In my 20+ years of recall management training and communications, I know this to be true: Mock recalls are important and mock recalls do not prepare companies for the pressure and uncertainty of a real recall.

Mock recalls are those traceability exercises that buyers require of their suppliers, testing if the company can trace its products and their ingredients one step up and one step back in the supply chain. In recent times, these exercises have expanded to include a review of the press release and customer recall notice templates. These timed exercises typically happen once a year and they often test traceability systems under perfect conditions. Although this type of exercise can catch glitches in the software, or shine a light on the need for user training, it in no way prepares a company for a recall. 

In order to really prepare teams for a high stakes situation like a recall, the exercise must reflect the complexity of what happens when consumer health, brand reputation, and regulatory expectations all collide. This is exactly what a recall simulation is designed to do, and here are some tips for designing one:

Begin with a recall plan

A mock recall exercise can be executed without having a recall plan. The goal of a recall simulation, on the other hand, is to test the recall plan and the company’s ability to carry it out. So, dust off your recall plan and be sure it is current. Spend time reviewing it in detail, update it and, if it has been a long while since you did this, be sure it is FSMA compliant. 

The recall plan should provide a clear framework for action. There are a multitude of food recall plan templates on the Internet. Some are free (e.g. under the FSPCA materials, USDA, and many state and university resources). Consultants can develop a plan that takes into consideration your company size, products, resources, supply chain partners and experience. At a minimum, the plan should include:

• Who is on the recall team? Identify members across quality, compliance, legal, sales, communications, and leadership. Document their roles, responsibilities, and authority.
  
  
• What products are involved? Identify the procedures for determining a recall. For example, the health hazard evaluation, scope and records that will be needed to identify the product(s) involved.
  
  
• How will the company execute? The plan should guide a company through the many stages of a recall from decision-making to recall termination. Outline how information will be collected, how communication will flow, and what tools will be used to manage data and notifications. 

A well-structured plan reduces confusion in the moment and makes simulations more productive. It gives everyone a shared reference point for what the recall process should look like before the pressure begins.

Bring the right people to the table

Recalls are not just the responsibility of the food safety or quality assurance teams. They involve legal, regulatory, communications, operations, sales and marketing, and leadership.The most effective simulations bring all of these voices into the room and make sure each person understands their part in the process. Encourage whole team participation. Practicing together builds trust, creates familiarity, and reduces the risk of confusion in a real event. Every person who will play a role in a recall should practice that role during a simulation.

Create a realistic scenario

A weak scenario leads to a weak simulation. Instead of choosing an obvious or simple product to trace, create a scenario that forces your team to work. Incorporate multiple product lines, distribution points, or customer types. Introduce factors like missing data or communication delays.

The scenario should feel plausible but challenging. It should test not only whether your systems function but whether your team can handle the unexpected. The goal is to make sure staff face the kinds of challenges that real recalls inevitably present.

Insert uncertainty

Real recalls rarely start with certainty. A consumer complaint, a test result, or a regulator’s phone call often raises more questions than it answers. A good simulation begins with that same ambiguity. Present your team with partial information and let them determine how to investigate, escalate, and decide on next steps.

Test communication and collaboration

Traceability systems are crucial, but they aren’t the whole story. Communication is where recalls often succeed or fail. Your plan and practice should include:

• How the company will gather and share contact information
• How roles are divided between technical experts and spokespersons
• Sample press releases, regulator updates, and consumer notifications
• Measurements for whether the messages are accurate, timely, and clear 
• Internal updates between departments to ensure alignment

Bonus points: The best exercises extend beyond your walls. Include your supply chain partners in the simulation to see how quickly and effectively information flows through the supply chain. These connections are vital in a real recall, and a mock event is the safest place to identify gaps.

Include outside perspective

It can be easy for a company to believe its process works until a crisis proves otherwise. Bringing in outside expertise for a simulation challenges assumptions and exposes blind spots. Benchmarking against peers or involving third parties is also a good way to get valuable perspective that strengthens your process.

Simulations are also an excellent opportunity to build relationships with consultants and regulators. When those relationships exist before a crisis, you know who to call and they know what to expect from you. That makes a real recall faster and less stressful.

End with lessons, not just results

The most valuable part of a simulation comes after the exercise. What worked well? Where did hesitation slow the response? Which roles felt unclear? Be candid, adjust the plan, and then (re)train and practice again. 

Recall simulations take time, commitment, and the willingness to uncover weak spots. I have seen companies run them poorly, and the result is a dangerous false sense of security. I have also seen companies invest in doing them well, and the difference is striking. The stress on the team is lower, the confidence is higher, and the impact on public health is greater. For the good of your own team, your brand, and most of all the consumers who rely on you, take this seriously – make both mock recalls and recall simulations part of your recall readiness strategy!

‍

Contact Amy Philpott or schedule a consultation with Recall InfoLink.