Meadowbrook Meat Market offering food handling certification course

New initiative promises quick turnaround for bookings

While already certifiably awesome, Meadowbrook Meat Market is getting ready to offer a different kind of certification to its wholesale customers.

The business has launched the new initiative with the help of Roger Flynn, a member of their administrative team, who is a certified instructor of the Food Handler’s Certification Course.

Flynn is a registered food certification trainer, and will head the sessions, which will each last six to eight hours, depending on group sizes, with the certification exam at the end.

Right around when Flynn was thinking setting up the new venture might mean great things for both the market and its wholesale clients, he got a call from someone who’d reached out to a certification program in Halifax.

“She told me she’d been notified that the earliest available time was at the end of the summer,” he said.

The market’s program is looking at a two to three-week turnaround, to make sure no one is left waiting.

“This is really where we can step in – we can cut down those wait times for our clients by offering the service ourselves,” said Flynn.

The service will certify those who participate with a basic level of food safety training. After taking the exam, certificates are valid for five years.

Flynn said he’s excited to see how the service will be used by different businesses within the Annapolis Valley area, since the certification is a mandatory one for most businesses dealing with food.

The service will also be a flexible one, with training sessions happening in the client’s own space – in an area like a lunch or meeting room – and will have flexible booking times.

“Markets, restaurants, cafes, they all need this service. This could really help people in our area out, since they wouldn’t have to wait months to complete the course. I’m excited to see people take advantage of this,” he said.

To book a class in advance, call Roger Flynn at 902-538-3623 or email at meadowbrookfarm@ ns.sympatico.ca.

SARA ERICSSON Roger Flynn is part of Meadowbrook Meat Market’s administrative team and will be heading the new food certification program to be offered to the market’s wholesale clients.