Entrepreneur Of The Year® US National Award winner

People-first leadership

Creativity and precision have been a recipe for success for Cuisine Solutions, the world’s largest manufacturer of sous vide foods. French for “under vacuum,” sous vide involves sealing food in a plastic pouch or glass jar and slowly cooking it in a water bath at a precisely regulated temperature. Winning recipes are part of Felipe Hasselmann’s secret sauce.

Hasselmann, a native of Brazil, joined Cuisine Solutions in 2000 as chief of staff and head of internal development. At the time, the business operated a single plant and focused on providing airlines with meals for first-class passengers. Today, the privately held company operates a total of six plants in the US, France and Thailand. It delivers high-quality food at scale to large organizations, including the US military; international airlines, cruise lines and hotel chains; and national restaurant chains.

One of Hasselmann’s first initiatives was to establish a people-first culture. His motto, “10 miles wide, 100 miles deep,” refers to the importance of quality relationships. This mindset bolstered the company’s resilience amid the pandemic: Strong supplier ties ensured Cuisine Solutions received its daily meat deliveries despite disruptions impacting others.

Cuisine Solutions also strives to make a positive impact, with initiatives that reverberate within its local community and beyond. Solar panels at its San Antonio, Texas, plant power 100% of its operations, and excess power is shared with the city. And in response to the global refugee crisis, the company has hired more than 200 immigrants from Afghanistan, Ukraine and Russia, providing free accommodations for them for six months.