Inter-America’s Health Food Company seeks to increase financial support for the church

Inter-American Health Food Company President Filiberto Verduzco (second from left) reports progress of the institution during the past year during a video conference board meeting at the IAD Headquarters in Miami, Florida, on Oct. 25, 2016. Image by Libna Stevens

October 28, 2016 | Miami, Florida, United States | Libna Stevens/IAD

Top managers of the Inter-American Health Food Company laid out plans and strategies to promote healthy foods and increase its monetary contribution toward the mission of the church across the territory, during its year-end board meeting held in Miami, Florida, on Oct. 25, 2016.

“We want the Health Food Company to be an indispensable tool in the fulfillment of the mission in the territory where it operates,” said Filiberto Verduzco, treasurer of the church in Inter-America and president of Inter-American Health Food Company (IAHFC).

Verduzco who oversees the management of the health food company with its 15 food factories and 24 distributing centers in eight countries in the Inter-American Division (IAD) territory, said that plans began one year ago with signed Memorandum of Understandings between IAHFC and each of its factories. The MOUs outlined principles of operation, including generating greater resources the church can use for evangelism.

“This is bringing the food company and its branches together to be part of the decision-making process for further integration with the church and its mission,” said Verduzco.

Part of increasing IAHFC’s visibility is letting church members know more about its ministry and products. For that, IAHFC recently launched its official bi-annual publication called +Wellness (or more wellness) designed to promote a healthy lifestyle among church leaders and members across the territory.

Ramon Adolfo Ruiz, health food ministry director for the church in Inter-America who works directly with IAHFC’s president, said that already a television program series has been filmed for the church’s Hope Channel Inter-America in the coming weeks. In addition, radio programs are being produced and social media campaigns are in place, he said.

“Our strategy has to do with informing, promoting and educating our church members about our health message,” said Ruiz.

The health food company has also designed and began implementing a financial electronic tool so that all factories can closely oversee its product costs from when materials are purchased until the product is complete. The financial tool will also ensure that all factories use uniform prices for its products across its distribution centers, reported Juan Martin Meza, IAHFC’s finance associate.

“We began providing this software tool at each factory and training accountants in the process of keeping track of all processes that entails each product made” said Meza. “This will allow for a clearer view and control of production costs and make sale predictions.”

Financial statements for the years 2014 and 2015 were presented to the board as well as financial statement up to September 2016.

For 2017, IAHFC net income is estimated to surpass two million dollars and will be disbursed with 10 percent tithe contribution, 20 percent for education, 4.5 percent for development and quality control, 5.5 percent for construction of churches including one percent for evangelism, and 60 percent for branch/factory development.

Pastor Israel Leito, president of the church in Inter-America and chairman of IAHFC, praised the leadership of the health food company for its new management focus.

“We see very good days ahead in making the health food company more successful,” said Pastor Leito. “We have had a glorious past and with God’s help, the future looks brighter.”

It’s about getting to the point where “our factories could support the mission of the church in a massive way,” said Pastor Leito, “just like the giant one in Australia, where it contributes 80 percent of the budget to sustain the South Pacific Division.”

IAHFC could get to that point, declared pastor Leito.

Board members voted to appoint Professor Melissa Ruiz Dyck to function as IAHFC’s Laboratory Research Center director based in Montemorelos Univeristy. Also, Chemical Engineer Manuel Rubio Aguilar was appointed as product quality control director.

IAHFC manages over 700 employees in its 15 food factories and 24 distributing centers in the Dominican Republic, Trinidad, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Panama, Mexico, Colombia and Venezuela. The health food institution supports eight Adventist universities, includes a catalogue of more than 500 products and handles 40 tons of healthy foods every day.

For more about the Inter-American Health Food Company, visit interamerica.org