Quality is our lifeblood, from the seed to the finished baked goods. That is why we accompany the entire formation and production process of our products with thorough analyses, quality tests and baking trials.
Driven by our aspiration to innovation, we are constantly looking for ways to improve and develop products that allow our customers to advance. To this end, we have compiled a principle based on our quality policy, supported by five pillars: IREKS IQ.
Scientists from various specialist fields such as food engineering, natural products and drug chemistry or biology do research on innovative product solutions day after day. Thanks to a constant exchange with our expert teams worldwide, we recognise trends early on. For example, we test around 200 new raw materials every year. In addition, cooperation with suppliers and research institutions enriches our research network.
At our company headquarters in Kulmbach alone, we bake around 7,000 development variations every year. Our best ideas give rise to a large number of new products and product revisions. These are checked with the help of extensive product-specific analysis methods. In addition, more than 30 trained employees evaluate raw materials and products within a sensory panel in regard to appearance, texture, aroma and taste.
In addition to analytic reliability, we also provide support in the “jungle of laws and regulations”. We regularly check the legal framework and issue country-specific declarations as well as product certificates. Moreover, we are gladly available to our customers for individual enquiries regarding our products.
At IREKS, every incoming raw material, every processing stage and every finished product batch is subject to the most sensitive quality controls. In addition to more than 370,000 approval analyses, around 28,000 baking tests per year ensure optimum product quality. Our ultra trace analysis laboratory is unique in the industry. It enables us, for example, to check all raw materials for the smallest residues of heavy metals and pesticides. We are thus able to detect up to 1 gram in 1,000 tonnes of a raw material.
The core objectives of our commitment are the satisfaction of our customers and their trust in the safety of our products. That is why we constantly put our processes to the test. A team of more than 30 internal auditors ensures the continuous review and improvement of processes and suppliers. In addition, two interdisciplinary teams are constantly working on optimising our HACCP system and our allergen management system, which among other things further reduces the risk of cross-contamination.
In our worldwide network of IQ Centres, the five pillars of our IREKS IQ concept are put into practice every day by teams of experts.
Research and development is therefore not only carried out at our headquarters in Kulmbach, but also in many IREKS Centres worldwide.
You can find the locations of our IQ Centres on the map.