IRVINE, Calif. — Golden State Foods (GSF), one of the largest diversified suppliers to the foodservice and retail industries, is pleased to announce its selection as a 2024 US Best Managed Company. Now in its fifth year, the award, sponsored by Deloitte* Private and The Wall Street Journal, recognizes the achievements of U.S. private companies and the successes of their management teams.
“From our warehouse floors, fleet on the road and manufacturing sites, to our innovation centers and corporate offices, the people who manage our operations and support services at every level throughout the GSF family of companies have earned our sincere gratitude and hearty congratulations for this first-ever US Best Managed Companies distinction for Golden State Foods,” said GSF President and CEO Brian Dick. “Aligned as one team around our people-first culture, purposeful goals, and continued aspirations of mutual success with our customers, it’s an exciting time to be a valued associate at GSF!”
The US Best Managed Company recognition places GSF among an esteemed cohort of just 62 U.S. honorees to earn this eminent designation in 2024. Consistent with the company’s strategic pillars and steadfast culture, the notable management strengths that contributed to GSF’s designation include: earning successful results in its annual associate experience survey; maintaining the highest standards of product quality, safety, and regulatory compliance; advancing its social responsibility initiatives as a better steward of resources; delivering on its targeted financial performance; and achieving growth with customers and new facilities.
Among the examples demonstrating GSF’s exceptional management skills and practices, some key highlights from its US Best Managed Company application include:
- Training, development, recognition, and succession-planning programs that guide career advancement, talent retention, and business continuity throughout the organization;
- Corporate citizenship that meaningfully engages associates, customers and communities as partners in caring for their shared responsibilities to people and the planet;
- Industry-leading standards of safety, quality, compliance, and service that instill trust with customers and gain the confidence of all foodservice supply chain stakeholders;
- Sustainability goal-setting, initiative implementation, and progress reporting with priority areas of water, waste, and climate currently targeted; and
- Strategic planning driven by enterprise-wide collaboration, effective communication, and data-driven measurement, supported by a continuous improvement culture of innovation.
“Building on a 77-year legacy of successful, values-based leadership, the GSF management team believes in investing in people, innovating forward, and positively impacting the communities where we live and work,” added Dick. “Today, we thank Deloitte for this gracious designation and celebrate this prestigious recognition of our inspirational management team and their dedication to leading our talented associates, who will develop into our company’s future leaders. Congratulations to every associate, including our frontline, supervisors, managers, and senior leaders, on this recognition!”
US Best Managed Companies is part of a global Deloitte Private program. Honorees are selected by an external panel of judges who evaluate applicants based on strategy, ability to execute, culture, and governance and financial performance. They join an ecosystem of organizations from more than 44 countries.
About the Best Managed Companies Program
The Best Managed Companies program is a mark of excellence for private companies. U.S. designees have revenues of at least $250 million. Thousands of private companies around the world have competed for this designation in their respective countries through a rigorous and independent process that evaluates four key criteria in their management skills and practices — strategy, execution, culture, and governance/financials. For more information, visit www.usbestmanagedcompanies.com.
About Golden State Foods
Golden State Foods (GSF), one of the largest diversified suppliers to the foodservice and retail industries, feeds one billion people every day! Headquartered in Irvine, California, the multi-national company is values-based with proven performance in superior quality, innovation, and customer service. Established in 1947, GSF and its family of companies currently service 200+ leading brands (125,000+ restaurants/stores in more than 50 countries) from its 50 worldwide locations. Its core businesses include: manufacturing of liquid products, protein, produce, dairy/aseptic, and provides custom distribution services. The company employs approximately 6,000 associates and is management-owned and run. Golden State Foods also operates a national non-profit organization, the GSF Foundation.
