Three years ago, Rosangely Gonzalez left her position as Quality Control Supervisor at the Murrieta, California, facility and relocated across the country to embark on a new adventure. The big move came with her second major promotion since joining West Pak. Now, as the Food Safety & Quality Assurance Supervisor at the company’s New Jersey distribution center, Rosangely is in charge of the quality control and sanitation teams that oversee all aspects of food safety and quality for all distribution centers.
Quality & Safety First
With her current position, Rosangely is involved in both safety and quality assurance. “These two departments follow all the process protocols: Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) compliance, workplace safety, food safety, produce safety, food safety training, and quality control training. We work together with every department to complete all our objectives, sharing the same goal for a better company flow,” she said.
Pointing out that the objective of food safety is different from quality control, Rosangely clarifies that food safety is about protecting customers (West Pak’s retail, wholesale, and foodservice customers, as well as their shoppers, customers, and diners) by ensuring the fruit is handled and processed safely on its journey to plates across the country.
Quality control is about delivering the best quality fruit possible by reducing defects and improving overall quality. Rosangely added, “The quality control team works together with all departments, including supply chain, planning, and production, because at the end of the day, it’s the same goal: to provide the best product for our customers.”
A Highly Efficient Team
As a supervisor, Rosangely encourages her team to be open to change and willing to adapt strategies as needed to complete processes on time and deliver avocados to customers based on their precise specifications. Her team brings a lot of energy to their work, and Rosangely keeps them on track, moving in the right direction, and working together to complete everything on time.
“The New Jersey warehouse is smaller than the California facility, and we have fewer people, but we complete the work in the same amount of time. Here, there are only twenty people in the production area, but they complete all the goals daily.”
When asked if the team’s safety record had been as good as the production record, Rosangely confidently replied, “Yes, they follow all the processes and protocols. A few months ago, we had an organic audit. The auditors said this is the best place they have been— everything is clean and in order, and secure for the employees, visitors, and customers.”
“The same thing for the Primus audit; we got a hundred percent. The auditors gave us feedback that everything is well organized in the warehouse: the chemicals, the product, the materials, everything.”
Rosangely’s team also had a West Pak customer visit the New Jersey facility in December 2024, and they were quite impressed with the operation.
Growing Operations
West Pak has expanded its sourcing options in recent years, with more countries of origin. In addition to Mexican and Californian fruit, volume is rapidly increasing from Colombian sources, and much of it comes through the New Jersey facility. “In the last couple of months, we started receiving this season’s product from Colombia. So now we have Mexican fruit, California fruit, and Colombian fruit,” she declared, adding: “My personal goal is to go to Colombia to see the packing house there and observe their processes.”
The Importance of Culture
Moving across the country to a new state is a significant change, but Rosangely proudly took the opportunity and has acclimated well. Asked about her big move, she responded: “I like it here. It’s easier for me to visit my family in Puerto Rico because it’s only three hours from here. The weather is different from California, and the culture is different too, but I like it; it’s good.”
She added, “The majority of my team is from the Dominican Republic, but we also have people from my country, Puerto Rico, as well as Colombia, Chile, Nicaragua, and Mexico. It’s like a family here. I think it’s because we are a small team and everyone knows each other. They celebrate birthdays and Christmas together, where everyone brings food, something from their culture. They treat each other with respect and like they knew each other before West Pak.”
Growth Opportunities
To encourage her team to grow, Rosangely communicates all available opportunities and resources and supports their choices. She also identifies any development gaps and areas for improvement, and sets specific training objectives, discussing them with each team member.
“I like to grow. So, I try to get as much training as I can about my responsibilities. I love my work. I love quality control and food safety, and as a supervisor, I share my knowledge with my team because I want them to grow too,” she said.
Rosangely likens the culture at West Pak to a family, making it an excellent workplace with high employee satisfaction and support. The company invests time in training employees and addresses any issues promptly. Rosangely also points out that processes are well-organized, with employees receiving the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) materials and equipment needed to perform their jobs efficiently.
“The way I see it is when employees feel valued, supported, content, and motivated, they stay longer. West Pak motivates me and my team to go above and beyond, and they give us the opportunity to grow. They hear our opinions, take time to get to know employees, and see how they can help,” she said, adding: “West Pak has also given various women the opportunity to lead in all departments. My role is an example; I started in 2018 as a quality control inspector, and now, I’m Food Safety and Quality Assurance Supervisor. I’m proud to be a part of such a passionate team. West Pak is the avocado family, and I love being a part of it.”
