Project Overview

Consumer complaints provide valuable feedback for evaluating product quality and customer satisfaction in the food manufacturing industry. During my internship at Maliban Biscuit Manufactories (Pvt) Ltd., I conducted a project to analyze recurring consumer complaints, identify their root causes, and recommend corrective and preventive actions (CAPA) to support continuous quality improvement. The project focused on investigating complaint trends using quality improvement tools and identifying process improvements to reduce complaint recurrence.

Objectives

The primary objectives of this project were to:

• Analyze recurring consumer complaints and identify complaint trends.
• Classify complaints based on product quality issues and production stages.
• Identify the most significant complaint categories using Pareto analysis.
• Determine the root causes of recurring complaints using Fishbone (Cause-and-Effect) analysis.
• Evaluate existing corrective and preventive actions (CAPA).
• Recommend process improvements to minimize future consumer complaints.

Methodology

The project was conducted using a systematic quality improvement approach. Historical consumer complaint records collected through the Quality Assurance Department were reviewed and classified into On-Pack, In-Pack, and In-Use complaint categories. Pareto analysis was performed to identify the most frequent complaint types requiring further investigation. Following the Pareto analysis, Fishbone (Cause-and-Effect) analysis was used to determine potential root causes related to Man, Machine, Material, Method, Measurement, and Environment. Process observations, equipment inspections, and evaluations of scrap handling practices were carried out to verify the identified causes and assess the effectiveness of existing control measures.

Key Activities

• Reviewed and analyzed historical consumer complaint records.
• Classified complaints into On-Pack, In-Pack, and In-Use categories.
• Performed Pareto analysis to prioritize major complaint types.
• Conducted Fishbone (Cause-and-Effect) analysis to identify root causes.
• Investigated production processes, equipment, and scrap handling practices.
• Evaluated existing corrective and preventive actions (CAPA).
• Identified improvement opportunities to reduce contamination risks.
• Prepared recommendations to strengthen process control and product quality.

Results and Outcomes

The project identified foreign matter contamination, particularly black particle contamination, as the most significant recurring consumer complaint. Root cause analysis revealed that inadequate scrap handling, equipment cleanliness, preventive maintenance issues, and improper handling of burnt dough residues were the primary contributing factors. Based on these findings, several improvement initiatives were recommended, including the development of a standardized scrap handling SOP, implementation of pre-use inspection checklists, routine inspection of cleaning equipment, improvements to tray transportation systems, and replacement of scrap-contact components with stainless steel materials where applicable. These recommendations contributed to improved process hygiene, enhanced product consistency, and strengthened the company's continuous quality improvement efforts.

Skills Developed

Through this project, I strengthened my skills in consumer complaint management, quality improvement methodologies, Pareto analysis, Fishbone root cause analysis, CAPA evaluation, process investigation, data analysis, equipment inspection, problem-solving, and the practical application of food quality management principles within a large-scale biscuit manufacturing environment.