For treats like a crusty panini to go or a freshly crisped pita at a food stall, a contact grill – a.k.a. panini press – is a sure-fire antidote to limp, soggy bread. To make certain that these appliances keep on doing their job long after they are purchased, METRO goes the extra mile to ensure the quality of its own brands. The experts who keep an eagle eye on these products are based in Hong Kong.
Test marathon in Asia
METRO SOURCING International in Hong Kong is responsible for international purchasing as well as quality assurance for the company’s sales lines. Before the panini press ever reaches METRO’s shelves, it undergoes comprehensive tests. First and foremost, the team in Hong Kong checks for compliance of the product with EU regulations. In the ‘fitness for use’ test, user-friendliness, durability, ease of cleaning and maintenance is verified. High focus is given to whether there is potential for improvement that adds more value for the customer. ‘We have a 360-degree development process in which various departments – from After Sales to Quality Assurance – plus input from professional chefs are all involved in any given product. That’s how we can be certain that each METRO product is ready to hit the shelves,’ says Charlie Gocela, lead engineer for the Commercial Gastro product category and LDA and Quality Management Supervisor at the Hong Kong office. But the process is far from over here.
This sophisticated system of regular quality checks continues even after the product launch. In other words, the appliance is not simply released into the wild, but is monitored as long as it remains in the product range. ‘Product information from all the countries where we sell the grill comes together on a single platform, which gives us a big-picture view and performance data for potential improvement,’ Gocela explains. ‘On the same platform, the countries also report faults that occur after the products have been used intensively in commercial kitchens.’