Wornick Foods Achieves SQF 2000 - Level 3 Certification

CINCINNATI, Jan. 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Wornick Foods, a leading manufacturer of convenience foods and customized meal solutions, announced today that it has been awarded the SQF 2000 – Level 3 Certification by the Safe Quality Food Institute (SQFI), a globally trusted, recognized and accepted food safety and quality program. SQF 2000 – Level 3 is the most stringent and highest level certification awarded by SQFI.

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"Wornick Foods is committed to creating and maintaining the highest food safety standards in the industry," said Jon Geisler, president and CEO of Wornick Foods. "Our customers' products are the most popular brands on the grocery store shelf. Every step of our process -- from the quality of ingredients to the preparation and packaging of the end product -- has been evaluated and meets the most rigorous global certification available. Every person at Wornick Foods played an integral role in achieving certification from SQFI."

SQF 2000 – Level 3 certification goes beyond assuring food safety by incorporating a quality standard, assuring Wornick Foods' customers that the products they receive are of the highest quality and are produced, handled, prepared, processed and distributed while meeting the strictest food safety standards in the industry.

"Food safety is a national priority, especially with the Food Safety Modernization Act being signed into law earlier this month," added Geisler. "Much of what is mandated in the new law is required for certification from SQFI. Wornick Foods, through our focus on innovation and continuous improvement, is at the forefront of food safety. Achieving this certification demonstrates that, through our commitment to moving food forward, our food safety and quality systems plan is best-in-class."

Many national retailers and grocery store chains require their suppliers have SQF 2000 – Level 2 certification. Wornick Foods achieved Level 2 certification, which focuses on food safety, in May 2010 and was the first supplier of operational rations to the U.S. military to achieve SQF 2000 certification.

The foundation of the Wornick Foods' food safety and quality systems plan is based on employee engagement and leadership by a cross-functional team. For the last two years, Wornick Foods was the only military food supplier to achieve 100% compliance from the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA). Wornick Foods has a long history of working with leading safety organizations in the food service industry such as NSF International, SILIKER and the American Society for Quality (ASQ).  Wornick's Quality professionals are Certified Managers of Quality/Organizational Excellence and Quality Auditors by the ASQ.

The SQF Program was launched in 1994 and is administered by the SQF Institute, a division of the Food Marketing Institute (FMI). SQF is one of only three certification systems recognized by the Global Food Safe Initiative (GFSI), which links primary production certification to food manufacturing, distribution and agent/broker management certification.

About Wornick Foods

Wornick Foods is a leading supplier of convenience foods and military rations to institutional customers including the U.S. government and other large Consumer Product Goods companies. The company's shelf safe™ foods are co-manufactured under leading brands sold in retail and foodservice outlets throughout the United States. Wornick, based in Cincinnati, Ohio, was founded in 1979 and employs more than 500 people.

SOURCE Wornick Foods