LISLE, ILLINOIS – QCS Purchasing Cooperative proudly announces that Umpqua Dairy, a Shehadey Family Foods Brand, has achieved an unprecedented sweep in the 2024 QCS Dairy Quality Excellence (DQE) Program. Umpqua Dairy, located in Roseburg, Oregon, excelled in all three categories—Fluid Milk, Cultured Products, and Ice Cream—marking a first in recent history for QCS programs.
The QCS Dairy Quality Excellence Awards are highly esteemed in the industry, recognizing superior performance in product quality. Umpqua Dairy’s outstanding results in all three categories show their unwavering commitment to excellence.
In addition to these top honors, Umpqua Dairy was also awarded three Merit Awards, including the only Merit Award granted in the 2023-24 cycle for the Ice Cream category. These significant accomplishments have positioned Umpqua Dairy as a finalist for the prestigious Irving B. Weber Award for Total Quality Excellence. This award recognizes quality and celebrates overall operational performance, including plant safety and best practices.
Ken Klug, President and CEO of QCS Purchasing Cooperative, commended Umpqua Dairy on this exceptional achievement, stating, “We are pleased to see Umpqua Dairy’s hard work and dedication recognized in such a significant way. Their commitment to quality across all categories is remarkable and sets a new benchmark in our industry. We congratulate the entire Umpqua Dairy team for their extraordinary performance and look forward to celebrating their continued success.”
Marty Weaver, General Manager of Umpqua Dairy, also expressed pride in his team’s accomplishments: “Our entire team is incredibly excited about these honors. They have done an amazing job remaining laser-focused on continuous improvement, quality, and food and team member safety. I am immensely proud of the hard work and dedication that led to these achievements. Winning across all categories is a testament to the relentless pursuit of quality that defines Umpqua Dairy. We look forward to celebrating this success with our entire staff and continuing to deliver the highest quality dairy products to our customers.”
The Dairy Quality Excellence Award winners will be celebrated with an all-employee party at their location. They are also finalists in the competition for the Weber Award, which is presented at the QCS Annual Conference and Gala on Tuesday, October 22nd, at the Hilton Denver City Center in Denver, Colorado.
About QCS Purchasing Cooperative
QCS Purchasing Cooperative is a buying group owned and managed by its members that caters to food and beverage production companies. As the most significant purchasing cooperative of its kind, it combines everyday supply purchases to achieve more competitive pricing. Our strategic sourcing specialists offer deep category expertise, tackling complex sourcing challenges and providing valuable market intelligence. With over 200 national supplier partners, QCS offers solutions in packaging, ingredients, fleet and logistics, plant operations and supplies, and many value-added services. For more about QCS Purchasing Cooperative, please visit our website.
