Salada Foods Jamaica secured the inaugural Bureau of Standards Jamaica’s (BSJ) National Quality Award for customer focus in the manufacturing category.

This inaugural sectional award, sponsored by the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ), reinforces Salada’s dedication to excellence in meeting customer needs through innovation and quality-driven practices.

The award was presented during the 20th annual BSJ National Quality Awards ceremony, held at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel on January 30.

The National Quality Awards (NQA) Programme is Jamaica’s premier quality system-based recognition initiative, celebrating organisations that demonstrate outstanding performance in organisational focus, customer focus, human resource focus, process management and business results.

Tamii Brown, general manager of Salada Foods, emphasised the company’s ongoing pursuit of consumer-centred innovation, stating, “The ‘National Quality Award for Manufacturing Customer Focus’ is given to a manufacturing company that demonstrates exceptional dedication to understanding and meeting customer needs. This is exactly what we have been striving for in terms of our portfolio diversification efforts – innovations driven by consumer needs and desires.”

The rigorous evaluation process for the award included an extensive self-assessment submission and an intensive audit process conducted by independent assessors contracted by the BSJ.

For Nadine Francis, quality assurance manager, the award is a testament to Salada’s continuous commitment to excellence.

“This year’s NQAs was a remarkable one for Salada Foods. Audits are nothing new to us – they are part of our daily commitment to maintaining our Quality Management System while consistently meeting our customers’ needs. Many companies have competed for the prestigious NQA, but to be named the winner in the ‘Customer Focus’ sector for the Manufacturing Category is a tremendous honour. We extend our congratulations to all participating companies and winners. At the same time, we celebrate the outstanding efforts of the Salada Foods team. This achievement is a testament to our dedication, teamwork, and customer-first approach,” Francis expressed.

Now in its 20th year, the National Quality Awards Programme continues to underscore the importance of quality systems in enhancing productivity, competitiveness, and customer service.

Dr Velton Gooden, executive director of the BSJ, highlighted the significance of the awards in fostering a culture of quality in Jamaica and urged companies at the awards ceremony to look at the event as an opportunity to also network with other strong business developers.

“Let us continue to champion quality as a cornerstone of national development and work collaboratively to build a brighter future for all Jamaicans,” Gooden said in his welcome remarks.