Ajinomoto Windsor has had a strong connection to the Houston area since the company acquired Houston-based Windsor Quality Holdings in 2014.  So, when the area was struck by flooding and storm damage from Hurricane Harvey, the Ajinomoto Windsor team was quick to respond. 

Luckily, Ajinomoto Windsor had just completed the construction of a custom Ajinomoto Windsor food truck earlier this year for promotional and training purposes. The new truck was quickly called into action for this important cause.

Brad Kumin, VP of Marketing for Ajinomoto Windsor’s Food Services Division, says, “When we heard about the damage Hurricane Harvey had caused in Houston, it was an easy decision for the team to put the food truck into action. We were pleased that so many of our employees and partners were ready to volunteer. When you’ve gone through something as devastating as this, few things can be as impactful and encouraging as a good, hot meal when you don’t expect it.”

Ajinomoto Windsor first arrived in Pasadena, Texas—where team members quickly set up the truck and began preparing lunch for the community.

Over the four-hour period on the Friday they were open to the public, the teams served over 200 meals to local citizens. Meals were provided to families struck by the storms and those who had volunteered to help with the clearing and restoration.

As you can imagine, preparing that many meals, and storing that much food, is a challenge in itself. Ajinomoto Windsor called upon one of their local brokers, Waypoint Houston. The Waypoint Houston team was incredibly gracious and let the Ajinomoto Windsor team use their facility for food preparation and also to store the food truck and equipment. They also supplied sauces, materials, plates, and many other materials required to distribute so many meals. 

On Saturday, the Ajinomoto Windsor team, Brad Kumin, Gary Fischer, Bill Robertson, and Debbie Grudzien, and a team from Advantage Waypoint Houston and Muise, helped support one of the larger disaster relief centers in Houston. The team worked at a location set up by the Houston Food Bank feeding families and workers in the community. 

The Ajinomoto Windsor team served in excess of a thousand meals to those in need, with lines that were hundreds of people deep. Serving salads, loaves, Bernardi Tortellini, Amoy Fried Rice, Tai Pei Asian meals, and Whitey’s® Chili, these meals were a huge help to those in need.

The Ajinomoto Windsor truck then moved to Kingwood, Texas, one of the hardest-hit areas around Houston. Employees of Ajinomoto Windsor and their family members were all on hand to help with the relief effort.

The long and exhausting weekend was a great success. Brad Kumin stated, “I want to express my sincerest thanks to everyone that helped with the relief effort. It was a wonderful effort by all those involved. I think we all were reminded how powerful good food can be to those around us. That will be a lesson that we all take back with us from this experience, and how the little things can make a big difference to those in need.”