Food Marketing Institute (FMI), Arlington, Va., announced a 5-year partnership with Prometric, a Baltimore, Md.-based provider of test development and delivery solutions, to bring the Certified Food Protection Manager (CPFM) exam under the FMI SafeMark program. FMI will leverage Prometric’s extensive test delivery infrastructure to place exams in food retail stores and Prometric test centers.  

"Food safety is the hallmark on grocers’ relationships with their customers," says Hilary Thesmar, vice president of food safety programs. "The nation’s food retailers do everything to maintain shopper trust, which is the primary reason FMI partnered with such a noted authority for food safety training and certifications. The benefit of this alliance is twofold, as we also value the professionals at retail ensuring these associates have the resources to effectively advance their careers."

FMI’s U.S. members operate nearly 40,000 retail food stores and 25,000 pharmacies, representing a combined annual sales volume of almost $770 billion.

"Prometric’s investments in technology and operations have enabled us to bring market-leading clients such as FMI unique and valuable offerings for their members. We are excited to help advance FMI’s vision for food safety and industry leadership by creating a globally convenient avenue for certification anywhere FMI members have storefronts," says Charles Kernan, Prometric’s chief operating officer. "This offering places FMI at the leading edge of reliable and secure food safety certification."

The CPFM exam is accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), Washington, D.C., and adheres to standards set forth by the Conference for Food Protection (CFP), Martinsville, Ind., ensuring a fair and impartial testing experience and scientifically developed, legally defensible exam.

Every exam will be supervised by trained and certified proctors, and Prometric will provide web-based and paper-based exam formats on-site at FMI member retail locations, in addition to computer-based exams throughout its global test center network.