RISK-TAKING BENEFITS. One aspect that attracts Wegmans to LiDestri Foods is the co-packer's willingness to work outside of its c
Cost and quality assurance always are major considerations in selecting a contract packager. Mike DeCory, vice president of Wegmans brands, cites two additional reasons the retailer has been using LiDestri Foods’ contract manufacturing and packaging services for more than a decade.
1. Geographic proximity. LiDestri’s corporate offices and a major production facility are in Fairport, NY, close to Wegmans’ offices in Rochester and its distribution centers.
2. The co-packer’s willingness to take risks. DeCory cites the retailer’s Jammin’ Organic Fruit Spread as one example. “They weren’t in that business,” he says. “We asked them to try it, and now they are in that business. They showed a willingness to invest upfront.”
