At UNC Dairy, we seek supplier relationships rooted in reliability, transparency, and shared values, creating a supply network designed to grow.
WHY PARTNER WITH US?
The cooperative difference. As a farmer-owned dairy cooperative, we operate with long-term partnership in mind — not short-term transactions.
STABLE, PREDICTABLE VOLUME
Multi-plant operations across Western New York with consistent, forecastable demand for packaging and ingredients.
FAIR, TRANSPARENT PROCESS
Structured RFQ and qualification processes—no surprises. We define requirements upfront and evaluate fairly.
TRUE PARTNERSHIP MINDSET
We invest in supplier relationships, share performance feedback, and grow together over time.
CLEAR CONTRACTUAL TERMS
Standard Terms and Conditions with defined SLAs, quality standards, and pricing mechanisms—no ambiguity.
SUPPLIER REQUIREMENTS
All prospective suppliers must meet these baseline qualifications before entering our approved vendor list.
Demonstrated production capacity and on-time delivery history (>95% target).
Minimum $2M general liability insurance with UNC named as additional insured.
Compliance with applicable FDA, USDA, and NYS food safety regulations.
Financial stability sufficient to meet multi-year supply commitments.
Current food-safety or quality management certification (SQF, ISO 9001, GFSI-recognized).
Ability to provide Certificate of Conformance and material traceability documentation.
Willingness to participate in the annual vendor performance review process.
Open to on-site qualification audit by UNC Procurement team.
ROOTED IN RESPONSIBLE SOURCING
As a dairy cooperative with farmer members, we feel a deep responsibility for the land, communities, and systems we depend on. We expect our suppliers to share these values.
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SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS
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REDUCED PLASTIC FOOTPRINT
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ETHICAL LABOR PRACTICES
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CARBON TRANSPARENCY
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NYS REGULATORY COMPLIANCE
GET IN TOUCH
Our team is ready to answer questions and guide you through the qualification process.
Ed Struzik
Director of Procurement · Upstate Niagara Cooperative
- 716-892-3156 ext. 3007
- [email protected]
- 368 Pleasant View Dr, Lancaster, NY 14086
General Inquiries
Supplier questions, qualification status, sourcing opportunities
- Response within 2 business days
- Reference UNC-PROC when submitting documents
READY TO SUBMIT A QUOTE
Download our RFQ template, complete all sections, and send to the procurement team with supporting documentation.
