SFT Programs

Food Safety Excellence AwardTaif — Inaugural Edition

An annual SFT program that recognizes outstanding food businesses and encourages restaurants, cafés, hotels and catering providers to adopt leading practices in food safety and operational quality.

In partnership with Alarkkan Company·In cooperation with Taif Municipality
Why the Award

Compliance is the baseline. Excellence deserves to be seen.

Behind every safe meal is a business that chose to go beyond what is required: a trained team, clear procedures, and a culture that makes food safety part of everyday work. The Award gives these businesses the recognition they have earned and turns their practices into a benchmark for others.

Assessment pillars

Five pillars that define excellence

The Award rests on clear criteria that treat food safety as an integrated system, not a single procedure.

01

Regulatory compliance

02

Food safety culture

03

Staff training

04

Robust procedures

05

Innovative solutions

The Award's categories, detailed criteria, assessment process and nomination framework will be announced once the final concept is approved, in coordination with our partners.

Award Partner
Alarkkan Company
Partnership

Built in partnership with Alarkkan

SFT and Alarkkan Company share one ambition: to turn food safety from a regulatory requirement into a competitive advantage that businesses compete for. Alarkkan was Main Sponsor of the Food Safety Forum 2026, and its leaders took part in the Forum's panel sessions.

01Developing the Award: its categories, criteria and assessment process.
02Operating the Award and managing its annual editions.
03Bringing field expertise in training and capability-building to food businesses.
News

Award agreements signed

The Award's first agreements were signed during the Food Safety Forum at Al Rudaf Park, Taif. An open record that grows with every partner who joins.

Signing of the Food Safety Excellence Award agreements at the Food Safety Forum 2026
At the signing ceremony — Food Safety Forum, Taif
September 2026Food Safety Forum
Cooperation Memorandum

Taif Municipality × SFT

A cooperation memorandum between Taif Municipality and Alef Lam (SFT) to develop and operate the Food Safety Excellence Award — Taif.

September 2026Food Safety Forum
Partnership Agreement

Alarkkan Company × SFT

A partnership agreement between Alarkkan Company and Alef Lam (SFT) to develop and operate the Food Safety Excellence Award — Taif.

Looking ahead

It starts in Taif. It doesn't stop there.

We are building the Award as an annual tradition that raises the bar for food safety in the city, and as a model that can be replicated in other cities across the Kingdom, in partnership with municipalities and industry.

Done

Agreements signed

With Taif Municipality and Alarkkan Company.

In progress

Final concept approval

Categories, criteria and assessment process.

Next

Nominations open

Launching the first edition for businesses in Taif.

Then

Assessment & recognition

On-site assessment and honoring outstanding businesses.

Our ambition

New cities

Taking the model to other municipalities and cities.

For businesses

An incentive beyond compliance

Public recognition that translates into greater customer trust and a clear market advantage.

For the city

A destination built on trust

Food safety is part of the visitor experience, especially during high-traffic seasons.

For the sector

A shared benchmark for excellence

Data and experience that inform the dialogue between regulators, businesses and solution providers.

Award partners

An ecosystem that grows with every partner

In cooperation with
Taif Municipality
Award Partner
Alarkkan Company
Be part of it

Your organization could be next

We welcome organizations that share our ambition to raise the bar for food safety.