Giovanni Foods invests to take 'food forward' approach to next level

The future of food manufacturing is infused with new technologies and a broad range of certifications necessary to meet customer demands. For Syracuse, N.Y.-based Giovanni Foods, this reality presented an opportunity to elevate its business. The 30-year old private label manufacturer/co-packer said it invested in people and processes to secure the next generation, leading to more than $20 million in growth over the last 18 months.

To embrace the new model of food manufacturing, the company began investments in 2014 and said it is now ready to take its “food forward” approach to the next level. 

Organizational investments include:

• The introduction of flexible packaging such as pouch packaging and PET bottling to help realize cost savings through efficiencies and bring innovation to the shelves.
• The highest certifications in the industry, including QAI certification to manufacture organic products and SQF Level 2 certification (ongoing) in recognition of food safety programs.
• Certifications in the places that matter most to both consumers and customers, including organic, Non-GMO Project Verified, gluten-free and kosher.
• An on-staff culinary team to customize and develop recipes and formulations for customers to help meet needs or capture opportunity around current trends.

“Historically, we’ve been successful by making good products, delivering on time and competing on price,” said Lou DeMent, CEO of Giovanni Foods. “'Food forward' is about providing forward-thinking solutions to solve product challenges of all types.”

DeMent was appointed CEO in 2009 and is the third generation of leadership at Giovanni Foods, named after his great grandfather John DeMent. The DeMent family has been making pasta sauce for more than 80 years and specializes in hot- and cold-filled products such as sauces, marinades, juices and vinegars.

“We’ve assembled an amazing team of people to bring our facility into the next century, and now we’re ready to expand on our vision,” DeMent said. “We take pride in this and the economic impact that Giovanni Foods has made in our hometown of Syracuse.”