Both the U.S. arm, and SternMaid in Germany, are members of the Stern-Wywiol Gruppe, a leader in the field of food and feed ingredients. Previously, Solomon worked as vice president of manufacturing for Innovative Food Processors, director of operations for Grecian Delight Foods, Inc. and for multi-nationals such as Ecolab, PepsiCo and Procter & Gamble. During this time, he built up a comprehensive network of contacts as well as in-depth expert knowledge. He has diverse leadership experience and documented business successes in setting strategic direction and leading high performing teams toward improved safety, quality, service, and cost results. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology.

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Health E-Insights: What services does SternMaid offer?
 
Solomon: SternMaid America is a Chicago-area contract manufacturer. At our ultra-modern Illinois facility, we offer ingredients expertise, advanced toll blending, flexible packing, warehousing, and shipping for powdered foods and nutritional supplements. We’re certified to manufacture organic, non-GMO, gluten-free, vegan, Kosher and Halal foods and nutritional supplements.
 
Health E-Insights: What are a few manufacturing capabilities that help SternMaid standout from the competition?
 
Solomon: We have a very clean, modern, blending, and packaging facility. We are flexible and agile. We ensure that quality parameters are met and controlled to meet or exceed customer requirements. We have the knowledge and competence to navigate in the nutritional supplement space by understanding and executing the complex web of food safety guidelines through good manufacturing practices and the procedures and documentation that support it.
 
Health E-Insights: Does your U.S. facility work closely with its technology center in Germany?
 
Solomon: Clients of Sternmaid America benefit from our connection to the Stern-Technology Center near Hamburg, Germany. Developed as a food innovation incubator, the 6,500 square foot center is fitted with modern laboratories and the latest equipment to enhance new product research and support contract manufacturing.
 
Health E-Insights: What size companies do you work with?
 
Solomon: We work with Fortune 100 companies, midsize and start-ups looking for a capable partner to successfully launch their business.
 
Health E-Insights: What does quality mean to you and why is it critical to your business strategy?
 
Solomon: Quality is a given. It cannot be compromised or taken for granted. No customer will tolerate off-quality products or processes that create needless variation. Our strategy is to continually improve so that we meet or exceed expectations and create the capability to deliver consistently even as demands continue to increase.
 
Health E-Insights: How has SternMaid changed to keep pace with the changing supplement industry?
 
Solomon: SternMaid America is certified by NSF Internaional to be in compliance with NSF/ANSI Standard 173, Section 8 “DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS.” We also are in compliance with GMP for Sport, NSF Certification Guideline 306 and NSF GMP Registration Policies. We also regularly attend the Nutrition Business Journal Summit to stay abreast of the trends in our industry.
 
Health E-Insights: What are the things that most upset you?
 
Solomon: Missing an opportunity to delight a customer properly and making the same mistake twice.
 
Health E-Insights: What makes you laugh?
 
Solomon: A good one-liner.
 
Sheldon Baker is CEO of the Baker Dillon Group LLC and has created numerous nutraceutical brand marketing communications and public relations campaigns for many well-known supplement and food industry companies. For Health E-Insights interview consideration or brand marketing consulting, contact him at SBaker@BakerDillon.com.