SafetyChain announces 2025 award winners

Digital plant management software provider SafetyChain recently announced the winners of its annual SafetyChain Awards.

The awards recognize food and beverage manufacturers who exemplify operational excellence, data-driven leadership, and a commitment to continuous improvement across seven categories.

The awards were presented Oct 21 at the 2025 SafetyChain Summit in New Orleans, Louisiana.

This year’s winners include:

• Wayne-Sanderson Farms -Team of the Year
• Jennifer Martinez of Seaboard Triumph Foods - Admin of the Year
• Upper Iowa Beef - Plant Management Champion
• Lone Star Meats - Audit of the Year
• Bakerly - Comeback Kid
• Egglife Foods - Continuous Improvement Award
• Mountaire Farms - Rookie of the Year

Additional nominees included Tyson, Rema Foods, Solina USA, Didion, Ajinomoto, Meats by Linz, Cross Point Polymers, Walt’s Wholesale Meats, Karlsburger Foods, Butterball, Smithfield, Driscoll’s of Europe, and SK Food Group - all nominated for putting quality, food safety, and operational excellence at the forefront.

Creating data-rich manufacturing environments

Now in its sixth year, the SafetyChain said its awards have become an important part of its annual Summit, spotlighting customers who use digital plant management to drive measurable impact across quality, safety, and production performance.

From mastering complex audits to transforming workflows and fostering stronger cross-functional collaboration, SafetyChain said each winner represents a different aspect of what modern manufacturing success looks like in a connected, data-rich environment.

“Every year, the SafetyChain Awards remind us that innovation happens where great people and great technology meet,” said Noah Logan, SafetyChain Chief Customer Officer at. “Our customers are proof that when you pair smart, connected software with the expertise of plant teams, you can transform how work gets done, turning compliance into confidence, and data into decisions. These winners represent the best of what’s possible when digital tools empower people to lead safer, more efficient, and more resilient operations on the plant floor.”

Wayne-Sanderson Farms transforms food safety programs

Team of the Year winner Wayne-Sanderson Farms was commended for its seamless implementation of SafetyChain technology at all of its 23 plant locations, transforming their food safety and quality programs with projected savings of more than $1 million per year.

The company is also dedicated to sustainability. In the last 12 months, it has submitted more than seven million records into the SafetyChain platform, which equates roughly to saving 800 trees or $600,000 worth of paper.

“We are honored to be recognized as SafetyChain’s Team of the Year,” said Juanfra DeVillena, Wayne-Sanderson Farms SVP of QA and food safety. “This award reflects the dedication of our teams and their commitment to using technology to make a real difference every day.

“By connecting our quality assurance and food safety data collection through SafetyChain and harnessing the power of data analytics, we have improved consistency and visibility across all locations, empowering our people to work smarter, make faster decisions, and operate more sustainably,” DeVillena added.

Annual Summit emphasized building resilient safety cultures

The 2025 SafetyChain Summit brought together more than 200 industry leaders for three days of sessions, case studies, and technology showcases focused on advancing food safety, quality, and efficiency.

“We had an incredible turnout at this year’s summit,” Logan said. “Attendees are raising the bar for continuous improvement across the industry. We heard first-hand the difference events like this make to their career development. They share and learn so much, and then take those learnings back to their companies and implement real, lasting change.”

Highlights included a keynote from Jorge Hernandez, Wendy’s VP of QA, who discussed global food safety risks and the importance of building resilient safety cultures. The event also featured over 35 expert-led sessions, 17 industry speakers, and new product announcements - including the launch of SafetyChain’s new Corrective and Preventive Action (CAPA) Management module.