Mock Recall vs. Recall Simulation

By Amy Philpott, Philpott PR Solutions LLC

In 2014, I wrote an Industry Viewpoint article in Produce News titled Mock recalls don’t live up to their name. In it, I made the argument that what the industry called “mock recalls” were in essence a traceability exercise. Furthermore, they were traceability exercises that started with known information such as a Purchase Order, lot code or production date – all details that may or may not be available in an actual situation – and only went one step up and back in the supply chain. Traceability was, and always will be, critical to a company’s recall response, but these exercises do not go far enough in preparing a company for a recall. 

Since then, “mock recalls” have expanded from a timed product traceability exercise to include a checklist of communication materials. Do we have a press release template in our recall plan? Check. Do we have a sample customer notification letter? Check. Do we have the contact information for our agency Recall Coordinator? Check. Did we complete the trace in under X hours? Check.

A quick scan of YouTube videos and Google results for “mock recalls” shows that the same understanding persists. Notably, there are some “experts” who advocate for a more detailed exercise, but do not explain those details, and if a company has never gone through a recall, how would it know? 

Enter the “recall simulation.” 

What is a recall simulation?

Recall simulations are mock recalls on steroids. Instead of hours they can last as long as 2 days. They include as many people at the company as is realistic rather than just the food safety quality assurance and traceability teams. They typically involve a dynamic and complex scenario where multiple mock internal and external stakeholders are involved. A recall simulation is designed to test a company’s recall response under realistic and high-pressure conditions. Companies simultaneously deal with product logistics, public health hazards and brand reputation during simulations.

So how might a recall simulation start? Something out of the ordinary happens and it can come from anyone or anywhere. For example, a facilitator playing the role of a regulator may call the senior-most person in charge of food safety and inform them that a product produced by the company is in some way hazardous to public health. (e.g. contaminated with Salmonella). I call this the “Trigger Event.” Depending on the type of trigger, it may result in an immediate decision to recall or it may prompt the company to further investigate and gather information. Just as in an actual recall, the product identifiers such as packaging, lot code or expiration date may or may not be known. 

One of the most challenging and untested aspects of a recall is the two-way (versus one-way) communication with stakeholders. So, a recall simulation involves two-way communication with stakeholders such as mock customers (buyers), distributors, end consumers, news reporters, social media, government officials, and more. As the scenario progresses facilitators simulate these stakeholders and contact different company personnel with questions, complaints, and demands.

The recall simulation scenario, Trigger Event, stakeholders, and product will all depend on the company. In my opinion, it is hard to create a cookie-cutter simulation; it must be customized to the company. However, there are guidelines to developing a simulation and best practices can be identified to help. These best practices can act as a hiring guide for what to ask a consultant or as a guide to developing a simulation. 

I co-lead the Recall Simulation Workgroup along with Patrick Guzzle of the National Restaurant. We are in the process of compiling best practices for developing a simulation, and we may settle on a slightly different definition of and name for a recall simulation than I have presented here because the AARC focuses on full supply chain participation. Look for an announcement from the AARC in 2026 and sign up for updates in the meantime. 

The journey to a recall simulation

The objectives of a recall simulation are to test the company’s ability to execute all aspects of a recall from decision making to answering reporters’ questions. It pressure tests the recall plan and the company’s ability to execute it under near-to-real circumstances. So, if your company doesn’t have a recall plan, the first step is to get one – hire someone to help you write it or write it yourself, but get one. Plus, if your company complies with a Preventive Controls Rule (for human food or animal food) you must have a recall plan under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). The ARRC’s’ Supply Chain Process Workgroup is compiling a sampling of recall plan templates and resources that will help with creating a recall plan, so watch for an ARRC announcement in 2026. 

After you have a plan, you can definitely jump to conducting a recall simulation, but to set your team up for success, consider training your personnel on the plan first. Ensure everyone understands their roles and responsibilities in a recall situation. Train the recall team and provide sales reps with training on how (or how not) to answer the inevitable customer (buyer) questions they will get during a recall, for example. Train the staff who answer phones (and those who cover for them during breaks) how to route or manage incoming calls from consumers, news reporters, and others.

After company personnel have been trained, a half-day table top exercise may be appropriate to determine if more training is needed. Table top scenarios are somewhere in between a mock recall and a recall simulation. They typically only involve the designated recall team and do not require actions, but do require that a company determine verbally what it would do in certain situations. Simulations are time consuming and can be expensive –  tabletop exercises help determine if the team is ready to be truly tested. On the other hand, if leadership is convinced that the team is recall ready, then by all means skip the table top exercises and go straight to the recall simulation.

As a side note, companies that have contamination insurance should ask their policy provider about “pre-incident” funds. These are funds, the amount of which is typically a percentage of your premium, that can be used for pre-incident training activities including those mentioned above. Other types of policies may also provide these funds.

Mock recall or recall simulation: which is better?

A mock recall is ideal to test a company’s internal procedures and ensure it can handle the basic logistics for a recall. A recall simulation is better for companies that want to test their overall recall strategy, including how they communicate with external parties and deal with more real-world complexities such as media relations and regulatory compliance. Some key differences are listed below.

Key differences
Aspect	Mock Recall	Recall Simulation
Recall plan	A plan is not needed but can be referred to. Often an internal SOP is followed.	A plan is the playbook for the company response and therefore strongly recommended
Duration	Typically one or more hours	One to two days
Complexity	Less complex, controlled environment	More complex, simulates external factors
Purpose	Tests the product traceability process and satisfies customers (buyers) who require it	Determines a company’s state of recall readiness
Participants	Typically food safety/quality assurance, production, shipping, receiving and others involved in a product trace	All designated recall team members, plus, receptionists, HR, IT, sales/purchasing reps, marketing staff, and more depending on the scenario
Realism	Less realistic, typically includes actual product at the distribution level, product identifier is known	More realistic, includes actual product at the consumer distribution level, product identifiers may not be known
Focus	Primarily on logistics and internal efficiency	Focus on end-to-end recall process
Communication	Typically one way, e.g. the company may draft a press release without stakeholders asking questions about it	Two-way communications with numerous simulated stakeholders is required

I have conducted dozens of “recall simulations” and helped even more companies manage recalls, and what I know is this: both mock recalls and recall simulations are valuable tools, but only a recall simulation will give a company any inkling into how it will respond during an actual recall and how to improve. Just ask someone at a company who has gone through one.