The Yerecic Label Story

From a garage to a nationally recognized leader

Art Yerecic Sr. started the family business in his home in 1969. As a consultant to the food industry, Art Sr. saw the opportunity to educate consumers through on-pack labels. Art Sr.’s teenage son, Art loved to work by his dad’s side in the garage. Within a few years they were printing pricing and identification labels for local retailers on their table-top press.

The business outgrew their home in the mid 70s and quickly expanded from its western Pennsylvania roots to serve customers throughout the eastern half of the United States. Today, Yerecic Label designs, prints and ships labels to customers all over the world.

The Yerecic team began implementing Total Quality programs in 1987, laying a foundation for enduring success. After reading Eli Goldratt’s “The Goal” in 1993, Lean Manufacturing became the company’s passion. The Lean journey led to the restructuring of the company into a cellular manufacturer in 1997. The office walls were literally torn down to make office cells and a prototype press cell was created by an elite team of press operators.

The success of Yerecic’s Lean initiatives led to a new facility in 1998. Yerecic built a 25,000 sq. ft. building located on 11 acres in the Westmoreland Business and Research Park. The completely cellular pressroom and office improved throughput even further.

Sadly, the business lost its founder, Art Sr., in 2001. Art and the Yerecic Label family miss him greatly. His passion for serving customers still inspires the Yerecic team.

Yerecic Label expanded its business model in the early 2000s to more completely meet the needs of its customers. Both Y-PoP (Point of Purchase Supplies) and Y-Apply (Label Application Equipment & Service) were born.

The company reached out for more industry knowledge joining the Tag and Label Manufacturer’s Institute (TLMI) in 2001. Art was invited to speak at the 2003 TLMI Annual Conference about Yerecic’s Lean Manufacturing expertise. This led to international speaking engagements on the same subject. Yerecic associates are dedicated to learning and serving the label industry through participation in the TLMI.

In order to better understand consumers, Yerecic Label partnered with protein commodity trade organizations in 2004 to initiate its first original research. The resulting scholarship, the Protein Labeling Study, led to the development of Yerecic Label’s signature label line: Easy Fresh Cooking®. Easy Fresh Cooking® increases retail protein sales by providing meal solutions in the consumer’s preferred format.

The Protein Labeling Study research also revealed that consumers want messages and coupons from trusted brands. Yerecic responded by creating the AdImpact™ concept in 2005. AdImpact™ aligns brands with retailers and the packagers that serve them.

Seeing a need for food safety solutions, Yerecic Label became a certified reseller of YottaMark’s HarvestMark® program in 2008. HarvestMark® provides food safety assurance and a wealth of on-line information to consumers through on-pack, unit level traceability to the processor or the farm.

Yerecic Label continues today on the path envisioned by Art Sr. four decades ago – educating consumers through on-pack labels. And label printing still runs in the Yerecic family, Art’s three sons have joined the Yerecic Label team. Art Sr. would be very proud.