Panel: What Does the Future of Food Quality and Safety Look Like?

  • Understanding and incorporating evolving consumer expectations into our long-term thinking
  • Moving from reactive to proactive strategies in our approach to Risk Management
  • Surveying and charting a course through the changing technology landscape becoming available to us
  • Grappling with digitization of our analog processes and documentation
  • Taking the long view on the leadership tools and tactics we should embrace for the future

Kerry Bridges
VP of Food Safety
Chipotle Mexican Grill

Kerry Bridges is the Vice President of Food Safety at Chipotle Mexican Grill. In this role, Kerry oversees food safety standards, quality assurance and procedures.

Kerry joined Chipotle in January of 2019 and oversees a team of individuals who are committed to enforcing Chipotle’s zero-tolerance policy and industry-leading processes, focusing on supply chain, in-restaurant practices, food prep and employee training. Food safety is more than a collection of programs and processes; it’s part of Chipotle’s culture. Food Safety is incorporated in all elements of the business, from our supply chain, restaurant design, product development, and day-to-day operations as an underlying prerequisite to operate.

Prior to joining Chipotle, Kerry oversaw supplier food safety for the world’s largest food retailer, Wal-Mart, serving over 200 million customers around the world on a weekly basis. During her time at Wal-Mart, Kerry’s food safety oversight included tens of thousands of Wal Mart’s, Neighborhood Market’s, and Sam’s Clubs food suppliers, in addition to researching and assessing new and emerging food safety issues and handling regulatory compliance. Prior to Wal-Mart, Kerry’s food safety career also included roles with TESCO and Jack in the Box, Inc.

Kerry is the past president of the International Association for the Southern California Affiliate of Food Protection (IAFP) and former board member of the Global Food Safety Initiative (GSFI). Kerry attended California Polytechnic State University, where she received a bachelor’s degree in Food Science.

Ana Fonseca
Head of Quality and Food Safety
Danone

Ana is Head of Quality & Food Safety for Danone North America, one of the top 15 food & beverages companies and the world’s largest B Corp. Ana leads the Danone North America end to end Quality & Food Safety ambition and strategy with focus in consumer trust & preference. Started with Danone in 1998 as Quality Director, in Portugal, in 2008, she moved to Danone Brazil as Quality & Regulatory Affairs Director and, in 2014, to US, as Vice  President  Quality & Food Safety  North  America for Danone Dairy  Division. Prior joining Danone, Ana held various positions related with Quality & Food Safety.

Ana holds a Degree in Pharmaceuticals Sciences, a Specialization in Quality Engineering and a Master Degree in Animal Nutrition.

Ana is passionate for continuous improvement and people development by cultivating a purpose – driven culture of quality towards a better world through the food revolution.

Cindy Jiang
Sr. Director, Global Food Safety Risk Management
McDonald’s

Cindy Jiang is a Senior Director of Global Food Safety Risk Management at the Global Supply Chain department of McDonald’s. This is a newly established function since June 2020, she leads the development of food safety risk management framework and processes to identify and mitigate food safety risk from farm to restaurants. In this role, Cindy is responsible for establishing strategy and operationalize food safety risk management by leveraging internal and external insights, technology and data analytics; and collaborating with external organizations.

Food Safety is the top priority for McDonald’s business as it serves over 65 million customers in 120 countries every day. Cindy led the global food and packaging safety function from Jan. 2017 to May 2020. Under her leadership, food safety department developed and implemented global food safety strategy; elevated food safety culture by establishing a strategy based on evidence and data; strengthened food safety practices from farm to restaurants; conducted food safety benchmarking to identify gaps and that led to a significant change in strengthening global food safety organization with addition of resources.

She has been leading the McDonald’s Food Safety Advisory Council since 2002, a forum for sharing food safety knowledge and best practices among leading suppliers and external experts. Cindy has been actively involved with industry and government collaboration on food safety. She has served on the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) Board since 2008. Cindy is currently a board member of SSAFE.

Cindy started her career with the McDonald’s Corporation after receiving a Master Degree in Food Science and Nutrition in 1990. She has held various positions within McDonald’s Corporation, from a Food Chemist to a Quality Assurance Manager, and a Director of Food Safety. Cindy has been actively engaged in leading the effort on harmonization of food safety standards by working with many leading food safety professionals from suppliers, food service industry, food safety standard owners, etc. since early 2007. Cindy is a senior member of the American Society for Quality. Cindy has been a member of the Institute of Food Technologists since 1989. She is a member of the International Association of Food Protection and has been very engaged in the global food safety community. To elevate food safety and quality culture globally has been Cindy’s everyday mission.