Frank Yiannas, Aquatiq Partner to Expand Global Reach of Food Safety Culture

Frank Yiannas, a world-recognized food safety expert, and Aquatiq, an international provider of food safety solutions, are joining forces to advance global expertise in the establishment of food safety cultures in industry and government.

This is the first time a third party will be accredited to train and certify instructors to teach the Food Safety Culture Workshop that Yiannas has been conducting for executives and regulators globally. The partnership aims to make food safety culture more accessible and actionable for companies and regulators worldwide.

Yiannas, a former deputy commissioner at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and principal of Smarter FY Solutions, has long championed the importance of establishing food safety cultures to fuel and support food safety management at all levels of the global food chain. He created this workshop to provide a greater understanding of how to use organizational and behavioral science principles to influence behavior and enhance employee compliance.

“This partnership marks a significant step in making food safety culture practical and impactful for companies worldwide,” said Yiannas. “Together with Aquatiq, we aim to empower organizations with the tools and knowledge to prioritize food safety at every level.”

With headquarters in Norway and operations across Europe, Oceania and South America, Aquatiq has been a partner to the food industry since 1987. Aquatiq is known for its food safety solutions in hygiene, chemistry, automated cleaning systems and process equipment, as well as its commitment to training and education and its all-in-one food safety digital platform, Aquatiq One.

“At Aquatiq, we believe that food safety culture is the cornerstone of sustainable and responsible food production,” said Eirik Bugge, CEO of Aquatiq. “Partnering with Frank Yiannas allows us to leverage his unparalleled expertise to deliver world-class training and solutions that empower companies to embed food safety into their core values and operations.”

Aquatiq’s program will include a rigorous train-the-trainer process, certification and an emphasis on measurable outcomes, ensuring high standards of training and education.

Before joining FDA in December 2018 as deputy commissioner of food policy and response, Yiannas spent more than 30 years in leadership roles with Walmart and the Walt Disney Company. And he wrote two books on food safety culture: “Food Safety Culture: Creating a Behavior-Based Food Safety Management System,” published in 2008, and “Food Safety = Behavior: 30 Proven Techniques to Enhance Employee Compliance,” published in 2015.

After leaving FDA, Yiannas established Smarter FY Solutions to advise on food safety and supply chain issues.

Read QA’s 2024 Q&A with Yiannas here.