OSI changes business structure, management for China operations

OSI Group has made substantial changes to the organizational and management structures for its China operations. The changes were made in response to a scandal where Chinese subsidiary Husi Food Co. allegedly repackaged expired poultry and beef, then sold it with false expiration dates printed.
The new changes follow previous actions from the company, including closing the plant under investigation and removing Shanghai Husi products from the marketplace.
OSI China operations now part of OSI International
OSI’s China operations have now become part of the OSI International umbrella, said David McDonald, president and chief operating officer of OSI Group. This means the Chinese operations, now known as OSI International China, will now be embedded into the corporate organization instead of operating as a separate and decentralized entity.
New management for OSI International China
Leadership responsibilities for China operations have also been reassigned, effective immediately. The OSI International China leadership team will include experienced individuals from around the world to ensure full compliance with the OSI Group’s world-class standards for quality, stated McDonald.
“They will be complementing our existing China management team to focus on operations, quality assurance, and compliance and auditing,” said McDonald.
Leadership team members include:


• Brent Afman, senior vice president and a direct corporate employee with the company for 20 years, is managing director of Asia Pacific with responsibility for China.  Afman has been responsible previously for operations in Australia, Taiwan and two U.S. facilities.
• Michael Boccio, vice president of Further Processed Operations, is a 22-year OSI veteran and previously general manager of China operations from 1992 to 1998.  He has also been responsible previously for operations in Indonesia, the Philippines and has held various responsibilities in the U.S. Boccio will report to Afman and will be responsible for the further processing activities. The operations of Beijing, Henan, produce, human relations, and sales will report directly to him.
• Dr. B.K. Girdhar, vice president of Quality Assurance – China, has 25 years of OSI experience and will be responsible for quality systems in the company’s Further Processing and Produce businesses in China.
• Sharon Birkett, currently vice president of North America Quality, will have her duties elevated to additionally include global quality compliance and auditing. She will be responsible for enhanced surveillance of quality compliance in China.
OSI steps up auditing activities
In addition to implementing structural and managerial changes, OSI will assign a vigilant rotation of global experts to continuously survey these operations and implement exhaustive audit steps, which McDonald says will include constant visual surveillance and extensive employee interviews that concretely identify not only critical production measures and document compliance, but actual visual confirmation through extended observation.
OSI food safety education campaign coming
To promote the awareness for food safety among the Chinese public, OSI Group will create a 3-year, OSI food safety education campaign in China. The company will share more details on the campaign in the near future.