1974
In 1974, graduating from Colorado State University with a Ph.D. in Food Engineering, Founder Mr. T. F. Tsao began the challenge of job searching in the US. Despite responding to over 40 potential job opportunities, Quaker was the only company that gave him an offer. Yet, this seemingly frustrating situation did not discourage or dishearten Mr. Tsao at all. Instead, he was humbled and fueled to work harder. As a result, his outstanding performance was quickly recognized by the company. Not only was he promoted to the position of R&D Director in US Quaker Oats, he was also the first and only employee to win the President's Award three times in company history.
1981
In 1981, Mr. Tsao returned to his homeland to support the establishment of Quaker in Taiwan. He was assigned by US Quaker to first be the Plant Manager, then Marketing Manager, and eventually General Manager. However, as fate would have it, he soon encountered another serious challenge. Mr. Tsao recalled, "Quaker HQ thought long and hard, but decided they couldn't fully grasp the tastes and palates of Taiwanese consumers. So, they informed me of their decision to pull out of the market." After much deliberation, Mr. Tsao decided to change his destiny by taking a leap of faith. He decided to take over the team and operations in Taiwan. Thinking back, Mr. Tsao admitted that he was very apprehensive about whether he had made the right call. "I had no idea if I could make it work," Mr. Tsao said.
1986
In 1986, Mr. Tsao founded Standard Foods Corporation in Taiwan and obtained licensing for two Quaker product lines – oatmeal and baby cereal. He set out to "continue providing Taiwanese consumers Quaker's everyday natural essential nutrition." Right off the bat, competition was fierce as another multinational nutrition foods company, one of the largest in the world, was also selling the same products in Taiwan. However, Mr. Tsao's business acumen led Standard Foods to quickly launch a variety of new oats cereals and acquire other brands, boosting the company's market share and winning the first survival challenge.
1991
In 1991, during the same week that Standard Foods launched its new 3-in-1 instant cereals, a major multinational competitor also introduced identical products, creating direct head-to-head competition. Seeing this, Mr. Tsao immediately led his team to take aggressive action. As Standard Foods had already spent years developing the oats market, the company was in the leading position – not only in quality but also marketing. Hence, Mr. Tsao proposed the catchy claim "Oatmeal's nickname is Quaker." With that, Quaker 3-in-1 cereals also successfully overtook competitor. Since this win, Standard Foods firmly established Quaker as "The King of Oats" in Taiwan.
For over 30 years, Mr. Tsao has led Standard Foods in the nutrition and health foods sector, grounded in the firm belief that "eating balanced is the key to staying healthy." Expanding from cereals to milk powder, cooking oil, fresh dairy, health supplements, and adult special nutrition, every single product is designed and produced with the goal of caring for the whole family. Standard Foods is built on the foundation of "products that can meet and fulfill the nutritional needs of everyone, inclusive of all ages and gender."
2019
In 2019, Mr. Tsao officially passed this legacy to Mr. Arthur Tsao, who has taken up the reins as the new CEO. Arthur graduated from Stanford with a MBA and subsequently enjoyed a successful career in the world's largest consulting firm, McKinsey. After returning to Taiwan, Arthur joined Standard Foods as a Product Manager in Marketing. In 2010, Arthur was tasked with expansion into Mainland China, where he has personally guided and built “Mighty Sunflower Oil” into China's leading sunflower oil brand.
As CEO and armed with insightful market knowledge, Arthur has invested more resources and manpower, as well as integrated and consolidated the different subsidiaries under the Standard Foods umbrella into "Standard Foods Group."
His aim is pure and simple, to provide better products and services to all consumers, in the hopes of achieving his personal belief that "everyone has the right to nutritious and healthy products." Arthur has plans to ramp up company operations with a broader and more diverse product portfolio that effectively reaches today's younger generations and fits the international markets. Arthur is committed to carrying on Standard Foods' aspiration of becoming "every family's nutrition and health partner," to safeguard every family member's right to "eating safe, balanced, and healthy." He upholds Standard Foods Group's nutrition and health heritage, leading the company forward to another 30 years of success.
