A BRADFORD food business left devastated by a fire six months ago has been celebrating after securing a top rating for standards in food safety.

The Dalesman Group, which owns Gordon Rhodes & Son, has received an AA grading from the British Retail Consortium at a recent audit.

The grading is given based on an audit which rates product safety, integrity, legality and quality in the food manufacturing and packing industry.

The Dalesman Group produces a range of meat rubs and sauce mixes from its head office and factory in Holland Street, where it is now based following its old home in the Eurocam Technology Park in West Bowling being destroyed by a fire in August last year.

Straight after the blaze, new equipment was bought, replacement ingredients sourced, and staff worked day and night to ensure key products were back in production within five days.

Ian Rhodes, senior director and co-founder of the company, said the grading was a “huge achievement” for the firm.

He said: “This signifies the huge achievement that The Dalesman Group has accomplished during the past six months and we could not be happier with the results.

“The Dalesman Group has always taken pride in its high-quality product, industry leading traceability processes and exemplary customer service.

“This result demonstrates our commitment to the high standards that set us apart from our rivals that we have sustained throughout these last six months of adversity.

“Production is now back to pre-fire capability and the product list has been expanded to include all pre-fire product offerings, including lowering the minimum order quantity for bespoke designed products to just 100 kilograms.

“We have been working hard to ensure that we are supporting our customers, our BRC result is fantastic but we will not rest on our laurels and will continue to strive for the manufacturing excellence that has got us to where we are today.”

The company has also drawn up plans to start the rebuilding process at its Eurocam Technology Park site, to create an industry-leading manufacturing, warehousing, product development and head office facility opening next year.

The British Retail Consortium Global Standards audits have been in place since 1998, and are designed to ensure food is produced safely and there is transparency and traceability in the supply chain.

The AA grading was recommended to The Dalesman Group as during the audit, only two minor non-compliances with regulations were found.