Doni Fruits, one of the largest fruit and vegetable suppliers in Kosovo, is successfully strengthening its food safety and quality assurance processes. Thanks to the support of USAID, a training and quality assurance unit was established within the company, enabling Doni Fruits to meet the high international standards required for export growth.
USAID initially trained nine Doni Fruits employees on ISO 22000 quality standards, empowering them to become certified Lead Auditors and Implementers in food safety and quality management assurance. This led to the creation of the training and quality assurance unit within the company, which successfully steered Doni Fruits to become a Restaurant Brands International (RBI) approved supplier for the Burger King fast food chain, located in 77 countries worldwide.
What makes this achievement particularly noteworthy is that Doni Fruits accomplished it solely through internal capacities, without any external expert support. "This is a big achievement for our company," said Nderim Rexhepi, Lead Quality Auditor at Doni Fruits.
Recognizing the value of adhering to international food safety standards throughout the entire supply chain, Doni Fruits is now focused on transferring their know-how to approximately 100 farmers and 10 collection centers across Kosovo. This approach highlights the impact of USAID's market systems approach efforts, which benefits not only one partner but the entire production chain, from producers to collectors and farmers.
Overall, Doni Fruits' commitment to quality assurance and food safety is not only benefiting their business but also improving the reputation of Kosovo's export market as a whole.
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