QCS Dairy Quality Excellence Program

Here you will find access to your monthly Dairy Quality Excellence Program reports and support materials to assist in successful participation.

What is the QCS Dairy Quality Excellence Program?

The QCS Dairy Quality Excellence Program is designed to provide a venue to demonstrate adherence to elevated quality standards on a routine basis and to benchmark against top dairy companies across the nation.  Participants submit dairy product samples to Mérieux NutriSciences monthly. These products are tested for microbiological, chemical, and sensory characteristics and are compared to the organization’s strict guidelines.  Performance is scored and results are compiled in an informative benchmarking report each month.  Participants also provide their annual 3rd party quality and food safety audit reports to demonstrate production excellence and to provide additional material for benchmarking criteria. At the end of each annual program cycle, the participants are recognized for superior placement amongst peers and winners are formally awarded at our QCS Annual Conference.

Who can enroll?

Any manufacturer of the following product categories:

• Fluid Milk (HTST, ESL, Aseptic)
• Cultured Products (Cottage Cheese, Sour Cream, Yogurt)
• Ice Cream (Retail Products)

What are the benefits for participating plants?

• Opportunity to demonstrate excellence
• Show consistent adherence to standards above regulatory requirements
• Identify quality problems and opportunities for improvement
• Routinely align onsite lab testing with an accredited lab
• Benchmark with other top dairy producers
• Continuous improvement – measurable KPIs monthly
• Recognition, awards, and publicity
• Build pride and morale at all levels of your organization
• Multi-site companies gain comparative data to prioritize and allocate resources
• Plus, as a member company of QCS Purchasing Cooperative, you’ll have access to over hundreds of purchasing and sourcing programs in numerous categories such as lab supplies, Q&FS supplies and services, document management, plant operations, facility services, and more.
  • Click here to learn more about QCS. And be sure to sign up for access to the QCS members-only website to view the supply partner directory, program offerings, and special announcements. Click here to create your member log-in.

For what awards and recognition are participants eligible?

The program offers the following awards for outstanding achievement:

• Plant Assessment Award (for exceptionally high scores on 3rd party quality and food safety audits)
• Merit of Excellence Award (awards those in each category that achieve an overall score of 90% or higher in the quality testing program)
• Dairy Quality Excellence Award (awards the top performer in each category in the quality testing program)
• Irving B. Weber Award for Total Quality Excellent (recognizes the top plant in regard to the quality testing program, 3rd party audit score, and plant safety score – OSHA DART)

What support does QCS provide to facilitate successful participation?

Participants in the program have access to quality and food safety professionals to assist in determining how to improve quality and food safety in their plants. Support may consist of services such as onsite troubleshooting and program assessment, email and phone support, and access to support materials via this private participant page of the QCS Purchasing Cooperative website.