Case Studies

Red Zoo’s Rigorous IPM Program Takes Home High Honors

Red Zoo Marketing, a distributor of premium greenhouse produce, takes the quality of their products seriously. The Ruthven, ON-based company was among the first in the industry to seek independent third-party food safety certification, and they remain one of very few produce growers to have their processes and procedures confirmed by ISO (International Organization of Standards). Red Zoo’s commitment to excellence has resulted in perfect scores on the pest control portion of their last six AIB International audits.

To help maintain such high quality standards, Red Zoo employs Orkin PCO Services’ Gold Medal Protection, a comprehensive Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program with reporting designed to meet and exceed third-party audit requirements. IPM is an environmentally friendly approach to pest management that relies on non-chemical control options like sanitation and facility maintenance to prevent pest presence. In recognition of their successful IPM partnership with Orkin PCO Services, Red Zoo Marketing was presented a 2008 Gold Medal IPM Partner Award by Orkin, The IPM Institute of North America, and NSF Cook & Thurber.

To learn more about their award-winning IPM program, we spoke with Red Zoo’s Operations Team Leader Lou Durnbeck and Food Safety ISO Coordinator Gayna Gonzalez. Here is an edited transcript of those interviews.

Why is IPM so critical to Red Zoo’s business?

Durnbeck: “Consumers want safe, wholesome foods on their tables just as we want that for our families. As marketers of fresh greenhouse vegetables, we take this responsibility very seriously. Safe food requires sound IPM practices. That’s why food safety certification agencies place a lot of weight on pest control in a facility’s overall rating. For instance, 20 percent of a facility’s total AIB score is based on IPM practices. Fortunately, due to our successful IPM partnership with Orkin PCO Services, we’ve received a superior – the highest possible rating from AIB – on our overall audit for the past six years.”

What makes Red Zoo’s IPM program so effective?

Durnbeck: “Our Pest Specialist provides us with exemplary service, products and advice. His advice has been incorporated into our operational standards, which have been recognized by AIB and ISO.”

Gonzalez: “Because we provide food for so many companies throughout the U.S. and Canada, we must maintain a high standard for food safety. This means keeping pests away from our products. IPM focuses on prevention rather than chemical remediation and our Pest Specialist takes this very seriously. For example, he makes recommendations for structural modifications at our facility, which we quickly implement so that we can keep pests out in the first place.”

How does each partner contribute to the pest management efforts at the facility?

Gonzalez: “We have a great relationship with the Orkin PCO Services team, because they always keep us informed of what we can do better. For instance, our Pest Specialist recently suggested we get an electronic documentation device, like Orkin’s PowerTrak reporting system, to improve our program. A perfect score on the pest control portion of an AIB audit is great, but there’s always room for improvement in the food industry.”

What results has your awardwinning partnership achieved?

Durnbeck: “Our scrupulous adherence to rigorous quality assurance standards assures us that we are serving our customers responsibly. With that confidence comes more freedom to concentrate on other aspects of our business. Not having to worry about pest management issues means we can spend more time exercising our creative side and developing innovative ways to add value to our business.”