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WA Updates Food Code/Health Inspections: Making such a mess "go away" isn't enough, you have to have a plan that accounts for the various surfaces of your operation, the right tools, proper protection for your staff, a disinfectant that kills norovirus, and (ideally) a kit at the ready.Listen to DOH's Susan Shelton & Harbor's Andy Cook discuss the practical application of your plan. ALL the details from WA's Department of Health: https://bit.ly/3DdZNl5 https://vimeo.com/704599502

WA Updates Food Code/Health Inspections: DOH's Susan Shelton and Harbor's Andy Cook discuss the symptoms that employees now MUST report to management, the responsibility of management, how thoroughly this change in policy needs to be communicated, as well as tips and tricks to ensure compliance. ALL the details from WA's Department of Health: https://bit.ly/3DdZNl5 https://vimeo.com/704599356

WA Updates Food Code/Health Inspections: After a 1 year education period, EVERY foodservice establishment in WA State will be required to have a Certified Food Protection Manager to oversee, coordinate, and ensure food safety compliance and comprehension.Susan and Andy discuss what everyone should know about this new rule including where and how to obtain certification as well as how many of these certified people are needed in an operation (HINT: as little as 1)Helpful Links:Specific info on Certified Food Protection Manager with list of approved providers: http://ow.ly/ZnEN50IuboE ALL the details from WA's Department of Health: http://ow.ly/Nz0C50IuboF https://vimeo.com/704597391

NEW FOOD CODE CHANGES IN EFFECT MARCH 2022 Harbor's Andy Cook speaks with DOH's Susan Shelton about new rules around Date Marking for ready to eat foods: Now referred to as Time/Temperature Control for Safety (TCS) Andy & Susan discuss when the date tracking begins, how to manage the procedure, what future health inspectors will be looking for, and why this is important. https://vimeo.com/704596756

How did your internship experience at Harbor prepare you for your professional career? The internship experience helped me learn the importance of building an effective report that everyone can understand. I learned that it’s not about how much data you have, but rather it’s about how can you make the data accessible to everyone. Having numbers is a great tool to have but unless you are able to break it down for others to use then it will not be useful. In my current role I am always building and maintaining reports that are used across multiple departments. Each time I build a new report I always pull from my past experiences as an intern. What was the most important thing you learned from your time interning? The most valuable thing I learned was how each department fits within the operation. The internship program allowed me to meet with many people in different roles in the business. I spoke and learned from people in just about every department. Understanding how every department worked helped me see the entire picture of the operation. What roles have you held at Harbor? Order Selector pick mods for two summersOperations InternQuality Assurance CoordinatorQuality Assurance and Safety Coordinator (Same position as above, but just added workplace safety to my role) What is the most important piece of advice for having a successful career at Harbor? The most important piece of advice that I can give someone would be to never be afraid of making a mistake. Harbor is a great working environment that will allow you to used missed opportunities as a chance to grow and learn in your career.

How did your internship experience at Harbor prepare you for your professional career? My internship at Harbor allowed me to have a hands-on experience applying the knowledge from both what I had learned in school, along with new knowledge I gained during the internship. Collaborating with different departments gave me the chance to ask questions and learn about different roles and responsibilities within the company. An important component of an internship is to learn from others around you and everyone at Harbor is willing to put their current "to do's" down to talk or let you shadow them if you are interested. Harbor puts you in a position to grow both your hard and soft skills through different day-to-day tasks, projects, and activities that will help build a foundation for your career. What was the most important thing you learned from your time interning? I was able to increase my comprehension of the supply chain and get a more in-depth understanding of all the components. Throughout my internship, I learned how vital each role is to get the right product to the customer at the right place, the right price, the right time, and the right quantity. What roles you've held at Harbor? Procurement InternReplenishment BuyerItem and Pricing SpecialistLogistics Manager What is the most important piece of advice for having a successful career at Harbor? Always be willing to take on a challenge. Many opportunities will arise as Harbor continues to grow that will allow you to improve not only yourself but the company as well. Do not be afraid to take something on that is asked of you even if you don't know the answer right away. Reach out to those around you to piece together a solution as there are many talented people within the Harbor family with years of industry experience.

We attribute our growth to providing quality snack products at fair prices to our consumers. Our products are distributed nationwide using a combination of our store door distribution system with direct delivery to grocery stores, a distributor network, and a vending and foodservice sales division. We also have a strong international business with sales on every continent except  Antarctica. From our humble beginnings to our position today as the leader of the pretzel industry and a major player in the snack food industry, we celebrate the efforts and innovations of our predecessors and their families and eagerly anticipate many more years of pretzel pride as we continue to be America’s favorite pretzel.

LACEY, Wash., Jan. 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Harbor Wholesale, the Northwest's top family owned, independent distributor, acquired the brand and intellectual property of the 52-year-old iconic northwest based Skippers Seafood & Chowder from Starway Restaurants, LLC.  In assuming the rights to the brand, Harbor will support the (5) remaining retail locations (licensees), online retail business and 128 quick serve restaurant locations found in convenience stores and grocers throughout the Northwest. Skippers Starway Restaurants LLC acquired the Skippers Seafood & Chowder intellectual property in 2007.  Scott Way and team began working with Harbor in 2013 when they realized Skippers would bring a delicious quick service restaurant (QSR) opportunity to store owners. Scott believes, "with their shared northwest roots and passion for customer service, quality, and value, Skippers and Harbor are the perfect fit.  Over the last 8 years Harbor has gotten to know Skippers and its customers.  Nobody is better positioned or better suited to carry the Skippers brand into the future than Harbor." When Rick Jensen, President of Harbor Wholesale, joined the team nearly two years ago, Harbor saw an opportunity for Skippers to join an already robust portfolio of Harbor owned brands.  "We are excited to be the stewards of this nostalgic brand and further develop the concept in the northwest and beyond. We see a lot of opportunity to build on the signature fish & chips and clam chowder that Skippers is known for with our team of experts, that is 100% focused on our customers' success."  The transaction will close on January 14, 2022, and transition over the following months.   About Harbor Wholesale Founded in 1923, Harbor Wholesale delivers fresh, convenient solutions for people on the go. As the largest independent 4th generation family owned distributor in the Northwest, Harbor Wholesale serves 4,500 convenience stores, independent grocers, and quick serve restaurants with a great selection of products. These include Harbor owned brands, held under the Real Fresh Brands™, such as Mountain Fresh™, Via Vita Pizza™, Split Shift®, Watertown Craft Roasted®, Mein Street®, and now Skippers®. Harbor Wholesale operates distribution centers in Lacey, WA, Portland, OR and Roseburg, OR. Harbor Wholesale is a subsidiary of Harbor Foods. For additional information, please visit us at harborwholesale.com or harborfoods.com. Harbor Wholesale is the owner of all trademarks referenced herein. Contact Taber Lee, Director of MarketingTaber.Lee@harborfoods.com(800).624.3614 ext.1363