CC waste. And in January, the company embarked on a Big Scale Value Analysis program (BSVA) in which employees can submit ideas for improving effiO originally called Thomas J. Lipton, the company ciency or products. Blair merged with Monarch Fine Foods (in Canada only) to says there are two rules to the program: first, there form Lipton Monarch PMG are no sacred cows; secQ located at 315 University Ave., Belleville, it is a ond, nobody is an expert. subsidiary of Unilver Canada Ltd. This means "ideas can Q produce goods for the food service industry, sellcome from anybody. They ing to restaurants, bakeries, schools, hospitals and can be completely from left others field or they can be an old Q main product is now flavored drink crystals but idea that was thrown out." also produces soup bases and mixes, bakery mixes, Traditional beliefs, such as pudding mixes, gravy bases, baking powder and cofa recipe for a popular fee. product, wouldn't have Q its most recent product is flavored bakery flakes, been questioned in the which the company expects to become a major item past, says Blair, but under within the next two to three years BSVA, they can be challenged. The process resulted in products with exceptional mixes, bakery mixes, pud123 ideas being submitted customer service. What ding mixes, gravy bases, within the first four weeks. baking powder and coffee. that means in practical About half those came About a year ago the terms is Lipton Monarch from "the floor." Although company added bakery has to devise goods that management at Lipton help their customers flakes to its line of prodMonarch continually aims (restaurant owners, for ucts. They are a patented to improve efficiency, "this example), reduce costs or item developed by a small is a much more focussed, company in Georgetown, improve their menu. much more structured" in conjunction with Lipton Speaking from the cusapproach. Monarch PMG. It's expected the "We saw some big potential there * a '...the biggest change was program will take nine to 12 months to for it, so we ended that Thomas J. Lipton and complete and will be up purchasing the Monarch Fine Foods ... merged done again in about company," said five years, says Blair. The solid their food service divisions Blair. Lipton 9 flaked product can into one, to create us Monarch's goal is to be put into foods save $250,000 this such as muffin year. BSVA has mix. When baked, been used by other the flakes melt, adding fla- tomer's point of view, Unilever companies and vor throughout the muffin. Blair asks rhetorically, has a 90 per cent success It's an alternative to sprin- "What else can you do for rate in achieving financial kling flavoring on top of me besides just selling me targets. the food, says Blair. a pail of soup?" Lipton Monarch cur"It's a new product and Internally, the plant is we see tremendous growth trimming expenses by cut- rently sells about 80 per cent of its products within in the next two to three ting waste and improving Canada but is expanding to years on that." efficiency. A team was the United States and other The company's goal is recently formed to examforeign markets. ine ways of reducing to provide the best quality Just the facts - -