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US Foods Receives 14th Annual Food Quality & Safety Award

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Change has been the one constant in assuring food quality and safety at US Foods Inc., says Jorge Hernandez, senior vice president of food safety and quality assurance (FSQA) at the Rosemont, Ill., food and distribution company. Over the years, it has grown by acquiring a number of different companies, which in turn necessitated culling the best practices from all of them while reducing overlap.

“This is a continuous improvement process,” explains Hernandez. “It has a lot to do with the culture we established from the beginning.”

When Hernandez started the FSQA department at US Foods 10 years ago, there was no single food quality program across all the different companies.

“My first job was to integrate the program into one function that would be across all the different businesses and distribution centers,” he explains. “So from the beginning the challenge was to take the best of all of those programs and put them into one that was not only able to meet regulations, but that would have a sense of innovation with more effective processes and solutions.”

He adds, “We saw the world of safety, quality, and compliance was starting to change and speed up, and we needed a program that could adapt with those changes and make continuous improvements so it would be easier to move forward with new regulations, new findings from investigations, and new technology.”

For its corporate-wide integration and focus on quality and safety, US Foods was recently named the winner of the 14th annual Food Quality & Safety Award. The Award presentation was held during the International Association for Food Protection (IAFP) conference, Portland, Ore., on July 26.

The company has a challenging task, with 350,000 products, including 20,000 high-quality exclusive brands, distributed through 63 nationwide locations on more than 6,000 refrigerated trucks. It also has 12 beef processing facilities, four culinary equipment and supplies distribution centers and six Cash & Carry retail stores.

Despite those huge numbers, it has managed to require that all of its 1,200 private-label co-packers—as well as its own distribution centers—obtain Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) certification. It initiated a web-based complaint system that has made it easier to report, investigate, and catch problems earlier. The results: a 24 percent reduction of product foreign material complaints and an 11 percent reduction in quality complaints in 2014 compared to the previous year.

In addition, US Foods has added new technologies such as a system to control meat package leakage. The company also developed and required food safety training for every job function in its distribution centers. And, it is the first broadline distributor to use DNA testing to verify seafood species and prevent mislabeling or detect fraud.

“The need for the application of food safety science has never been greater than it is today,” Gale Prince, CFS, founder and president of SAGE Food Safety Consultants LLC of Cincinnati, Ohio, said in giving his keynote address during the Award ceremony. “You must be proactive with futuristic thinking in preventing food safety issues.”

US Foods has been a strong proponent of partnerships across the industry at GLOBALG.A.P., GFSI, the International Food Protection Institute, the Center for Produce Safety, Produce Marketing Association, Association of Food & Drug Officials, IFS, and the American National Standards Institute. The company has also been an advocate of sharing best practices among food companies throughout the country.

Accepting the Award at the July ceremony were Hernandez and his colleagues Jeff Semanchek, director, supplier food safety and quality; Frank Ferko, director of distribution-FSQA; Stephen B. Posey, manager distribution FSQA–Central/Southwest Regions; and Roberto Bellavia, director of FSQA Stock Yards National.

Past winners of the annual Food Quality & Safety Award include Backyard Farms, Hans Kissle, Mastronardi Produce, Fieldale Farms, West Liberty Foods, and Hormel Foods.

GFSI: A Central Strategy

Proper storage and appropriate rotation are critical to ensure the safety and quality of the foods in US Foods’ warehouses.

Image Credit: US Foods
Proper storage and appropriate rotation are critical to ensure the safety and quality of the foods in US Foods’ warehouses.

While US Foods has continued to upgrade its technology, staff training, key performance indicators, and other FSQA systems and procedures over the past year, Hernandez says that GFSI certification of its different businesses was central to its strategy.

“The reason is that certification provided a vehicle for us to get the food safety directive into each business unit’s leadership while instilling the discipline to measure, track, and review the food safety and quality key performance indicators on a regular basis as part of the business review,” he says. “That combination allowed us to drive food safety and food safety performance into the business.”

That being said, he emphasizes that each food safety and quality project and action is important since they each provide value to the company and its business.

Staff training is also important. Every staff member has specific food safety and quality training aspects to their job. For example, he says a delivery driver’s training focuses on time and temperature risks, as well as controls and his/her role in keeping the food safe in transit and during delivery. The same training is also taken by his/her supervisor, with the added tasks of how and when to check and document a drivers’ non-compliance.

“All these are checked by internal and third-party audits several times a year,” he says. “This allows us to embed the food safety and quality actions into the day-to-day delivery operations.” The same strategy is followed with all other positions.

Hernandez explains that while everyone who handles food at US Foods has a food safety and quality responsibility, his team is formed by 40 corporate FSQA staff with direct line responsibilities and more than 300 associates in the distribution centers who have FSQA functions embedded in their jobs with dotted line responsibilities. For example, every distribution center has several recall coordinators, a couple of produce inspectors, and a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) coordinator.

“So there are a number of different folks who do those things in a distribution center, but who do not report directly to FSQA,” Hernandez says. All corporate workers are HACCP-certified, as are two to three staffers at each distribution center.

“HACCP is one of our basic building blocks. It’s expensive and time-consuming, but it goes to the approach you take on how you embed food safety within the business,” he says. “When you make food safety and quality a requirement of the business, it’s just another thing that you have to do. But when you make it a value to the business, it becomes a lot easier to explain the disruptions, changes, and expenses you’re making to the business.”

Most of the company’s distribution centers have state-of-the-art kitchens used by US Foods Fanatic Chefs not only to work with their local customers in the latest culinary techniques, but also to teach proper “hands on” food safety practices that can be used in restaurants.

Image Credit: US Foods
Most of the company’s distribution centers have state-of-the-art kitchens used by US Foods Fanatic Chefs not only to work with their local customers in the latest culinary techniques, but also to teach proper “hands on” food safety practices that can be used in restaurants.

He adds, “From the beginning, we’ve been able to provide information on how that investment pays back the business. When we’re able to win more customers because we have better documentation than others with more certifications, and you make that more well known, it becomes a value rather than a cost.”

US Foods has also invested in a number of new technologies aimed at improving the quality of its food products. Its online complaint system streamlines the complaint process, making it easier to catch and solve problems earlier.

Technology improvements extend to other parts of the company. For example, Stock Yards Chicago implemented a leaker reduction program earlier this year that involves both meat film wrappers and technologies to reduce leakage rates by about 1 percent so far this year. And its Las Vegas Stock Yard conducted a Lean Six Sigma project to reduce waste from the Roll Stock packaging line. One form of waste was leakers created by bone-in products that pierced the Cryovac film. The company added a bone guard to the product to remedy the situation, which the company says saves it $72,464 annually.

“From the beginning we developed a program that met the most stringent food quality and safety compliance,” Hernandez says. “As we looked at new findings from the industry and new technology, we tried to obtain it year to year rather than waiting for the regulators to react. When it comes to regulations there’s been a lot of changes but we, for the most part, have been ahead of them, whether it’s an approach to product sourcing or stronger management systems.”

Keeping Score

The company also is using a scorecard-tracking system to document, track, and trend its facilities’ food safety and quality key performance indicators. The same program provides customized charts for each of US Foods’ private-label suppliers and compares their scores against “best in class” and “worst in class” in their specific food category.

“This type of communication has made an impact and improved the suppliers’ performance significantly,” comments Hernandez, in some cases as much as 20 to 30 percent over previous period scores.

US Foods also has a customer education blog on food safety and quality topics to help customers learn about better, safer food handling and get the most from their food delivery. Recent topics include how to read code dates, improve food rotation in storage, maximize shelf life, and the best and safest food temperatures.

In addition, US Foods has developed a Supplier Expectations Manual (SEM) outlining its food safety, quality, packaging, and regulatory compliance requirements for all private-label products and for all facilities producing US Foods-branded products.

The US Foods team members at Award ceremony, from left to right, Jeff Semanchek, director, supplier food safety and ­quality; Frank Ferko, director, distribution-FSQA; Jorge Hernandez, SVP FSQA; Stephen B. Posey, manager distribution FSQA – Central/Southwest Regions; and Roberto Bellavia, director, FSQA Stock Yards National.

Image Credit: Chris Ryan Photography
The US Foods team members at Award ceremony, from left to right, Jeff Semanchek, director, supplier food safety and ­quality; Frank Ferko, director, distribution-FSQA; Jorge Hernandez, SVP FSQA; Stephen B. Posey, manager distribution FSQA – Central/Southwest Regions; and Roberto Bellavia, director, FSQA Stock Yards National.

“This is a living document and is reviewed regularly and updated as often as necessary to focus on the criteria that are important from a regulatory or food safety and quality perspective,” says Hernandez. Revisions and updates occur every two to three years to reflect emerging risks, changing regulations, and suppliers’ performance.

“The SEM is an important document in the training of all FSQA staff and contains general requirements for all commodities and category-specific expectations,” he adds. “The manual is provided to all prospective vendors and they are bound, by contract, to comply with it.” He says his staff or its representatives conduct regular onsite audits of facilities to verify SEM compliance.

Staying Nimble

This past summer, US Foods had to rethink how it will move forward in the wake of a failed takeover bid by rival distributor Sysco Corp., which terminated the potential merger in June after a U.S. District Court judge granted a Federal Trade Commission (FTC) request for a preliminary injunction. The reason: it feared the combination of the country’s two largest food service distributors would increase prices at food establishments nationwide and significantly reduce competition in the industry.

Hernandez explains that before the deal fell through, US Foods and Sysco were preparing for the merger for 18 months by putting together a “Best of Both” FSQA program.

“While we were disappointed by the FTC ruling, our goal at US Foods has always been to serve our customers by never forgetting what we’re about: delivering great, safe, quality food, cultivating talented food people, and making it easy for them to work with us. This internal belief now makes it easier to go back with renewed focus and unwavering dedication to take the company to the next level,” he says.

In relaunching as a single company, US Foods will focus on accelerating the progress it has already made, says Hernandez, with innovation, a long-time company strength, at the center of its relaunch strategy, entitled “Just Taking Off.”

The company states that it is in a strong financial position and is well-prepared for growth. Over the last 18 months, it invested millions of dollars into new technology and fleet and building improvements, including the construction of new LEED-certified facilities that service the Boston, Mass. and Jackson, Miss. markets.

“Our customers can expect to see more of the innovative and exclusive food items that empower them to explore on-trend dishes and freshen up menus,” comments Hernandez. “New technology enhancements and intuitive business solutions will increase their business success and make working with US Foods even easier. The company will continue to revolutionize the way the industry experiences food and business consultation with its Food Fanatics program.”

He adds that food safety is part of the campaign, making sure US Foods has the best-in-class programs that ensure the safety and quality of the foods it delivers.

According to Hernandez, “That makes it easier for our customers…so they don’t have to take that worry into their business.”


Valigra is a writer based in Harrison, Maine. Reach her at lvaligra@gmail.com.

The post US Foods Receives 14th Annual Food Quality & Safety Award appeared first on Food Quality & Safety.


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