects, bacteria, rodents, pests, and other conditions that could cause health problems.
a) Ensure the food storage area is routinely sanitized and inspected for hygiene and pest control levels.
b) Before renting warehouse space, tour the facility to understand the setup and if they have proper hand washing stations.
c) Ensure the staff adheres to personal hygiene, sanitation, and safety measures.
d) Evaluate the proactive approach adopted by the facility for interior and exterior pest control. Do they use rodent traps, pest-repellent sprays, etc.?
e) Survey the warehouse to look for any signs of infiltrations, such as roof leakage, contamination, pests, insects, rat droppings, etc.
4. Compliance and certifications
If you're choosing a warehouse for food storage in the UAE, consider if the provider complies with these standards and regulations:
a) Verify if the warehouse facility is registered with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and complies with the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) enacted by the FDA.
b) ISO 22000 certification for food safety management.
c) Certifications like ISO 9001 (quality management), ISO 14001 (environmental policy), and ISO 45001 (occupational health and safety) may also be needed depending on the operations of the food-grade warehouse and the types of products stored and shipped.
d) Assess if the warehouse facility adheres to a food safety plan covering the preventive control measures to address potential problems and risks.
5. Supply chain management
It will be an advantage if your warehouse provider can handle the entire supply chain management under one roof, including your storage, distribution, and delivery needs. This will include the following:
a) Inventory and order management
b) Tracking of goods in transit
c) Billing and payments
d) Integration with third-party carrier systems and eCommerce platforms
e) Management of returns and refunds
f) Custom reporting of key metrics to your business
g) Ability to coordinate and manage recalled items
6. Good to Know
When considering a food-grade warehouse, it's good practice to examine the provider's track record, client reputation, and history.
Ask for references and perform online and in-person searches to get honest reviews and reports on their performance.
Try to know what kind of issues they have faced in the past and how they worked to resolve the challenges.
Find out if they use an advanced, automated warehouse management system to monitor and execute operational workflows.
Connect with Us
Cargoz provides on-demand storage services for various types and grades of food-grade warehouses. We can give you warehouses for long-term and short-term requirements in the Freezone and mainland locations across the UAE.
Here is how you can find the best warehouse for rent in Dubai.
With efficient stock management, cutting-edge warehousing technology and facilities, and strict adherence to food safety and storage regulations and standards, our warehouse partners maintain the integrity of your products as they travel through the facility.
Get in touch with us to help you connect with a food-grade warehouse that fits your bill.