KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Produce consultancy FreshXperts today announced that it has named George Seifert, founder and president of Produce QA Consultants LLC, as quality assurance expert for the group.
Seifert, who has more than 26 years’ experience in produce quality inspection, will provide services to FreshXperts’ retail, wholesale/distributor, and food service clients in the areas of produce inspection, food safety, logistics, and produce ripening. Seifert is a specialist in banana ripening, with additional experience ripening pears, avocadoes, mangoes and papayas.
In addition to consulting services, Seifert will offer training seminars to FreshXperts’ clients.
“George understands produce inspection like few in the industry. He will teach our clients proper inspection techniques and advise them on issues such as damage control, food safety and traceability, and cooler stock inspection and organization, helping to ensure that their produce is not only delicious and visually appealing, but fresh and safe to eat,” said Tim Vaux, membership chairman for FreshXperts.
Prior to launching Produce QA Consultants, Seifert spent 20 years at Rochester, N.Y.-based Wegmans Food Markets, Inc., where he developed and implemented the company’s first comprehensive produce quality assurance program—a program that helped establish Wegmans as one of the country’s top produce retailers. He has also worked in produce inspection for the United States Department of Agriculture, New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, and the South Carolina Department of Agriculture.
“George is a welcome addition to the FreshXperts team, not only for his familiarity with proper inspection techniques and USDA standards, but for his commitment to good business practices and integrity in the process,” said Vaux.
“Integrity is the core value in the inspection business. Without it, you have no business,” said Seifert. “I know that FreshXperts shares that value, and I look forward to working with the FreshXperts team to help our clients achieve results in product quality, organization, customer satisfaction and their bottom lines.”
FreshXperts is a consulting consortium with nearly two centuries of combined experience in nearly every aspect of the fresh industry. The FreshXperts team of industry veterans provides expertise in marketing, supply chain visibility, packaging, business technology tools, product development, merchandising strategies, and organizational governance. More information about FreshXperts is available at www.freshxperts.com.
Source: FreshXperts
