Discover What HACCP Means for Craft Brewers at BrewExpo America 2016

Flowcrete Americas will be educating craft brewers on the benefits of implementing a HACCP Food Safety Plan at the upcoming Craft Brewers Conference & BrewExpo America event, set to take place at the Philadelphia Convention Center May 3 – 6 2016, alongside showcasing suitable flooring solutions designed to comply with the 7-principle program. 

The huge rise in the demand for craft and artisanal beers means that craft brewers now produce 1 out of every 10 beers sold in the U.S. The huge growth in the industry has catapulted a new generation of microbreweries and brewpubs, which are springing up all over the country in order to quench the nation’s insatiable thirst for craft brewed pale ales.

As a result, Flowcrete Americas has witnessed a huge influx in the number of specialty polymer flooring systems being specified for installation within new brewhouse and craft brew facilities – from fermentation and bottling areas right through to tasting lounges and front-end office and maintenance areas.

Craft brewers are turning to Flowcrete Americas for a turnkey flooring package designed to serve all of the functional needs required by the different operational areas of the brewhouse – all installed by one application team and under one manufacturers warranty.

In addition, craft brewers are frequently looking to adopt Food Safety Management Plans akin to those undertaken by large food producers and agri-business brands such as HACCP, which is currently enforced by the FDA in the dairy, seafood, juice and food service sectors.

The internationally recognized HACCP (Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Points) system requires that potential biological, chemical or physical hazards are identified and controlled at specific points in the manufacturing process in order to minimize or eliminate food safety hazards in their product.

Besides the obvious improvement in quality and safety standards, an effective, well run HACCP-based program will help contribute to increased customer confidence through the demonstration of a long-term commitment to excellence in quality, safety, hygiene and compliance.

When it comes to coatings for walls, floor and ceilings, HACCP determines that they should be built of durable materials, impervious to moisture, be cleaned and sanitized as necessary and coved at floor to wall junctions.

Flowcrete Americas’ specialty polymer flooring solutions meet all of these benchmarks, designed to protect the concrete slab from moisture ingress while at the same time protect against the pressures from inevitable chemical spillage, hot water washdowns and high temperature exposure.

Recommended for back-of-house brewing, fermentation and bottling areas is Flowfresh – a line of heavy-duty, antimicrobial treated cementitious urethane floor and coving solutions offering excellent slip, thermal shock and chemical resistance.

HACCP International has also certified Flowcrete Americas’ Flowfresh flooring range as safe for use in wet and dry food handling areas such as kitchens; production areas and processing areas.

For front of house areas including brewpubs, tasting lounges and visitor areas, decorative epoxy systems, such as the company’s Flowtallics UV are recommended.

Designed to create a one-of-a-kind, swirled metallic floor finish, Flowtallics UV is easily cleaned and stain resistant – making it ideal for areas subject to the occasional broken glass and beer spillage.