Golden State Foods History

Value-based Beginnings

Golden State Foods was founded in 1947 in the Los Angeles area where it was a small meat company providing products to area restaurants and hotels. But when it teamed up with the fledgling McDonald's Corp. in the 1950s, it was on the way to becoming a major player in the food processing and distribution industries.

Since 1967, when Golden State Foods became a primary supplier to McDonald's, the company has grown into a diversified $2 billion corporation. Founded on relationships that relied on a handshake and a vision, it has never lost track of those core values: exceptional quality, high standards, and outstanding customer service.

An Industry Leader in Innovation, Food Processing and Distribution

As GSF has grown, it has capitalized on a commitment to innovation to become a leader in food processing and distribution. Each year, GSF develops more than 200 new products for its customer base.

The company developed the Big Mac™ sauce for McDonald's in the late 1960s—a move that propelled it into a liquid products sector that creates and packages a variety of condiments, syrups, toppings, sauces, dressings and more. GSF pioneered the one-stop-shopping concept that forms the basis for McDonald's highly touted distribution system. It has set standards of excellence in food safety through Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) programs that address such things as weight controls, cooking time and temperature and other quality and safety standards. Further, GSF helped launch McDonald's in the international market, which currently spans more than 120 countries.

GSF's Family of Companies

Recently, Golden State Foods has risen to the next level by developing products for new clients while still providing the highest level of service to existing customers. In 2000, the company launched a new division, Chef Gold, to leverage its efficiencies and produce liquid products and cooked beef products for a variety of new customers. That same year, GSF formed Centralized Leasing Company (CLC), a subsidiary that provides leasing services to GSF. In 2002, the company expanded its one-stop-shopping concept by forming Signature Services, which offers customized services such as store painting, lot striping, power washing and landscaping to its one-stop-shopping services. GSF has teamed with The Arthur Wells Group in St. Louis to form CFM Logistics to help clients more efficiently manage their freight distribution needs. Likewise, GSF established Strategic Sourcing Alliance (SSA) to help customers better manage their purchasing and supply chain needs nationwide.

Through a joint venture with Salinas, Calif.-based Taylor Fresh Foods Inc., GSF is also the largest U.S. produce supplier for McDonald's. Taylor Fresh is one of the largest fresh produce processing companies in the U.S., with processing plants in California, Arizona, Florida, Texas, Pennsylvania and Tennessee. Taylor Fresh employs an integrated production system that begins with seed selection and ends with the delivery of finished products. Through a joint venture with Bryan, Tex.-based Mid South Bakery, GSF also provides bakery goods to selected customers in the Southeast.

Setting the Standard of Quality Excellence

Throughout GSF's history, each new development has been achieved with an eye on maintaining the company credo of exceptional quality and standards and stellar customer service. Their efforts to maintain the highest quality and service standards have resulted in accomplishments that include:

• Streamlining distribution by establishing computer systems to track restaurant inventory and automate ordering for participating restaurants.
  
• Utilizing their research and development teams to formulate and produce sandwich sauces for McDonald's and other global chains.
  
• Creating computer-aided routing, on-board computers, variable deliveries and other customized options to meet a variety of customer needs.
  
• Setting quality standards in food safety through HACCP programs.
  
• Meeting exacting international food quality and labeling standards in 52 countries on 4 different continents.
  
• Supporting emerging markets by creating customized production and packaging programs without major start-up costs.
  
• Establishing computer-controlled processing to help ensure efficiency and quality throughout production.

GSF Today: McDonald's and More

Today, Golden State Foods is one of the largest full-line service provider to McDonald's, its largest supplier of liquid products, its second largest distributor and its third largest beef supplier in the U.S. Recently, the GSF meat division was recognized with McDonald's top award-a Partners in Innovation and Cost-Reduction award-for its efforts.

GSF has also been recognized for its efforts with numerous industry awards, including multiple McDonald's global standards awards. Its Australian group-which supplies produce to KFC, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut and Milford, Conn.-based Subway Restaurants in that country-was named Australia Supplier of the Year two years in a row by KFC's parent company, Yum! Brands of Louisville, Ky. Likewise, the Egypt group-which provides processing and distribution services to the Middle East, earned the same honor from Yum! Brands for outstanding service.

Continued Industry Leadership

Golden State Foods demonstrates its industry leadership through membership in the International Foodservice Manufacturers Association, the Institute of Food Technology, the Association of Dressings and Sauces and the University of Georgia Center for Food Safety. Its food technologists make presentations on product quality, processing technique and ingredient quality to customers worldwide.

Historically and currently, GSF is continually recognized for its exceptional quality, service and food safety standards of performance within the foodservice industry. As the company continues to leverage its expertise, longevity and leadership, GSF will continue to benefit many customers worldwide while maintaining its dedicated service to its established customer base.