Bahrain supermarket chain Alosra has signed an agreement with Kingdom's labour fund Tamkeen to optimise its products and services through its quality management systems scheme.

BMMI owns and operates Alosra Supermarket, the anchor store of the Najibi Centre community mall, located in the upmarket Saar/Budaiya family neighbourhood of Bahrain.

Already certified in Quality (ISO 9001) and Occupational Health and Safety (OHSAS 18001), Alosra aims to acquire certifications in Environment (ISO 14001) and Food Safety (ISO 22000) that further enhances the retail giant's integrated quality management system framework.

BMMI's quality systems manager Laura Mejia said 'at Alosra customer service means everything to us'.

'We are committed to providing our customers with products and services of the utmost high quality while at the same time minimising the impact our operations have on the environment.

'We believe this project will take us to the next level and bolster our leading position in the market.

'As a Bahrain-based company, we have been benefitting from Tamkeen's various initiatives which are playing a big role in the nation's economic development.

'Seventy per cent of our employees are Bahraini graduates from Tamkeen's International Apprenticeship Programme and we hope to continue attracting and training more Bahraini graduates in the retail sector in the years to come.

'This latest endeavour reaffirms our commitment to excellence at an operational and community level and optimising our business model,' she said.

The Quality Management Systems Scheme, one of many specialised co-financing schemes offered under Tamkeen's Enterprise Development Support Programme to private sector enterprises in Bahrain, enables businesses to develop and implement well-defined processes, procedures and product standards.

Tamkeen private sector support project co-ordinator Eva Hasan said the Enterprise Development Support Programme has helped hundreds of companies in Bahrain invest in their future success.

'The programme lends a helping hand to entrepreneurs and companies looking to improve their businesses by giving them necessary tools to put their business on the fast track towards prosperity,' Hassan added.-TradeArabia News Service