Pointe-Claire, QC, November 26 2021

Dear LUDA Foods Partner: 

In the ongoing challenges of managing through the COVID-19 pandemic and its significant impact on our industry I believe it is important that we inform you, our valued customers of our plans to navigate through these uncertain times. Food safety at LUDA Foods has always been of paramount importance thus, our current manufacturing processes and biosecurity programs by design also work to protect our staff and food production. We will continue to adhere to these policies and will enhance them with the added measures listed below.

Our first priority is to ensure that all of our employees are safe. Our second priority is to ensure that our customers can continue to receive the products they rely on. In order to achieve this we have created 3 specific action plans to (1) protect our work environment, (2) our supply and sourcing and (3) our products.

Protecting our work environment

• All non-essential staff to work remotely 
• Daily meeting with the crisis team members to follow up on government and local developments 
• Mandate all employees who travelled to a foreign country to self-isolate for 14 days 
• Training on prevention for COVID-19 for all employees 
• Emphasizing the importance of hand washing 
• Providing masks to all production employees 
• Distributing information sheets to all employees: what is COVID-19, how to get prepared, what to do in case of symptoms 
• Monitoring good manufacturing practices through daily inspection 
• A symptoms list was distributed to all supervisors to monitor the health status of their employees on a daily basis 
• If an employee arrives to work with flu-like symptoms, he/she is requested to return home, call their local health authority and follow their instructions 
• If an employee returns to work after being symptomatic, he/she must submit their clear test results or a doctor’s note to their supervisor 
• The crisis management team keeps all employees informed about ongoing changes and new measures that are put in place 
• Enhancing our sanitation program for the entire building 
• Pre-screening of visitors and contractors via signed questionnaire, if any criteria are not met access is denied 
• Requesting a letter of guarantee from our temporary worker agency on the health status of their supplied workforce 
• Limiting congregation of employees during their breaks by staggering break periods 
• Practicing “social distancing” during any meetings that must be held in person 
• Postponing non urgent meetings and interviews or utilizing digital meeting programs 

Protecting our supply and sourcing

• Verifying supply for all ingredients 
• Identifying vendors who may have issues with supply and sourcing alternates 

Protecting our products (should there be any interruption in our current production output)

• Increasing finished goods inventory on large volume products to ensure we can meet most customer requests 
• Assessing current floor stocks and inventory and planning accordingly to meet customer demand 
• Increasing purchasing of raw materials for volume products 
• Identifying replacement products from our key list for items we cannot produce on time to meet customer demands 

It is important to note that the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has reported that there is “currently no evidence that food is a likely source or route of transmission of the virus [COVID-19].”

If you have any questions about COVID-19 or LUDA Foods management strategy please contact Customer Service at service@luda.ca.