Jorge Hernandez on 30 Food Safety: Wendy's VP of Quality
From Mexican Mountains to Wendy's VP: Jorge Hernandez on Making Food Safety a Business Imperative
Jorge Hernandez's journey into food safety started in the Sierra Madre mountains of Mexico, where he witnessed firsthand how lack of sanitation and medical care devastated disadvantaged communities. Today, as VP of Quality Assurance at Wendy's, he's transformed that early calling into a career dedicated to preventing illness through food safety—and he's learned that the key to success isn't just doing the right thing, but proving its business value.
In a recent 30 Food Safety interview with Paddy McNamara, founder and CEO at Allera, Hernandez shared his unconventional path from aspiring doctor to food safety pioneer, and the critical lessons he's learned about making food safety initiatives stick in corporate America.
The Unexpected Path: From Medicine to Prevention
Growing up in Mexico, Hernandez initially thought medicine was his calling. "I thought going into a career in medicine would be my calling, trying to do something about [people's] pain and illnesses," he recalls. But a stumble into environmental health as a health inspector in Illinois changed everything.
The revelation? Prevention is more powerful than cure.
"Preventing illness was even more noble than curing it," Hernandez explains. "Because it saves people from all of the pain and suffering... It became a higher calling, a greater mission."
This shift in perspective transformed what could have been just a job into a career with purpose. As Hernandez puts it: "Food safety is a human right."
The Evolution: From Local Impact to National Scale
Hernandez's career trajectory reads like a masterclass in expanding influence:
- Local Health Department (Illinois): Started as a health inspector, experimenting with HACCP principles when they were still emerging
- State Health Department: Led Illinois's food safety program, standardizing inspector training statewide
- FDA Partnership: Selected for the Federal-State Training Program, spreading innovative approaches nationwide
- National Restaurant Association: Developed the ServSafe training program that would become an industry standard
- Corporate Leadership: Roles at US Food Service and now Wendy's, impacting millions of consumers
Each move represented a broader impact on food safety.
The Game-Changing Realization: Food Safety as Business Value
Perhaps the most crucial insight from Hernandez's journey came mid-career, and it's one that every food safety professional needs to hear:
"I wish I would have learned earlier in my career that in order for me to be successful in food safety, I had to tie it to the business."
Early in his career, Hernandez fought an uphill battle, labeled as part of the "business prevention unit" because he focused solely on doing the right thing. The breakthrough came when he reframed food safety as a business driver.
Using Data & ROI in Support of Food Safety
At US Food Service, Hernandez didn't just argue for food safety certification—he proved its ROI. Working with the University of Michigan, his team conducted a side-by-side study:
- Distribution centers with food safety certification vs. those without
- Result: Certified facilities showed significantly better profit margins
- Why? The discipline required for certification improved overall operations
"You have same company, two different sets, one with certified food safety, the other one doesn't, and these are the profits and the margins—much, much better than the other," Hernandez explains.
The Communication Secret: Speaking Their Language
As someone whose first language isn't English, Hernandez developed a unique superpower: truly listening and adapting his message to his audience.
"Communication is not only about what you say, but about listening to the other person, understanding where they're coming from," he notes. His approach:
- To CFOs: Present data in dollars
- To Marketing: Frame it as customer value
- To Operations: Show efficiency gains
- To CEOs: Demonstrate competitive advantage
This ability to "speak their language" transformed him from the "bad news guy" to a strategic partner across departments.
Looking Forward: The Most Exciting (and Scary) Time in Food Safety
Hernandez is energized by the current landscape, calling it "an incredibly exciting time" in food safety. He sees two converging forces:
The Challenges:
- Evolving pathogens
- Climate change creating new risks
- Food fraud and defense concerns
- Increasingly complex supply chains
The Opportunities:
- AI and advanced analytics
- New testing technologies
- Data-driven decision making
- Real-time monitoring capabilities
His key insight? "Our success is not limited by how much we can learn, but how much we can let go of the past to learn a new way of doing it."
The Career That Keeps Giving
When asked about his proudest moments, Hernandez points to impacts that rippled far beyond his direct work:
- Spreading HACCP adoption through state regulatory programs
- Influencing food code requirements for certified managers in restaurants
- CDC validation showing certified managers actually produce safer food
"A CDC study said that those certification programs... actually impact safety," Hernandez beams. "That made me feel like I did something."
Advice for the Next Generation
For those considering a career in food safety, Hernandez's message is clear and inspiring:
"This is a career where you can blend science, problem-solving, and have an impact on people's lives all at the same time. Every single day, every decision you make is going to have those kinds of repercussions."
His parting wisdom? "Take the risk or lose the chance."
Whether it's jumping from a government role to a struggling corporation, or leaving corporate comfort to help an entrepreneur build from scratch, Hernandez's career demonstrates that the biggest impacts come from embracing uncertainty.
The Bottom Line
Jorge Hernandez's journey from the mountains of Mexico to the C-suite of one of America's largest restaurant chains offers a blueprint for modern food safety leadership. His story proves that success in food safety isn't just about preventing illness—it's about speaking the language of business, embracing new technologies, and never losing sight of the human impact of the work.
As the industry faces unprecedented challenges and opportunities, leaders like Hernandez show us that food safety professionals aren't just guardians of public health—they're drivers of business value and innovation.
For more insights from food safety leaders, check out the 30 Food Safety interview series
