Case Study: NSF Certification Gives CDN a Competitive Edge

CDN Measurement Tools (CDN) uses NSF Product Certification to demonstrate the safety, accuracy and reliability of its measurements tools, whilst differentiating itself in a highly competitive and price-sensitive market.

CDN is a family-owned, women-led business specializing in professional thermometer, scale and timer production for food service environments. Since 1997, the company has worked with NSF to certify relevant products against recognized standards, including NSF/ANSI 2 for food equipment and NSF/ANSI 169 for special-purpose food equipment and devices.

The company sells to many segments, including restaurants, schools, hospitals, and OEMs through distributors, serving customers across North America and internationally.

As a family-owned and female-run company operating in a market dominated by larger businesses and conglomerates, CDN has focused on developing its range in response to customer needs.

“Our product line continues to evolve, thanks to long-term customer relationships and listening to their needs,” says Shawn. “This means offering a range of precision tools that are accurate and reliable, allowing our customers to run efficient operations.”

Recent launches include large-dial oven and large-dial refrigerator thermometers, designed to be read in low-light environments.

Accurate measurement plays an important role throughout a food service operation.

Scales help kitchens reduce costs, maintain portion sizes, and produce consistent results, while thermometers are vital at numerous stages of food preparation and storage. They are used to check the temperature of refrigerators and freezers, monitor cooking equipment and confirm that food has reached a safe internal temperature.

But thermometers are a relatively small piece of equipment in a busy commercial kitchen and the market for them is crowded. Food service buyers can choose from established manufacturers, private-label products and inexpensive imports. For CDN, the challenge is therefore not only to produce accurate and reliable measurement tools, but to demonstrate that quality clearly to customers in a highly competitive and price-sensitive market.

That’s where NSF certified CDN products stand apart.

NSF certification has become an established part of CDN’s approach to product development and a key sales message for its sales teams and distributor network. Shawn also incorporates its importance into food safety training, alongside factors such as thermometer accuracy and recalibration.

Certification gives Shawn confidence when presenting products to distributors, sales representatives and customers. For some food service groups, it can also form part of central purchasing specifications set by restaurant chains and other food service groups, as well as providing a recognized indication that equipment has been independently assessed.

The benefits of certification extend beyond CDN’s US team, too. Its manufacturing partners in Vietnam and China take pride in meeting NSF requirements and understand that certification can directly affect whether a product progresses to market.

For Shawn, this makes certification much more than a logo on the finished product. It plays an important part in the way CDN develops its range, works with suppliers and demonstrates its credentials to customers.

Client features such as testimonials and case studies are available to all clients of NSF. For more information, please contact us.