Jonathan Koeberg
Quality Assurance Manager
Parow,WC
Summary
Experienced professional with over 20 years in food safety, quality assurance, and technical management in FMCG and food processing. Led compliance initiatives, improved systems, and managed food safety protocols, audits, and continuous improvement projects. Focused on supporting organizational goals through effective leadership and strategic quality assurance enhancements.
Overview
27
27
Certifications
19
19
years of professional experience
Work History
Head of Department Quality Assurance
Atlantis seafood distributors
03.2025 - Current
- establishing and executing quality assurance protocols
- coordinating quality management activities within various departments
- Implementing and managing quality standards policies and procedures to verify products or services align with specified requirements.
- maintain and implement compliance with good manufacturing practices (gmp), haccp principles, and risk management
- ensure compliance with local and global food safety regulations customer and regulatory standards
- managing and guiding quality control team
- Direct and guide quality control personnel, promoting a commitment to quality standards
- evaluating product and process integrity
- Executed inspections, audits, and tests aimed at identifying deviations from quality standards and initiated corrective actions.
- analyzing non-conformance to establish root cause assessments and execute corrective actions
- evaluating quality data and presenting results
- Collecting, evaluating, and interpreting quality data to pinpoint trends and areas for refinement and communicating findings and suggestions to management.
- Ensuring legal Compliance
- ensuring alignment with regulatory requirements and internal quality policies.
- partnering with cross-functional teams, such as production engineering, to address quality concerns and establish long-term solutions.
- designing and executing quality enhancement initiatives
- Recognizing opportunities to elevate quality control processes and executing strategies for continuous enhancement.
- Direct execution of internal and external quality compliance audits, guaranteeing compliance with standards (IFS, FSSC 22000, ISO 14000) and resolving any noted findings.
- Implement training and development initiatives to strengthen capabilities and expertise of quality control team and food safety staff.
- Reformulation / re engineering of current recipes and presenting to clients
- Staying Updated on Industry Trends, new technologies, regulations, and best practices in quality control.
Quality Assurance Manager – Fruit & Veg
Euroberry (Pty) Ltd
03.2019 - 08.2024
- Fresh fruit quality control at receiving
- Accepting or rejecting of fresh fruit not meeting required specification
- Created comprehensive guidelines for fruit growers, emphasizing quality control measures.
- communicating with packing facilities regarding quality discrepancies from specifications
- developing and delivering quality reports for growers
- Executed comprehensive audits during factory and pack house visits, enhancing performance standards. Provided tailored recommendations to relevant management teams for process improvements. Analyzed operations on-site, pinpointing weaknesses and proposing strategic enhancements. Engaged with management teams to ensure effective implementation of suggested improvements.
- Verifying compliance through audits in retail and bulk manufacturing sectors to uphold accreditation requirements.
- advising and overseeing local and export food safety and regulatory standards relevant to industry
- administer and coordinate all food safety operations including in-process quality control and GMPs during product manufacturing and packaging
- Lead a diverse team responsible for Food Safety and managing 2 Quality Assurance supervisors and 7 Quality Control Staff
- ensuring team tasked with food safety and quality holds required knowledge and skills for carrying out responsibilities confidently and competently
- Staying informed of changes and events in the food industry regarding legislative and regulatory changes / updates to ensure company is informed and complies with relevant changes to be implemented
- Upgraded Food Safety Management system from HACCP to FSSC22000 V5.1 – March 2022
- maintenance of fssc22000 food safety management system ensuring adherence to administrative requirements as mandated by food safety management system
- Maintain fulfillment of requirements established by certification bodies encompassing religious (halal, kosher), organic, and customer/client criteria.
- Train Quality Supervisors and receiving staff on fresh fruit product specifications and quality standards (berries, stone fruit)
- Generating purchase orders for consumables, cleaning equipment / chemicals, food processing aids (ascorbic / citric acid, preservatives, and external product analysis (micro, heavy metals, pesticides, viruses).
- Compiling of budgets for technical department
- Played a crucial role in refining company manufacturing practices by providing expert guidance on regulatory compliance matters.
- Compile, review, update and approve final product specifications and labels in compliance with relevant regulations and updating of relevant QC technical sheets on Sage
- Streamlined testing processes by introducing automated tools, increasing efficiency and reducing errors.
- Ensuring product specifications and technical sheets on Sage are accurate.
- Managing Supplier Quality Assurance (SQA) and ensuring supplier adherence to relevant legislation and best practices
- Identification of training needs regarding food safety and quality and ensuring this training is conducted and evaluating staff competence
- New product briefs received from marketing department and overseeing of these in conjunction with the Product Development team, presenting these to department heads to identify new opportunities and implement project plans related to continuous improvement.
- Performed root cause analysis to identify and resolve quality issues and defects.
- Conducted process and system audits to identify areas of improvement and enforce compliance with industry standards.
- Mitigated risk of non-compliance with industry regulations by maintaining up-to-date knowledge of standards and conducting regular audits.
QA / Technical Manager – High Risk Manufacturing
Papas Foods, Killarney gardens (RTE, Heat and Eat meals - Soup, salads, pizzas, sauce)
07.2018 - 02.2019
- management and oversight of food safety policies, procedures, and documentation for product quality and safety
- ensuring all prerequisite programs for factory are executed and overseen
- monitoring verification activities and applying suitable corrective and preventative actions for observed non-conformances.
- compilation and approval of all production and quality assurance documentation and product specifications.
- Monitoring production processes and initiating corrective and preventative actions as required when products do not conform to set legislation
- Liaising with maintenance department with regards to non-conforming maintenance issues having impact(s) on food safety
- Manage and assist QA & QC Technicians with their duties when required.
- handling customer grievances, conducting investigations, and reporting results including establishing corrective measures.
- Validating quality processes by establishing product specifications and quality attributes, qualification writing and updating quality assurance procedures.
- Product development and Production trials of new products
- Delivered comprehensive technical training programs for staff members, enhancing overall team competency levels.
- Develop technical solutions to product issues and conduct troubleshooting in-partnership with production staff to improve the manufacturing process
- Compiling, reviewing and approving new products technical documentation, including upgrades and processes in the factory
- Ensure compliance with labelling legislation
- Occupational Health and Safety member / representative
- Supplier factory visits, audits and ensuring suppliers adhere to Good Manufacturing Practices
- Assisting Raw Material staff with the control of Raw Materials including allergen management.
- Managing Quality budget in line with company requirements.
- Communicating to customers on any complaints, requests, and reports.
- Investigating Food Safety or quality related issues, implementing corrections and evaluating corrective action plans to verify effectiveness.
- Led cross-functional teams to enhance product development for heat-and-eat meal lines.
- Developed training programs for staff, promoting skill enhancement and operational excellence.
- Implemented quality control measures ensuring compliance with food safety standards.
Quality Assurance Manager / Factory Manager
Zest Food Solutions (Cullinan, Pretoria), previously Buon Gusto Food Services (CPT) (Sauces, Spices & Protein manufacturing)
09.2013 - 06.2018
- Assist in setting up sauce and spice manufacturing plant - equipment layout, sauce & spices manufacturing procedures and methodology setup
- Recruiting and training staff on food safety and pre-requisite programs (PRP’s), good manufacturing and hygiene practices, sauce & spices (sauce spice packs), manufacturing methods, sauce evaluation (final product), pest control, cleaning, labeling, adjusting out of specification product, receiving
- New product development of sauces, spices (fish batter, chips, spice packs for sauce) and bulking up for large scale production.
- Setting up quality control processes by establishing product specifications and quality attributes, qualification writing and updating of quality assurance procedures.
- Setting up of laboratory to evaluate product – Viscosity, brix, pH and organoleptic properties
- Development, Implementation, Management And maintenance of policies, procedures and documentation for Food Safety Management System – Food Safety Team
- Ensuring all PRP’s are implemented, documented, maintained and continuously improved e.g. cleaning, pest control, waste
- Trending of all verification activities and taking appropriate corrective and preventative actions for non-conformances found.
- Compiling and approval of all QA documentation and product specifications.
- Managing micro sampling procedures and initiating corrective and preventative actions as required when samples do not conform
- Liaising with maintenance department with regards to non-conforming maintenance issues having impact(s) on food safety
- Ensuring external contractors are aware of site requirements
- Customer complaints handling, assisting and guiding QCs in their investigations, establishing corrective action and reporting on outcome
- Managing all projects related to QC technicians.
- Managing the training calendar for the factory
- Development of new sauce and spice products as per customer brief – from test kitchen to mass production
- Develop suitably packaged herb and spice blends, premix blends, premix batch packs and prototypes of innovative new products and Production trials of new sauce and spice products
- Compiling, reviewing and approving new products' technical documentation, including upgrades and processes in the factory
- Managing recipe system including specifications and COA’s and Ensure compliance to labelling legislation
- Setting up Internal audit schedules and ensuring communication with regards to non-conformances thereof.
- Monitoring quality of internal audit reports and execution of corrective actions.
- Supplier factory visits and audits
- Monitoring completion of corrective actions arising from non-conformances
- Ensuring that personnel are aware of the relevance and importance of their individual duties in contributing to food safety.
- Enforcing the requirement for effective communication by all personnel whose activities have an impact on food safety
- Managing Quality budget in line with company requirements.
- HACCP Certified from September 2014 – December 2017
- FSSC22000 certificate achieved – December 2017
Senior Food Technologist
Buon Gusto Food Services
05.2012 - 09.2013
- Conduct internal audits to ensure basic documentation is completed accurately to ensure all procedures are being followed in accordance with the food safety management system
- Involved in developing, implementing and maintaining food safety and quality management system
- Ensure food safety management system master file is kept up to date
- Monitoring of temperatures, date coding and stock rotation
- Monitor and manage hygiene standards in all areas
- Documenting of all non-conformances, liaising with management on corrective actions to be taken for the problem identified, document action taken and following up to ensure the non-conformance has been eliminated
- Documenting of supplier non-conformances, informing suppliers of non-conformances and requesting corrective action
- Conducted supplier audits and initiated non-conformances
- Microbiological sampling conducted on personnel, equipment, product and water
- Liaise with pest control company regarding pest sightings and service
- Testing and releasing product for packing
- Initiate immediate corrective action for non-conforming products in production
Food Safety Manager – Deboning and processing
Roelcor Meats
03.2011 - 04.2012
- Developed, implemented and maintained a robust food safety management system, ensuring compliance with industry regulations and standards.
- Enhanced food safety measures by implementing comprehensive risk assessments and mitigation strategies.
- Ensured proper documentation of all activities related to food safety management systems, facilitating smooth audits from external regulatory bodies as needed.
- Monitor and manage hygiene standards in all areas, including outside perimeter
- Fostered a culture of continuous improvement by encouraging employees to actively participate in identifying potential gaps or areas for enhancement in existing food safety processes.
- Documenting of all non-conformances, liaising with management on corrective actions to be taken for the problem identified, document action taken and following up to ensure the non-conformance has been eliminated
- Training of the staff in quality control procedures
- Conducted supplier audits
- Customer complaint handling and providing feedback to production regarding complaints
- Liaising with government authorities and officials
- Traceability studies conducted on protein products “from farm to plate”
- Involved in product development and trials of beef and pork sausages and burger patties
- Sourcing suppliers for raw materials and batch packs for new products
- Conducted a HACCP study and assisted in the implementation, development and maintenance of the HACCP program
- Microbiological sampling conducted on personnel, equipment, product and water
- Pest control procedures implementation, training of staff and liaison with service provider
- Obtaining of all specifications regarding product and product packaging
- Auditing slaughtering facility and monitoring of slaughtering practices at abattoir - weekly
- Inspecting carcasses as they arrive at deboning plant from abattoir
- Monitoring of production practices and temperatures during production
- Involved and achieve excellent pass rate in third party audits i.e. ZA80 Audits for export, SAFSIS (Pick ‘n Pay) and Spar Brands Supplier Audit
QC Technician & Production Supervisor
Freddy Hirsch
03.2007 - 02.2011
- Oversaw daily production operations
- Head count at the beginning of each shift to ensure all staff members are present
- Requesting staff from recruiting company to replace absent staff members
- Coordinated staff returns from sickness or other absences to ensure readiness for work.
- Facilitated daily meetings with staff at shift start to review previous production outcomes and collaboratively address challenges.
- Ensure staff members have their necessary equipment and log sheets to perform their respective tasks
- Ensuring production takes place in a clean environment by making use of clean as you go principle
- Ensuring good manufacturing practices are always adhered to during production
- Liaising with maintenance department regarding faulty equipment and packing lines
- Monitored packing lines to ensure continuous product supply from production, maintaining workflow efficiency.
- Monitoring of packing lines and prioritizing work to be produced accordingly
- Liaising with quality control laboratory regarding non-conformances during production
- Basic disciplinary procedures are followed and employed where necessary
- Basic problem-solving utilized in production regarding non-conforming products
- Producing products according to a production plan or in order of urgency based on customer requirements and stock levels
- Ensuring staff always adhere to basic hygiene practices
- Checking and signing all check sheets filed in by operators – production, raw material stores and packing
- Ensuring adequate raw material is available before delegating tasks to staff members
- Liaising with receiving department regarding low stock levels or shortages
- Ensuring that the next shift has enough work to start up – sifting, blending and packing stations
- Compiling shift report regarding the day’s production figures, wastage and problems encountered during the shift
- Ensuring proper cleaning takes place on night shift
- Staff training and ensuring staff members are fully competent before delegating certain tasks
- Multi-skilling of staff members based on production department to ensure that majority of staff members can be utilized effectively throughout the production process
- Shift hand over and walk about through the raw material stores and production area with supervisor taking over the next shift to ensure proper communication – physical check to ensure all aspects of shift hand over has been covered
- Conducted quality control assessments
- Chemical analysis of raw material from suppliers, oil content, volatile oil content, purity, moisture
- Chemical analysis of finished product for conformance to specification and advising production on corrective actions to be implemented for non-conforming product
- Hygiene swabbing of staff members to ensure proper hand-washing procedures has been followed
- Monitoring online processes and CCP’s
- Ensuring staff always adhere to proper dress code
- Chemical analysis of finished product from production before packing
- Collaborated with production staff on out-of-specification products, providing actionable corrective measures to achieve compliance with specifications.
- Releasing of product for packing on production floor and from computer system
- Ensuring proper labels are used for packing
- Calibration of metal detectors in production
- Filing of log sheets and relevant documents
- Attending to production problems and recommending corrective actions to be implemented
- Conducted in-house HACCP audits and informing relevant staff
- Following up and ensuring non-conformances has been properly cleared
- Determining rework instructions for out of specification products has been communicated to production staff
- Microbiological analysis of products and environmental swabs taken and reporting on non-conformances
Education
National Diploma - Food Technology
04.2001 -
Pest control 2007
A practical approach to HACCP 2008
GMPs a prerequisite for HACCP 2008
ISO 22000 Food Safety Management Systems Implementation 2015
FSSC 22000 Food Safety Management Systems Implementation 2015
Advanced internal auditing of Food Safety Management Systems: BRCGS Food, FSSC/ISO 22000, IFS Food and HACCP (based on ISO 19011:2018) 2021
Implementation of Food Fraud and Defense Systems 2022
FSSC22000 version 5.1 to 6 conversion 2024
HACCP - A practical approach 2026
Prerequisite Programmes for Food Safety Management Systems 2026
Production Management - Production
04.2001 -
High School - Matric
01-1998
Skills
Quality Management
Food Safety Standards
Regulatory compliance
Advanced Auditing
QC
Training and development
Workflow coordination
Problem resolution
Problem-solving
Customer engagement
Certification
Short course offered by: Orkin environmental services
Personal Details
- Surname: Koeberg
- First Names: Jonathan David
- Identity number: 810117 5083 086
- Residential address: 15 West Court Wynne Street, Parow
- Contact number: 074 151 7721
- E-mail: jonathankoeberg@yahoo.com
- Drivers license code: 08
- Marital status: Married
- Dependents: Two
Timeline
Head of Department Quality Assurance - Atlantis seafood distributors
03.2025 - Current
Quality Assurance Manager – Fruit & Veg - Euroberry (Pty) Ltd
03.2019 - 08.2024
QA / Technical Manager – High Risk Manufacturing - Papas Foods, Killarney gardens (RTE, Heat and Eat meals - Soup, salads, pizzas, sauce)
07.2018 - 02.2019
Quality Assurance Manager / Factory Manager - Zest Food Solutions (Cullinan, Pretoria), previously Buon Gusto Food Services (CPT) (Sauces, Spices & Protein manufacturing)
09.2013 - 06.2018
Senior Food Technologist - Buon Gusto Food Services
05.2012 - 09.2013
Food Safety Manager – Deboning and processing - Roelcor Meats
03.2011 - 04.2012
QC Technician & Production Supervisor - Freddy Hirsch
03.2007 - 02.2011
CPUT -Bellville Campus - National Diploma, Food Technology
04.2001 -
CPUT – Cape Town Campus - Production Management, Production
04.2001 -
Valhalla Senior Secondary School - High School, Matric