- To say Steviva Ingredients has
grown since its inception in
Thom King's garage in 1999 is
an understatement.
With annual sales in excess of $10
million and a staff of 14
employees, the
local clean-label sweetening solutions
supplier shows no sign
of slowing down.
Just this month, the
Portland-based company recently
earned its Safe Quality Food (SQF) Level 2 certification at its new
headquarters to the historic Guilds Lakes area in Portland.
Administered by the Food Marketing Institute and recognized by the Global Food
Safety Initiative, SQF is a rigorous food-safety management system that focuses
on the verification and validation of stringent food-safety and quality systems
throughout the food supply chain.
"Ensuring the highest possible standards for quality control and food safety drives
everything we do," said Yishu Hou, quality and document control specialist at
Steviva Ingredients. "This certification reinforces that commitment to our
customers as a reliable, quality supply-chain partner."
New Headquarters:
At 26,500 square feet, Steviva's new headquarters building is four times as
large as its previous location, which the company occupied for just three
years before outgrowing. In addition to an expansive production facility and
warehouse, the company has installed employee-centric amenities, including a
yoga studio, archery range, rock-climbing wall and organic garden. Employees
are encouraged to participate in the complimentary classes offered weekly by
a local certified yoga instructor in its studio, build their archery skills or strength
at the rock-climbing wall before and after work, during breaks, at lunchtime
and during team-building sessions.
Portland native Ian Wilson, founder of Portland Edible Gardens has installed a
six-bay, raised-bed garden on the company property and is guiding employees
in the planting, caring and harvesting of plants, which include tomatoes, carrots,
beets, peppers, lettuces of all kinds, green beans, squash, basil, cucumber and stevia.
"Working with Steviva's employees in the garden has been a total joy for me,"
said Wilson. "It is clear that they are truly invested in the success of this garden
and I can't help but believe that they feel the same way about the work they do
every day for Steviva. What started as a place for learning and fun has grown
into a powerful and important piece of a thriving business."
"Our goal is to create the type of environment where people can say, 'I GET to
go to work' instead of, 'I have to go to work,' " said Thom King, founder,
president and CEO of Steviva Ingredients. "These kinds of community-building
wellness activities allow our employees to recharge and help grow skill sets that
build a sense of well-being and overarching success."
Future plans include the build out of a test kitchen at its headquarters facility.
Steviva is in the process of procuring equipment to enable packing and
co-packing in single-serve liquid sachets and powder packets, as well as
a bottle-filling line and bag fillers for co-packing. The company is also in the
process of building regional distribution centers in the Midwest and East coast.
About Safe Quality Food (SQF) program :
The Safe Quality Food (SQF) program, a division of the Food Marketing Institute
(FMI), is recognized by retailers and food service providers around the world
as a rigorous, credible food safety management system. It is the only major system
recognized by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) that offers third-party
accredited certification for primary production, food manufacturing, distribution and
agent/broker management. http://www.sqfi.com/about-sqf/
About Steviva Ingredients:
Steviva Ingredients Inc. is a global ingredient supplier with a focus on all-natural,
high-intensity sweeteners and custom sweetening solutions for manufacturers.
Steviva Ingredients sweeteners and bulk ingredients are GMO-free, soy-free,
corn-free and allergen-free. More information is available at: www.stevivaingredients.com.
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