IW 50 Best – Growing The Flowers Way

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it," the old adage goes. Flowers Foods Inc., which debuted on the IndustryWeek 50 Best Manufacturing Companies list in 2010, is a classic example of that adage in action.

The Thomasville, Ga.-based producer of packaged bakery goods, which serves retail and foodservice customers in the Southeast, Southwest and mid-Atlantic regions of the United States, has become a model of consistency by staying true to its core business principles: driving sales and profitability through innovation, acquisitions, strong brands and operational efficiency.

"Our operating strategies are right and our business model is sound," declared Chairman and CEO George Deese and President Allen Shiver in the company's 2009 annual report. "Flowers Foods has staying power because we have invested in bakeries, products, brands, technology, distribution systems and our team."

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