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Ohio producer earns PrimusGFS certificiation

May 27, 2015, Burton, OH – Great Lakes Growers, an innovative producer of fresh and tasty hydroponic lettuce and herbs, has received PrimusGFS food safety certification.

PrimusGFS is a Global Food Safety Initiative-recognized audit scheme for the certification of produce — from growing operations to minimally processed produce, like lettuce and herbs.

And not only did Great Lakes Growers pass the PrimusGFS certification requirements, it performed well beyond standard levels to achieve safety marks of 98 per cent and 100 per cent for its greenhouse and harvest crew, respectively.

“Our high marks reflect our commitment to providing consumers with the safest, healthiest produce available,” says company co-owner Tim Ryan. “Our ability to control the internal environment in our greenhouse, along with our food safety protocol, gives our customers peace of mind knowing they’re receiving superior lettuces and herbs each and every time.”
 
It’s this obsession to provide the best lettuce and herbs available that has helped make Great Lakes Growers one of the most popular suppliers of hydroponic, fresh, clean and nutritionally packed lettuce and herbs in the Great Lakes region.

“While we’re extremely proud of our high food safety scores, it doesn’t stop there for us,” adds co-owner John Bonner. “Our goal is to deliver the safest lettuce and herbs possible to our customers, which means we’ll continue to evaluate our practices to ensure we meet our own standards of safety. And usually those standards are even higher than those required for certification. Because our hydroponic operation is all indoors, we have ultimate control over the growing climate.”

Supplying grocers, wholesale clubs and even restaurants with several varieties of what Great Lakes Growers calls “living lettuce” and “living herbs” (produce that still carries its roots for greater freshness, longevity and taste), the company prides itself in staying one step ahead.

That is why Ryan and Bonner first opened their hydroponic greenhouse in 2011, and why they continue to test their operation to ensure they’re providing produce at the peak of flavour and at the peak of safety.

Great Lakes even has an ozone water sanitation system for its greenhouse, which provides the most powerful broad-spectrum microbiological control possible – ensuring every drop of water that circulates throughout the operation is 100 per cent clean.
 
In addition, working closely with BioWorks – an industry leader in providing safe and environmentally responsible growing solutions for the horticulture industry – Great Lakes employs only organic-certified pest and disease control products approved by the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI).

And it does so in a matter that is proactive and not reactive, anticipating potential issues by overlaying past growing experiences with current greenhouse conditions. This allows Great Lakes to maintain its high quality standards in a safe, practical and economical way, all while minimizing interruption of product flow to its customers.
 
To find out more about Great Lakes Growers, and where you can stock up on your very own delicious Great Lakes Living Lettuce and Living Herbs, visit www.greatlakesgrowers.com.

For more information about Great Lakes’ safety requirements, go to www.primusgfs.org.