Food Diagnostics Ltd, Malta’s only food research and development firm, and its sister company Camilleri Consultancy, are actively seeking to make inroads into emerging markets after building a significant reputation locally.
With a local client portfolio ranging from the smallest pastizzerija to caterers and five-star hotels, scientist Ivan Camilleri, the companies’ founder, is now working to build on an overseas clientele that currently includes hotels in Turkey and small enterprises in Germany.
Mr Camilleri is also seeking to establish his firms in the quality and water treatment industry overseas, particularly in India, China, the Middle East and North Africa.
“Food and beverage manufacturers in North Africa and the Middle East are eager to comply with HACCP systems – the ISO standard for food – but there is a lack of expertise in these huge markets,” Mr Camilleri explained.
“Our services are very easily exported and technology facilitates quality control. It is not a matter of being present with a clipboard and a constant stream of samples any more. Our services are very cost-competitive. Quality consultancy in Europe is incredibly expensive and we offer the exact same levels of service. Winning business is certainly not easy, but export is quite an adventure.”
Camilleri Consultancy, one of just a handful of food quality consultants on the island, was established three years ago almost by chance. While flying to China on a business trip on behalf of his previous employer, Mr Camilleri struck a conversation with a Maltese food manufacturer who was seated next to him. Mr Camilleri was asked whether he would be interested into looking into ways to improve the quality of one of Malta’s most popular products in his spare time.
Working on a laptop in his living room for several months paid off: just under two years later, Camilleri Consultancy had amassed a considerable collection of clients seeking professional advice on food and water quality. Mr Camilleri resigned his post at an in-house research and development unit for a local producer and began to design training and manuals in food hygiene and food quality.
The company later moved to the business incubation centre in Corradino and grew to incorporate a 75-square metre laboratory with three full-time technicians who carry out research and development and quality testing. Projects are also outsourced to seven professionals with a broad range of expertise.
Food Diagnostics was set up a year after Camilleri Consultancy’s establishment to specialise in research and development to complement the consultancy arm. Its main areas of expertise are the identification of novel processes for food production, risk assessment, production of practical guides from research, and studies into the microbiological safety of the food chain.
“I started Camilleri Consultancy in a recession and everyone told me I was crazy,” Mr Camilleri recalled. “In a downturn our services are a luxury, particularly because we are a highly technical company. But we have been successful and have been highly recommended within the food and beverage industry. Many clients are truly passionate about their products and not once have I been assigned to look into ways to make products cheaper – only better.
“The standards within the local catering industry are very high and firms invest heavily in technology. Even pastizzi makers now have production units that are impeccably kept. In terms of quality and taste, locally made products are of very high standard and use mainly natural ingredients – this has been proven by mystery shoppers detailed by European Union watchdogs.”
Mr Camilleri stressed it is imperative food quality is nothing short of “perfect”.
“Food poisoning is very serious and can be fatal,” he warned. “Seventy-five per cent of food hazards are caused by carelessness. We are not an authority: we step in to give guidance often after authorities indicate there is a problem. Some issues may take months to resolve and often eight out of 10 solutions have to be scrapped because they do not work in practice. Nothing less than perfect quality food can be put on the market because it risks being a health hazard.”
Camilleri Consultancy is often contracted to audit potential suppliers examined by hotels and caterers. The exercise involves verification and assessment of pest control, health inspectors records, production processes, raw materials sourcing and staff’s work ethic.
Three weeks ago, Mr Camilleri opened a showroom in Paola to showcase his own industrial and household well water UV treatment systems. Entirely made in Malta, the equipment designed by Mr Camilleri uses ultraviolet light, in combination with a set of filters, to sterilise Maltese water. The showroom will also enable the companies to be more client-facing and to have a broader administrative function.
Mr Camilleri has now set his sights on space at the planned Life Sciences Park in San Ġwann where he hopes to move his food testing and research and development arms into a larger laboratory.
Meanwhile, Food Diagnostics is expanding its business focus that has until now primarily been contract research and development, which would typically involve projects like extending products’ shelf life or solving problems with contaminated equipment.
One of the projects in the pipeline is a recipe for low salt Maltese bread. The recipe and the technical expertise would then be sold under franchise and the product audited periodically so that it is in constant conformity with legislation.
“I started out with very low expectations, but after the success of the past three years I would like to establish the companies and the brand internationally,” Mr Camilleri pointed out.
“Both companies work together. We cannot offer consultancy services on quality without testing the quality. Food consultants are sometimes dismissed as charlatans. Our laboratory proves we are not, as its function empowers the guidance we give our clients and gives input to our research.”