One of our three core focus areas remains SAFE FOOD. We believe safe people in safe facilities produce safe food. We work to prevent cross-contamination, foodborne illness, and other risks to public health through practices like:
- Strong cleaning and sanitization procedures
- Active quality assurance
- A shared commitment to safety
Together, we protect our team, our consumers, and our company’s reputation.
Food Safety vs. Food Defense: Protecting the Public, our Team, and the Company
Food safety and food defense are two important parts of maintaining the cleanliness and safety of a food manufacturing facility. While they both protect the quality and safety of food, they address different threats:
- Food Safety prevents unintentional contamination caused by improper hygiene, handling, or storage.
- Food Defense protects against intentional acts of harm — purposeful contamination meant to damage consumer health, disrupt operations, or harm a company’s reputation.
A strong food safety and defense program is critical to protecting people and Wald Family Foods.
Food Safety: Preventing Mistakes
We put food safety protocols in place to minimize unintentional contamination at every stage of production. From the sourcing of raw ingredients to the final packaging of finished products, food safety protocols help prevent foodborne illnesses and ensure compliance with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) and industry regulations.
Key food safety protocols we follow are:
- Adhere to strict sanitation and hygiene practices
- Maintain proper temperature control during storage and transport
- Conduct regular inspections and corrective action reviews
Food safety is about more than compliance — it’s about building habits that protect the quality and trust consumers expect from each product we make.
Food Defense: Preventing Intentional Harm
Food defense protects against intentional actions that are taken to contaminate or compromise products. In a world of cybersecurity threats and deliberate attempts to cause harm, effective food defense planning is a must.
Top defense measures include:
- Controlled access to sensitive production and storage areas
- Employee training on identifying and reporting suspicious activity
- Security systems, surveillance, and access logs to track movement throughout facilities
Food defense isn’t just about putting physical restrictions in place. It’s about paying attention, staying alert, and practicing accountability across the entire workforce. We might limit access to chemical storage rooms, loading docks, or ingredient preparation areas to help reduce vulnerabilities, but the most important defense we all have is our own awareness.
Restricted Access: Making Food Defense Stronger
Security measures like restricted access make it more difficult for someone to contaminate products or tamper with equipment or operations. To help prevent unauthorized people from getting into restricted areas, we follow these guidelines:
- Only designated employees should access zones where food is processed or stored.
- Entry points, such as ingredient storage and packaging areas, should remain secure and monitored.
- Access control systems and visitor sign-ins help track movement within the plant.
When we follow security measures and stay aware of our surroundings, we all help to protect the integrity of the food supply and the safety of every employee.
The Effects of a Breach
It only takes a single breach in food defense to have devastating effects:
- Illness or injury to consumers
- Costly recalls, lawsuits, and regulatory shutdowns
- Lasting damage to the company's reputation and trust
- Loss of jobs or facility closures
Beyond the effects internally, a breach often causes the public to lose confidence in a brand — and rebuilding it can take years. That’s why protecting our food supply isn’t just a regulatory requirement. It’s a responsibility we share as a team.
We Share Responsibility for a Safer Future
Food safety and food defense are both crucial to maintaining a strong and adaptable food system. Food safety protects against mistakes. Food defense protects against ill will. Together, they protect our products, facilities, and people.
We continue to strengthen our SAFE FOOD commitment this year and every year after. Every action we take — from handwashing to access control — is part of protecting what matters most: our team, our consumers, and our future.