At our Wheelhouse family of companies (South Atlantic, ProStar and Versatile), readiness is central to everything we do. Since SQF Edition 10 was released in March, our Quality Teams have been reviewing the requirements, completing gap assessments and advancing training for the transition from Edition 9. SQFI anticipates that Edition 10 audits will begin no earlier than January 2, 2027, subject to completion of the GFSI benchmarking process.

For years, our teams have adhered to the highest standards of SQF certification, a program benchmarked by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI). Our SQF systems reflect preparedness for any situation, backed by documented processes, trained team members and 24/7 operating discipline.

We are proud that across all five of our stand-alone locations, we currently operate at the Excellent level of SQF certification, one of the highest standards in food safety and quality management. All five facilities have scored a 98% or better on recent audits, including a perfect score at our Winston-Salem location for the third consecutive year — a reflection of the consistency, teamwork and accountability that define our operations.

That discipline is visible every day in scheduled cleaning and sanitation, preventive maintenance, documented checks, training and verification. There is no cramming for an SQF audit. The unannounced-audit cycle reinforces the same expectation: systems must work consistently, not only when an auditor is expected.

National Food Safety Education Month gives us a useful moment to recognize what our teams practice all year: food safety depends on people understanding not only what to do, but why it matters. Edition 10 places greater weight on foundational “Core Clauses,” including management commitment, sanitation, allergen management, food safety planning, environmental monitoring, supplier programs, corrective action and foreign-material control. That emphasis aligns with our approach — education turns standards into habits, and habits build a resilient food safety culture.