By Kim Kowieski, Continuous Improvement Coach, SafetyChain

As Costco's exclusive poultry supplier, Lincoln Premium Poultry has built a reputation for responsible farming, high-quality chicken production, safe manufacturing practices, and a progressive approach to operations. However, achieving this level of success was not without challenges. Faced with costly recurring issues such as high employee turnover, time-consuming audit preparation, and unexpected downtime meant that LPP needed to quickly identify the root cause and take action. 

A Company Built to Be Different

Lincoln Premium Poultry was always determined to be different from other poultry processing plants. Unlike traditional facilities plagued by outdated systems and limited transparency, LPP envisioned a modern, data-driven environment that prioritized employee well-being, operational efficiency, and product quality.

Despite having a clear vision, LPP (and the poultry industry at large) still struggled with high turnover and recruitment, as many job seekers held misconceptions about working conditions in poultry facilities (Figure 1).

It became clear that the challenges impacting LPP's operational efficiency, workforce retention, and decision-making capabilities were due to the company's reliance on paper-based systems and spreadsheets. They simply needed better visibility into key process and performance data.

LPP began to search for a digital solution to help drive informed decision-making based on real-time data and foster a culture of continuous improvement.

The Digital Shift

LPP's leadership team understood that real change required more than just new policies and processes—it required a shift in how organization-wide data was collected, analyzed, and used to inform decisions.

Starting with its Quality Assurance (QA) department, LPP began digitizing record-keeping processes using SafetyChain's Digital Plant Management Platform (Figure 2).

It was not long before LPP was accessing real-time data through SafetyChain to see where it could improve food safety, quality, and overall efficiency. Encouraged by these early successes, LPP expanded the SafetyChain platform beyond the QA department into production, maintenance, safety, and live operations at the feed mill and hatchery.

Today, LPP can automatically collect and track a wide range of data, including:

• Quality and food safety: Antibiotic usage, animal welfare audits, product grading, microbial testing, HACCP checks, and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) audits.
• Operations: Yield, efficiency, machine effectiveness, and startup task checklists.
• Safety and compliance: Safety observations, pre-operational sanitation checks, and Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) compliance records.
• Maintenance: Downtime tracking, preventive maintenance schedules, and work order management.

Putting People First with Data-Driven Programs

Leaders at LPP have always maintained that their people are the company's greatest asset, and are committed to treating them as such (Figure 3). By integrating digital tools into training and development programs, they sought to leverage the platform to power the following programs and give their people a voice.

Touchpoint Program: Empowering New Hires

To reduce turnover and ensure a smooth onboarding process, LPP implemented the Touchpoint Program, a structured check-in system for new hires. This program includes questions on safety, job responsibilities, and employee well-being.

Example questions include:

• Do you feel safe in your job?
• Do you have the necessary tools and personal protective equipment (PPE) to perform your duties?
• Do you know who your department manager is?
• Is there anything outside of work we can help you with?

Originally, the Touchpoint Program was implemented via paper and spreadsheets. Now digitized with SafetyChain, HR and training teams receive real-time notifications about employee concerns, giving them the ability to proactively take action.

Job Hardening Program: Setting Up Employees for Success

While the Touchpoint Program focuses on creating a supportive culture for new hires, the Job Hardening Program helps new employees ramp up, adjust, and acclimate to their job tasks and work environment. Furthermore, it allows supervisors to get to know their new employees and provide personalized coaching and support.

Safety Observation Program: Collaborating on Workplace Safety

LPP's commitment to employee well-being extends beyond onboarding. Through the Safety Observation Program, frontline workers and supervisors are encouraged to collaborate on risk assessments to identify and address potential hazards before they lead to incidents (Figure 4).

All checks are recorded in SafetyChain, and appropriate teams are alerted on any areas that need attention via notifications. This allows them to recognize and resolve findings in real time, and has created open communication among team members and management.

The Impact of LPP's Plant-Wide Digitization

The people at LPP know that true digitization is not just about collecting data, but using it to increase transparency, communication, and collaboration. Here are just some of the most noteworthy benefits LPP has seen so far:

• Reduced turnover and improved employee satisfaction. Fostering a transparent and supportive work environment through digitized workforce programs has enabled LPP to lower its turnover rate to 37 percent (compared to the poultry industry average of 104 percent), while increasing its new hire retention rate by 30 percent. By allowing better communication with its workforce, the company has seen a decrease in "break-in pain" reports by 60 percent.
• Increased operational efficiency and cost savings. The decision to digitize paper-based processes across multiple departments has allowed LPP to start addressing costly inefficiencies. Some examples include:
  • Monthly savings of $230,000 by optimizing just one maintenance process
  • Drove yield loss down from 24 percent to 6 percent
  • Faster issue resolution and 38 percent reduction in downtime.
• A data-driven culture of quality, safety, and continuous improvement. With SafetyChain at their fingertips, employees at all levels now have access to real-time data and insights (Figure 5), enabling them to:
  • Identify and resolve issues proactively
  • Accelerate audit preparation 
  • Contribute to operational improvements
  • Support customer confidence in their approach to food safety
  • Take ownership of performance metrics.

A Blueprint for the Future of Poultry Processing

Lincoln Premium Poultry's commitment to building a culture of continuous improvement has set it apart as an industry leader with numerous awards for performance, safety, and innovation. 

With the help of SafetyChain's Digital Plant Management Platform, LPP now has a clear view of its current production performance, can automate any program from employee satisfaction to food safety, and can analyze trends to help drive efficiencies. For poultry companies looking to remove the risks and costs associated with paper-based processes, LPP's digitization story serves as a blueprint for success.

Video: Take a look inside Lincoln Premium Poultry to see its digitized programs in action.

Kim Kowieski has nearly 15 years of experience in food quality and operations management. As a Continuous Improvement Coach, she leverages her expertise to assist manufacturers in implementing digital transformations, particularly in utilizing SafetyChain software to enhance their operations.