FONA Wins 2016 Food Quality & Safety Award

“FONA initiated the award program as a way to recognize valued partners and their achievements,” says Barb Pugesek, FONA’s director of customer and culture excellence. “Categories include Speed & Service, Good Name & Reputation, Innovation, and Collaboration, among several others. FONA’s third-party chemistry and microbiological testing laboratory was given the Quality & Safety Vendor Partnership Award.”

Not only that, in June 2016, FONA hosted a Strategic Supplier Summit at its headquarters to communicate FONA’s needs and goals to suppliers with a new, welcoming, transparent approach, which Pugesek says is atypical in the flavor industry.

“Suppliers spent a day at FONA, where they saw presentations and had one-on-one time with FONA leaders,” Pugesek explains. “The group learned about FONA’s founding principles, as well as the company’s plans for the future. More than 60 vendors attended, with about half being raw material vendors. Other visitors included everyone from creative partners to uniform suppliers.”

Slawek believes it’s essential to build strong partnerships, whether within FONA or externally among customers. “It’s a pleasure to join customers as they create successful, safe products that consumers will love,” he elaborates. “When it comes to our people, it’s thrilling to see them use their skills and talent, and watch as they come together and grow.”

Favorite Flavor
“When people ask me what my favorite flavor is, I always joke, ‘my favorite flavors are the ones that sell,’” Slawek quips. “Truly, it’s a privilege to make a flavor selected to help power the preferences for a consumer brand. It’s so exciting for me to see FONA create safe, high quality flavors that truly fill a market need for our valued customers.”