On March 1, 2015, Primus Group Inc. concluded the sale of its auditing division to Javier Sollozo, its former director of auditing operations. Now the company is looking to expand its service offerings in the wake of the sale. While auditing currently defines Primus Group, Inc. in many of its clients’ minds, the firm’s core services actually include microbiological testing offered from seven facilities based in the U.S. and Mexico, data management, pesticide residue analyses, and a service offering supply chain review for fresh produce suppliers.                                        

Complying with the Global Food Safety Initiative’s requirement to divest of the Auditing Division allows Primus Group, Inc. to retain the ownership of the PrimusGFS audit scheme. Ensuring that the audit scheme continues to adapt to optimize emerging “big data” capabilities will be the primary objective. The divesture also frees Azzule Systems, a subsidiary of Primus Group, Inc. to assist suppliers and buyers in leveraging the wealth of information on the food safety practices of fresh produce suppliers throughout the world. It also makes certain that PrimusLabs and Azzule Systems can expand their ability to capture, analyze, use, manage and deliver information from a wide variety of sources within and outside of Primus Group. PrimusLabs as well as many supporters on the supply and buying sides of the fresh produce industry are betting that the data is the key to the future. It also assures that the firms’ mission of optimizing the value of its clients’ safe production and handling practices is a core objective.                                        

PrimusLabs CEO Robert Stovicek believes that the new division will provide the fresh produce industry with a service that no company anywhere in the world is currently supplying. “We have long played the role of ‘info-mediary’ between buyers and suppliers. Since Primus Group now possesses the greatest wealth of understanding of any business worldwide about how best to act on data to improve food safety, we are positioned to enhance that role. Therefore, the end product of our Data-Driven Counseling Division is to provide services that will assist all interested retailers and food service companies in implementing best practices that our new division identifies.” Stovicek says, “In appreciation for the faith that has been placed in us for the past quarter century, Primus Group pledges to continue to serve the industry to the best of our ability in the future.”