SIDNEY — Freshway Foods, a subsidiary of US Foods, is a fresh fruit and vegetable processor, repacker, distributor, and logistics provider focusing on customized product and service solutions to a customer base that spans the eastern half of the United States. Customers include national and regional restaurant chains, independent restaurants, wholesale distributors, and supermarkets. Based in Sidney, Ohio, Freshway Foods sources products fresh from the field, processes them to the highest quality standards, and delivers those products to customers using their own logistics company.
Freshway Foods maintained a strong 2018 with many new and existing initiatives in place to support the company’s ongoing commitment to supplying their customers a best-in-class experience. Freshway Foods continued to invest in new technology for the Sidney plant last year.
“By using the latest in high-tech processing equipment, we are able to improve our efficiency and increase our output without sacrificing quality,” said Devon Beer, president of Freshway Foods. “This has led to new opportunities for highly skilled workers to join our team.”
Freshway Foods continued recruiting for positions in all areas of the company’s operations last year, including machine operators, tow motor operators, maintenance technicians and diesel technicians. Freshway Logistics also continued recruiting Class A CDL truck drivers, who can earn more than $78,000 annually with the company.
“Not only do we cut fresh produce here in Sidney,” said Beer, “but we also deliver it to 23 states east of the Mississippi using our own trucks. We repair and maintain our own trucks, and we offer these same services to other local truck operators.”
Beers report continues:
Freshway continued its partnership with The Workforce Partnership of Shelby County last year. We are proud to support this organization through participation in the Career Exploration Academy event, mock interviews and job shadowing. The Workforce Partnership is helping to develop the workforce of tomorrow, and we have directly benefitted from their efforts.
The company’s reward and recognition efforts continued in 2018. Service awards were given to associates who achieved five-year milestones with the company. Sammie Bolden and Dennis Terry each achieved 25 years of service with the company, and Barb Ferree achieved 20 years of service. We are proud to now have 14 associates in our 20-year club. That longevity shows that our associates love what they do here at Freshway.
The company also continued its High Five award program, which recognizes associates who go above and beyond their normal job duties to help ensure the company’s success. The program has had over 150 recipients during the three years it has been in operation, and Philip Fischbach, Bobby Hufford, Robenson Jeal Paul, Teresa Jenkins, Chris Miller and Humayu Sindhi have each received the award more than once.
The company introduced new benefits in 2018, including non-traditional benefits like identity theft insurance and pet insurance. New health and wellness programs were introduced, which included free programs for quitting smoking, losing weight, and controlling diabetes. Associates also had the opportunity to participate in a referral program by recruiting friends and family to work at Freshway.
Freshway continues looking for people to join its team of dedicated associates. The good news is that more and more people are choosing to eat fruits and vegetables in order to achieve their health and wellness goals, so our products are always in demand. We provide over one million servings of fresh, quality produce every single day.
