Rich Family Foundation Fortifies Commitment to Global Food Safety; Donates $250,000 to Fund Critical Research Lab at Cornell University

BUFFALO, N.Y., May 16, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Rich Family Foundation is proud to announce a new partnership with Cornell University's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) that should further the development of a safe and sustainable global food supply, through research and education. The Rich's Food Safety Lab will engage in both critical food safety research and the education of the next generation of food safety leaders – two functions that can significantly influence the future of the food industry and drive essential innovations in the safe production, handling and distribution of the world's food supply.

"The Rich's Food Safety Lab is a state-of-the-art platform to support groundbreaking food safety research at Cornell University," said Bob Rich Jr., Chairman, Rich Family Foundation and Rich Products Corporation. "In addition, the lab will serve as a training facility for the next generation of highly qualified food safety professionals, who will lead our industry, share their expertise, and collaborate with manufacturers such as Rich's and also with our customers, to protect the safety and availability of the global food supply."

Rich Family Foundation has pledged $250,000 to the 1,396-square-foot Rich's Food Safety Lab, located on the Cornell campus in Ithaca, New York. The lab is home to unique molecular biology and classical microbiology technology and processes that address food safety issues along the entire supply chain. The facility will be used by a number of different faculty and their research groups and will allow Cornell to continue as the global leader in the use of systems approaches for assuring food safety. Designed to facilitate collaborative efforts among researchers from all areas of the university's Department of Food Science, the lab will provide a unique environment for fostering interdisciplinary approaches to ensuring a safe global food supply.

In partnership with Buffalo-based Rich's and other industry and governmental agencies, scientists at CALS work on creating new means to strengthen and secure food and energy systems by developing innovative and sustainable ways to feed a growing populace and its increasing demand for energy.

"Rich Products has a long history as a leading global food supplier; a history matched by that of the Department of Food Science in food safety," said Kathryn J. Boor, the Ronald P. Lynch Dean of Cornell University's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. "Rich Products' gift of the Rich's Food Safety Lab is a permanent, physical embodiment of the powerful partnership our two Upstate NY institutions have established. Rich Products' generosity will allow Cornell to build on its legacy of leadership in food safety while facilitating future interdisciplinary, collaborative efforts—using state-of-the-art technologies—to ensure a safe and wholesome global food supply from New York to Shanghai."

For more than 70 years, Rich's has been a leader in the frozen food industry, known for its high-quality products, exceptional customer service and overwhelming commitment to associates, customers and communities. With more than 4,000 products sold across 112 countries, Rich's delicious innovations are found in countless restaurants, bakeries and kitchens around the world.

Bob Rich indicated that Rich's will leverage the expertise, knowledge and latest technology generated by Cornell's lab in the company's business around the world. Through ongoing education and training, Rich's will also continue to share critical food storage, handling and preparation skills with its customers. The trusted partnerships between Rich's and its customers are the critical links that complete a safe, reliable food chain, Rich said.

The Rich's Food Safety Lab was officially opened on April 29, 2016, by Boor, the CALS Dean; Kevin Malchoff, a Director of Rich Products Corporation; and Kristin Alongi, Director of Portfolio and Governance at Rich Products Corporation. They were joined by food safety and food science faculty from Cornell, as well as by students who will conduct research in the Ivy League school's new facility.

About Rich Family Foundation

Established in 1961, Rich Family Foundation is a philanthropic arm of Rich Products Corporation, a family owned food company. In addition to financial support, the foundation provides in-kind donations and builds deep relationships with community agencies, through advocacy programs and extensive volunteerism. As a leading, worldwide supplier to the foodservice, in-store bakery and deli, and retail marketplaces, Rich Products Corporation is regarded throughout the industry for its food ingenuity and commitment to customer solutions that set the standards for quality and convenience.

About Cornell University's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Cornell University's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) is an Ivy League research institution informed by the values of the land-grant mission. Home to 15 academic departments and two schools –the Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management and the School of Integrative Plant Science – CALS offers 22 majors and 31 minors in the agricultural, biological, physical, and social sciences. The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences is one of the premier colleges of its kind in the world and is guided by the principle of creating and disseminating "Knowledge with Public Purpose."

For further information, please contact Kevin Aman, Communications Director, Rich Family Foundation, 716-266-7863, or Samara Sit, Assistant Dean & Director of Communications, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University, 607-254-5137.

SOURCE Rich Family Foundation