Food, beverage, and other consumer packaged goods (CPGs) manufacturers are keenly aware that food quality issues often result in costly recalls, missed sales, and lost customers. What manufacturers need to be mindful of is that the definition of high quality is not limited to the taste and texture of the product. Quality affects virtually every corner of a manufacturing company, and when the quality of processes suffers, so ultimately does the finished product—whether it’s the result of poor scheduling, labeling errors, or inadequate equipment management.

When an entire organization embraces a culture of quality and integrates that into its core competencies, a true transformation happens. The organization stops trying to prevent quality-related issues from happening, and instead focuses on building its reputation on quality. Following are several critical areas manufacturers can focus on to take a more holistic approach to quality.