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FOOD AND DRINK NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2007 (con't)

FOLLOWING THE 'MOTTO'
To ensure product quality, Bridgford says Bridgford Foods' management takes daily samples of its production runs. "In addition to sampling everything ourselves each day, our [quality control] department randomly samples and tests everyting we make," he says.

Additionally, "We solicit feedback from our sales force whenever we come up with a new product or formulation and we keep close track of any and all changes that are made to our manufacturing processes," he continues. "Although, those changes are very rare and we try to avoid them. It [has] been a family motto of sorts that if you wouldn't feed the product to your own children, then it should never leave the building. We tell our DSD sales force the same thing regarding product in the field - if a case gets damaged or packaging gets damaged during transit, we'd much rather credit it out to ensure that everything at store level meets our quality standards. We guarantee every item that our salesmen and saleswomen deliver, and it [has] gotten us to where we are today."

'ON YOUR TOES'
Cole says that the company is looking at using streamlined, smaller packaging for its products. "The industry's going to demand it," he says, noting that the smaller packages will benefit the environment.

in addition to reducing reliance on both plastic and ink, "It allows us to use smaller shipping cartons, which significantly decreses our cardboard use, and allows us to pack more product to a pallet," Bridgford says, noting that this, in turn, allows the company's shipping and warehousing to be more efficient.

This also means less machine time and electricity used. "So there are benefits throughout the supply and distribution chain," he states.

These developments will help the company stay innovative in a market full of competitors, Cole says.

To stay innovative, Bridgford says the company solicits ideas from whomever it can, whether it is salespersons, buyers, deli managers or the end consumers. "We're open to ideas from anyone that will offer them, because you never know where the next best thing is going to come from," he says. "We're always testing new flavor profiles, new items and new packaging - looking for the next idea that will appeal to our customer base."

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