Manufacturing team in Bergen, NY earns SQF certification by rigorous and credible food safety and quality program recognized by retailers, brand owners and food service providers world-wide
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Craft Cannery passed the Safe Quality Food (SQF) program through Safe Quality Food Institute and is officially considered “SQF certified.” This is a rigorous and credible food safety and quality program that is recognized by retailers, brand owners, and food service providers world-wide.
Recognized by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI), the SQF family of food safety and quality codes are designed to meet industry, customer, and regulatory requirements for all sectors of the food supply chain – from the farm all the way to the retail stores.
“I want nothing more than to produce safe, quality products for my customers,” said Craft Cannery owner and CEO, Paul Guglielmo. “After consulting a mentor of mine last year, she told me about this SQF program. As an entrepreneur, I understand the importance of putting systems in place to ensure the business is running smoothly. Coupling that (need for systems) with our Quality Assurance focus, I knew that the SQF program was the right decision for us. I am incredibly proud of our team for achieving this.”
The two-day audit took place this summer. Guglielmo notes this was nearly a year in-the-making for him and his seven-person team. He hired a local Quality Assurance consultant, Craig Michelson – who is also a SQF Practitioner – who guided Craft Cannery’s team on the SQF process.
Craft Cannery specializes in taking recipes from individuals, restaurants or food production brands, and adjusting it for large production. Customers range from marinara sauces to oils to hot sauces and BBQ sauces to salsas for brands across the region. It also produces teas and meal-in-a-jar for local and regional businesses. It’s the exclusive production facility for Guglielmo Sauce, Sticky Lips BBQ, Old Pueblo Grill, Coach Tony’s, Uncle Ralph’s, Red Osier and dozens of other high-profile food brands.
“The thing I am most proud of is how hard every single team member has worked towards this SQF certification,” Guglielmo added. “Endless hours – even on nights and weekends leading up to the audit – and a true team commitment towards every detail. The approval of our SQF program is a testament to this Craft Cannery team. We’ll always be committed to food safety, and we’re ready to keep working and making products our clients – and their customers – love.”
Craft Cannery – a 5,000 square-foot facility in Bergen, NY – continues to be one of only six USDA cannery manufacturing canneries in New York State. It is also certified through the Food and Drug Administration, United States Department of Agriculture, and New York State Department of Agriculture & Markets.
For more information on the SQF program, visit here. To read more about Craft Cannery, click here.
About Craft Cannery
Craft Cannery takes your recipes and creates your delicious and special products, just the way you want them. It specializes in sauces, dressings, oils, marinades, teas, soups, meat sauces, meal-in-jar (like chili and jambalaya) and more. Craft Cannery is one of 6 USDA-certified manufacturing canneries in New York State, which allows us to produce meat-based products. Craft Cannery earned the Safe Quality Food certification through Safe Quality Foods Institute in 2021.
