Progressive Produce Hires Director Of Food Safety
September 9, 2016 | 2 min to read
Los Angeles, CA – Progressive Produce LLC announced today the hiring of CHRIS POLITO as Director of Food Safety and Regulatory Compliance, effective August 29.
“With the evolving focus on Food Safety and corresponding regulation, its importance to our customers, the consumer, and ultimately to the success of our great company, we felt it was time to up our game at Progressive”, stated Jim Leimkuhler, Progressive President & CEO. “Hiring Chris is part of our commitment to stay ahead of the curve by increasing our commitment to Food Safety. The growth of our Company in recent years has dictated that we need to broaden our knowledge in this critical area. Chris will help us get better in an area that we have done well, but the complexity of FSMA and the regulations our government is placing on our industry requires us take this significant step. We are really glad Chris is here,” added Leimkuhler.
Chris comes to Progressive with an impressive history in the food industry, as owner/founder of Food Safety Innovative Solutions, preceded by Taco Bell, Einstein Noah Restaurant Group, Qdoba Mexican Grill, and Boston Market. He has certifications in FSMA, preventive controls and HAACP, and is certified as SQF Practitioner.
After a degree in Public Health at Northern Arizona University, Chris established himself as a committed player in the food safety and quality assurance arenas. He will be a valuable asset to Progressive moving forward as the Company strives to be a leadership produce company in this key area.
Besides food safety, quality assurance and regulatory compliance, Polito’s background in crisis and recall management, nutrition, allergens, and experience in HAACP, GMP, GAP, and various GFSI schemes will be welcomed knowledge at Progressive.
Progressive, founded in 1967, is a grower, packer, shipper with its main office located in Los Angeles, CA. It specializes in asparagus, potatoes, onions, citrus, wet veg, fresh herbs and a line of Hispanic vegetables.
Source: Progressive Produce LLC