A Winnipeg food packaging company is the first in Manitoba to receive the highest recognition in global food safety standards.

As of this year, Color Ad Packaging — the company that makes wrappers for confection like Lindt and Godiva — is certified IFS PACsecure under the Global Food Safety Initiative, which means they meet internationally recognized food safety requirements.

Color Ad president and CEO Chip Batten says not only has this helped with their safety standards, it's improved their business.

"I think it's enhanced our understanding of what it takes to run a good, well-run organization," he says. "I think the certification itself helps us obviously with Walmart and Target and Walgreens and all those companies, but it's helped us even more. I think it's made us a better company, I think it's made us more aware of what we do on a daily basis and what's right and what's wrong."

Batten says food safety is very important to consumers, which in turn, requires a focus on food safety from packagers.