Arnika is a Canadian food safety consulting company helping food businesses develop, implement, improve, and maintain practical food safety and quality systems.

We work with food manufacturers, processors, importers, distributors, packaging businesses, food service organizations, and other businesses across the Canadian food supply chain.

Our work covers HACCP, Preventive Control Plans (PCPs), GMP, prerequisite programs, SFCR compliance, food safety auditing, training, certification readiness, inspection preparation, food testing, traceability, corrective actions, and regulatory compliance.

Our goal is straightforward:

Help food businesses build food safety systems that work in the real world—not just on paper.

Who Is Arnika?

Arnika provides practical food safety, quality, regulatory, auditing, training, and certification-readiness services to food businesses across Canada.

We support organizations at different stages of their development.

A startup may need help establishing its first food safety system.

An established manufacturer may need to strengthen its HACCP or GMP programs.

An importer may need assistance developing a Preventive Control Plan and understanding applicable SFCR requirements.

A growing manufacturer may need to prepare for an SQF, BRCGS, or FSSC 22000 certification audit.

Another business may need help responding to a CFIA inspection finding, customer audit, complaint, or food safety compliance issue.

Our role is to understand the operation, identify the applicable requirements and risks, and develop practical solutions that the organization can implement and maintain.

Our Approach to Food Safety Consulting

Food safety systems should be practical, risk-based, and appropriate for the operation.

We do not believe that every food business needs the same system, the same documentation, or the same approach.

The appropriate food safety program depends on factors such as:

  • Products
  • Processes
  • Ingredients
  • Facility design
  • Employees
  • Suppliers
  • Distribution channels
  • Customers
  • Regulatory requirements
  • Certification requirements
  • Food safety risks

For this reason, our consulting approach starts with understanding the business before recommending solutions.

We help organizations:

Assess → Identify Gaps → Develop → Implement → Verify → Improve

This approach allows food businesses to build systems that are not only documented but also understood and implemented by their employees.

Our Food Safety Services

Arnika provides a complete range of food safety services designed to support businesses throughout their food safety journey.

Food Safety Consulting

Our food safety consulting services help businesses develop and improve food safety systems based on their operations and requirements.

Our consulting work includes:

  • HACCP
  • Preventive Control Plans
  • GMP
  • Prerequisite programs
  • SFCR compliance
  • Food safety systems
  • Supplier controls
  • Traceability
  • Corrective actions
  • Regulatory compliance
  • Certification readiness

HACCP Consulting

HACCP is a fundamental component of preventive food safety management.

Arnika helps businesses develop, review, implement, and improve HACCP-based systems, including:

  • Hazard analysis
  • Control measures
  • CCP determination
  • Critical limits
  • Monitoring procedures
  • Corrective actions
  • Verification
  • HACCP documentation

Businesses requiring dedicated support can explore our HACCP consulting services in Canada.

Preventive Control Plan & SFCR Consulting

Canadian food businesses subject to applicable requirements may need a Preventive Control Plan (PCP) and other controls to demonstrate compliance.

Arnika supports businesses with:

  • PCP development
  • PCP review
  • SFCR compliance assessments
  • Preventive control programs
  • Traceability
  • Recall procedures
  • Supplier verification
  • Corrective actions
  • CFIA inspection preparation

For businesses importing food into Canada, we also provide dedicated PCP support for food importers.

GMP & Prerequisite Programs

Strong prerequisite programs provide the foundation for effective food safety systems.

Our GMP consulting and prerequisite-program support can include:

  • Sanitation
  • Personnel hygiene
  • Pest control
  • Allergen control
  • Preventive maintenance
  • Supplier approval
  • Environmental controls
  • Glass and brittle plastic
  • Chemical control
  • Waste management
  • Facility controls

Food Safety Auditing

Our food safety auditing services help businesses identify gaps before they become larger compliance or certification problems.

We provide support for:

  • GMP audits
  • HACCP audits
  • Internal audits
  • Supplier audits
  • Food safety system audits
  • Certification-readiness audits
  • Mock audits
  • Corrective-action verification

Our audits focus on practical observations, evidence, risks, and corrective actions.

Food Safety Training

Employees are an essential part of any food safety system.

Through our food safety training services, we provide training related to:

  • HACCP
  • GMP
  • Food handler requirements
  • Food safety culture
  • Internal auditing
  • Allergen management
  • Sanitation
  • Food defense
  • Regulatory compliance
  • Certification requirements

Training can be delivered through on-site, virtual, or customized corporate programs depending on the organization’s needs.

Food Safety Certification Support

Arnika provides food safety certification support for businesses preparing for applicable certification programs and schemes.

Our support can include:

  • Gap assessments
  • Documentation development
  • Implementation support
  • Employee training
  • Internal audits
  • Mock audits
  • Corrective-action support
  • Certification-readiness assessments

Our experience includes certification schemes such as:

  • SQF
  • BRCGS
  • FSSC 22000
  • Other GFSI-recognized certification schemes

Certification itself is performed by the applicable independent certification body.

CFIA Inspection Preparation

Regulatory inspections can be challenging, particularly when a business is unsure whether its food safety system, records, and preventive controls are ready.

Arnika provides CFIA inspection preparation services that can include:

  • PCP review
  • HACCP review
  • GMP assessment
  • Record review
  • Facility assessment
  • Traceability review
  • Corrective-action review
  • Employee training
  • Mock inspection activities

The objective is to help businesses identify and address gaps before an inspection.

Food Safety Testing & Verification

Depending on the product, process, and food safety risks, testing may be an important component of a food safety or quality program.

Arnika provides food testing support and can help businesses determine appropriate testing requirements and coordinate testing activities where applicable.

Testing may support areas such as:

  • Microbiological testing
  • Environmental monitoring
  • Chemical testing
  • Food authenticity
  • Food fraud
  • Product quality
  • Regulatory compliance

Testing requirements should always be determined based on the specific product, process, risk, and applicable requirements.

Who We Serve

Arnika works with organizations across the Canadian food supply chain.

Our clients and target businesses include:

  • Food manufacturers
  • Food processors
  • Meat and poultry businesses
  • Seafood businesses
  • Bakeries
  • Dairy businesses
  • Beverage manufacturers
  • Fresh produce businesses
  • Ready-to-eat food manufacturers
  • Food packaging businesses
  • Food importers
  • Food brokers
  • Warehouses
  • Storage and distribution companies
  • Retail food businesses
  • Restaurants and food service operations
  • Pet food businesses
  • Start-up food companies

You can explore our industry-specific support through Industries We Serve.

Supporting Food Businesses Across Canada

Arnika provides virtual and, where appropriate, on-site food safety support across Canada.

We provide dedicated service information for businesses in major Canadian food-business centres, including:

Our primary focus is Canadian food businesses, while our regulatory and certification experience can also support organizations dealing with international supply chains and import/export requirements.

Our Experience

Arnika’s expertise combines food safety, quality assurance, regulatory compliance, auditing, food testing, training, and practical food manufacturing experience.

The company is led by Reza Eslami, a food safety and quality assurance professional with more than 25 years of experience across food manufacturing, quality assurance, regulatory affairs, laboratory operations, food safety systems, auditing, and consulting.

His experience includes:

  • HACCP
  • GMP
  • Preventive Control Plans
  • SFCR
  • SQF
  • BRCGS
  • FSSC 22000
  • Food safety auditing
  • Regulatory compliance
  • Supplier controls
  • Food testing
  • Corrective actions
  • Root cause analysis
  • Traceability
  • Food safety training

Learn more about Reza Eslami’s food safety and quality experience.

What Makes Arnika Different?

We believe food safety consulting should be practical.

A food safety program may look excellent on paper but still fail if employees do not understand it, procedures are difficult to follow, records are not maintained, or controls are not properly verified.

Our approach focuses on the connection between:

Requirements → Risks → Procedures → Employees → Records → Verification → Improvement

We help businesses understand not only what needs to be done, but also how to implement it effectively.

Our work is designed around the organization’s actual operation rather than simply providing generic templates.

From Compliance to Continuous Improvement

Compliance is an important starting point, but an effective food safety system should continue to improve.

We help organizations move from:

Documentation

to

Implementation

to

Verification

to

Corrective Action

to

Continuous Improvement

This can help businesses strengthen food safety performance while improving operational consistency and audit readiness.

Our Food Safety Resources

Arnika publishes practical resources designed to help Canadian food businesses better understand food safety, regulatory, and certification requirements.

Our resources cover topics including:

  • HACCP
  • GMP
  • SFCR
  • Preventive Control Plans
  • CFIA inspections
  • Food safety audits
  • SQF
  • BRCGS
  • FSSC 22000
  • Food traceability
  • Food recalls
  • Root cause analysis
  • Food safety training
  • Regulatory compliance

Explore our Food Safety Resources and Articles.

For specific topics, you can also explore:

HACCP Guide
GMP Guide
SFCR Guide
SQF Guide
Food Safety Training
Food Safety Auditing

Our Commitment

Our commitment is to provide food businesses with practical, professional, and appropriately scoped food safety support.

We aim to help our clients:

  • Protect consumers
  • Understand their food safety risks
  • Meet applicable requirements
  • Improve operational controls
  • Strengthen employee competency
  • Prepare for audits and inspections
  • Address compliance gaps
  • Build sustainable food safety systems

Every business is different.

Our recommendations are therefore based on the organization’s products, processes, risks, regulatory requirements, customers, and business objectives.

Meet the Arnika Team

Arnika is led by food safety and quality professionals with experience in food manufacturing, regulatory compliance, auditing, quality systems, and consulting.

To learn more about our founder and the professional experience behind Arnika’s consulting approach, visit:

Meet Reza Eslami — Food Safety & Quality Assurance Expert

Ready to Strengthen Your Food Safety System?

Whether you are starting a new food business, developing a HACCP system, preparing a Preventive Control Plan, improving GMP, preparing for a CFIA inspection, responding to a compliance issue, or working toward certification, Arnika can help.

Tell us about your operation, your current challenge, and what you need to achieve.

We’ll help you determine the appropriate next step.

Request a Food Safety Consultation

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Arnika do?

Arnika provides food safety consulting, training, auditing, certification-readiness, inspection preparation, food testing support, and regulatory compliance services for food businesses across Canada.

Where does Arnika provide food safety consulting?

Arnika provides virtual support across Canada and on-site services where appropriate. Dedicated service information is available for major Canadian food-business centres including Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, and Ottawa.

What types of food businesses does Arnika support?

Arnika supports manufacturers, processors, importers, distributors, packaging businesses, food service operations, retailers, warehouses, and food industry startups.

Does Arnika help with HACCP?

Yes. Arnika provides HACCP development, review, implementation, verification, training, and consulting support.

You can learn more about our HACCP consulting services.

Does Arnika help develop Preventive Control Plans?

Yes. Arnika helps applicable food businesses develop, review, and improve Preventive Control Plans based on their operations and requirements.

Does Arnika help with CFIA inspections?

Yes. Arnika provides inspection-readiness assessments, PCP and documentation reviews, facility assessments, mock inspection activities, and corrective-action support.

Does Arnika provide SQF, BRCGS, and FSSC 22000 certification?

Arnika provides consulting and certification-readiness support for SQF, BRCGS, FSSC 22000, and other applicable GFSI-recognized certification schemes.

Certification itself is performed by the applicable independent certification body.

Does Arnika provide food safety training?

Yes. Arnika provides food safety training covering areas such as HACCP, GMP, food handler requirements, internal auditing, food safety culture, allergen management, sanitation, and regulatory compliance.

Can Arnika help a new food business?

Yes. Arnika can support startups and new food businesses with food safety system development, HACCP, GMP, PCPs, regulatory requirements, training, inspection preparation, and certification readiness.

Businesses can also explore our Food Manufacturing Startup Consulting service.

Can Arnika provide ongoing food safety support?

Yes. Depending on the organization’s needs, Arnika can provide ongoing consulting, auditing, training, documentation updates, regulatory support, and certification-readiness assistance.

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