I’m passionate about helping small businesses navigate food safety legislation and meet their customers’ expectations on quality and sourcing.

I don’t just do this by sitting behind a desk and offering off-the-shelf plans and packages.

I love to get involved. Immerse myself in a business. Be part of it.

That’s why in December 2021 I excitedly found myself driving 250 miles from Cheshire to Totnes in South Devon, to meet a man and his unique business – one with a clear focus on fairness, sustainability and simplicity.

Andrew Gilhespy, founder of The Fresh Flour Company, is on a mission to re-build grassroots stone-milling. He wants to put a mill, like his, back in every town, through investment and training.

His collaborative network of mills would help take the monopoly away from big business and get organic farmers a fair deal, protecting the land and soil in the process.

Using organically UK-grown ancient and heritage wheat, the company makes grain, flour and its own products, including pasta, bran flakes and digestive biscuits. It sells these to everyone, from Michelin-starred restaurants to motivated bakers and conscious customers.

Andrew undoubtedly has the drive and ambition but is the first to admit he needed help. He wants to prove his products are quality and safe – a key element of his business pitch.

That’s where I come in.
I’m now working with him to make sure he’s got all his processes and certifications in place for now, and with a view to his growing enterprise.

I spoke to him about his concerns and why – out of all the food safety consultants out there – he chose to partner with me.

What was your ‘I need a food safety consultant’ moment?
I was talking to Michelin-starred restaurants and well-known chefs and they were asking about our food safety. I knew it was important for our farmers to clean and store grain properly (we ensure our farmers have certificates), but I realised I needed something more concrete.

I needed somebody with the knowledge and the time to ensure we were doing everything we needed to, and perhaps more. I want our customers and consumers to have absolute confidence in the safety and provenance of our products.

How did you find the internet for advice and guidance?
I really struggled. If I was a butcher, I could go online and find loads on butchery food safety, but there was nothing that really helps a business like ours. We use grain and water and no animal products apart from butter.

What was your first experience of the food safety consultancy world?
It was really disheartening. The companies that I initially sought advice from took a very generic approach. They were more like large scale sales and marketing businesses than food safety ones. They had no sense of my business and didn’t really try to understand it. They saw it as any other food business.

They were trying to sell me software and apps, including ones that could tell me if my fridges went off. I didn’t even have any at the time!!! I kept asking what food safety processes I needed in place, and I never got a straight answer… but they were quite happy to quote me hundreds of pounds a month for their support. I was on my own. I couldn’t afford that.
I had many sleepless nights until I found Phil!

So why Phil Shaw and Integworld?

You were recommended to me a couple of times, and you made an effort to come and see us. You were amiable, and it was clear you had lots of experience. When you started talking about weights and measures and the strength of the magnets in our milling machine, I knew we had found what we were looking for!

You’re a culture fit too. You understand where we want to take the business. You’re enthused by it and want to be part of our team, not just tick the consultant box.

You’re giving me the confidence to make safety and provenance a crucial element of our business pitch and I know, with you, I’ve got the expertise to showcase the uniqueness and quality of our products through tailored, not generic, nutritional labels and best before dates.

And crucially for a small business, you’re a massive help without being a financial burden!
Thanks to you, we’ve got a robust HACCP plan in place, and I’m working towards getting organic certification and SALSA certification this year.

It’s a pleasure to be working with Andrew. You’ll be hearing more about The Fresh Flour Company’s food safety journey in the coming months. You can find out more about the business (and buy the products!) on its website.
If his story has inspired you, or if you’ve shared similar frustrations, I’d love to hear from you.