McDonald’s has clearly defined standards that a company must meet in order to become their supplier.
Those standards are the same everywhere, and that’s why it doesn’t matter if you eat at a McDonald’s restaurant in America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, because the same top quality food, taste and service are recognizable everywhere.
When McDonald’s started operating in Yugoslavia at the time, which was exactly 35 years ago, it was not easy to find local suppliers who fulfilled everything that such a large multinational company required of them, but there were always companies then and now that were ready to invest in their capacity to meet Mack’s standards and become their supplier.
Such is the case with the Desing family company from Knjaževac, with which McDonald’s has successfully cooperated for more than two decades. Desing not only successfully supplies McDonald’s with ice cream melts and syrups for shakes, but is also a real partner who, together with Mak, constantly develops new flavors and products in its development center “Desing Taste Center, center for development, education and innovation”. Chocolate, vanilla, caramel and strawberry toppings for McDonald’s ice creams and syrups for shakes, as well as apple fruit juice, are produced at the Desing factory.
About 6,000 million ice creams with Desing’s toppings are sold annually in Mecca, which clearly speaks of the popularity of these products and their quality.
For 30 years, the Desing family company has been the leading producer of osmotically dehydrated fruit, fruit and cream preparations for the ice cream industry, bakery and confectionery industry in the Balkan region, and creative business approach and innovations have led us to export to 30 countries around the world.
Desing was founded in 1992 and since then has been building a story based on family values, trust, perseverance and dedication. Desing currently has 60 employees who represent our most important resource.
You may not have heard of Desing, but Desing’s preparations are an integral part of industrial sweets, both here and in the region, as well as around the world. Be sure to try Desing preparations almost every day in biscuits, chocolate, ice cream, muffins, various bakery and confectionery treats.
Desing’s food safety and quality certifications, as well as industry knowledge and expertise, have built trust among large multinational companies.
When we look back at the history of the company, although every moment is significant, a few crucial years stand out.
The first production facility was opened 2000. in Knjaževac, a 2008. year, the company moved to another, adapted for the production of fruit preparations for the confectionery industry, the ice cream industry and the bakery products industry. A year earlier, Desing was chosen by the World Bank as the second best company in Serbia.
The next important year is 2013., when Desing planted the cloud cherry plantation, which is their trademark and is used in the production of fruit preparations. Years 2016., Desing opens a development laboratory and application center “Desing Taste Center” in Science and Technology Park Belgrade.
2018. represents a particularly important moment in the company’s history, because Desing then moves its production to a 10,000 m2 factory in Knjaževac, with the opening of a line for osmotic drying of fruits and vegetables. This enabled the expansion of production capacities and a stronger presence on the domestic and foreign markets.
DOMESTIC QUALITY MEETS GLOBAL STANDARDS
Desing’s food safety and quality certifications, as well as industry knowledge and expertise, have built trust among large multinational companies.
From the Serbian Association of Managers, Desing is the winner of the “Most Innovative Company in Serbia” award. 2019. years.
Cooperation with Mc Donald’s began in 2000, and for Desing it was a big turning point in business.
Quality standards prescribed by McDonald’s, which Desing adheres to
McDonald’s takes the issue of food quality and safety extremely seriously and sets the highest standards, both internally in the company and towards suppliers. The quality of the suppliers and the requirements that they consistently set for each of them are decisive for the quality of the food. These standards are often more rigorous than those set by regulatory institutions.
Application and compliance with the standards related to the quality and health safety of the products served in McDonald’s restaurants are an absolute requirement that a company must meet in order to become a supplier of this renowned global fast service chain.
The company Desing has successfully fulfilled all the requirements set before it by McDonald’s. These requirements include: compliance with legal regulations related to food production, both those prescribed in Serbia and global ones. Designing to meet the requirements of McDonald’s standards SQMS (Supplier Quality Management System) which includes a complex set of internationally recognized safety and quality standards, with an upgrade to specific requirements that only McDonald’s sets within its supply chain. SQMS guarantees the highest level of safety because it relies on high international standards, local regulations and specifics, and enables complete traceability of each food to its source (in the case of fruit – to the plantation).
The specific requirements that McDonald’s sets within the framework of SQMS and that Desing respects are: Code of conduct; Emergency supply plan; Crisis management; Traceability check with a response target of 3 hours; Additional microbiological analyzes and advanced sensory analyzes of products;, Over the past years, McDonald’s has intensified its digitization strategy, which is now fully implemented and allows suppliers both improved operational efficiency and access to an online “knowledge base” that McDonald’s selflessly shares with suppliers and thus supporting their development.
Such procedures leave no room for any errors and guarantee the highest quality, which is devotedly maintained.
McDonald’s uses its processes effectively to deliver quality and safe products. Each production process is designed with the aim of maximally retaining the nutritionally valuable naturally occurring components of the food.
Because of the excellent cooperation with Desing, McDonald’s Serbia recommended that Desing become a supplier to Mek restaurants throughout the region and Europe, so Desing achieves cooperation and partnership relations with McDonald’s restaurant chains in Bulgaria, Slovenia, Romania and Croatia with special seasonal products.