How Roskam Foods Rebuilt Trust, Connection, Culture, and Cut Their Turnover in Half

“From day one, we have been absolutely thrilled with how goHappy has worked for us.”

Sandy Buchanich, Senior Vice President of People & Talent, Roskam Foods

Roskam Foods is a 100+ year-old, leading contract manufacturer that partners with world-renowned food brands, retailers, and food service providers to produce a variety of frozen, refrigerated and shelf-stable products. With over 2,000 employees, the company operates 50 production lines across 8 facilities in the U.S. and Canada.

Roskam boasts a rich legacy, but until recently, a communication barrier was limiting its potential. When the company was acquired by private equity in 2022, the new executive team knew something had to change. Plants operated like separate worlds. Communication barely existed. Frontline team members didn’t have email access. And leaders had no reliable way to reach people quickly, clearly, or consistently.

Sandy Buchanich joined shortly after the acquisition as the SVP of People & Talent. She and the CEO knew culture would be changing and they wanted to control the evolution instead of just letting it happen so a large-scale culture transformation initiative was put into place

Roskam launched a formal culture evolution effort in January 2024. The work was substantial:

But one barrier threatened the whole effort: Roskam simply couldn’t directly reach their frontline workers.

Something better – simpler – was required.

Sandy, along with a cross-functional team, evaluated three tools: AlertMedia, Beekeeper (which she’d used before), and goHappy.

Her decision was instant. And strong enough that she walked straight into the CFO’s office.

What made goHappy stand out as the obvious choice?

In April 2024, Roskam unveiled goHappy through an engaging naming contest that invited employees to propose ideas for its name. To generate excitement, $100 gift cards were offered as incentives. Ultimately, the name “Roskam Connect” emerged as the winning choice.

Engagement Scores Rose Across the Board

With goHappy powering communication during their culture transformation, Roskam saw a dramatic increase in engagement survey participation and sentiment.

Engagement Survey Participation Increased 29% Over 2 Years.

Improvement in 100% of questions 2 years in a row. 9 of 12 (75%) engagement category items improved meaningfully from 2024 to 2025.

As Sandy put it: 

Turnover Declined 51% in 2 Years

Before the transformation, Roskam was losing almost half its workforce each year. 

In just 18 months:

Zero Budget Debate

In an environment filled with budget cuts, goHappy stands untouched. Roskam’s leadership view it as essential – a tool that reaches every team member, supported every culture initiative, and delivered measurable results.

Sandy summed it up clearly:

1. Targeted, Plant-Specific Messaging That Builds Trust

Roskam’s workforce is spread across multiple locations, with different shift patterns, supervisors, and needs. goHappy’s targeted messaging taught every team member one thing:

“This message is for me.”

Examples include:

2. Immediate Fixes to Long-Standing Data Issues

Because goHappy surfaces real-time message delivery errors, Roskam uncovered bad data buried inside Workday records. Correcting these not only improved communication accuracy but also improved their entire people data ecosystem.

Roskam didn’t fix culture with posters, meetings, or slogans.

They fixed it by connecting – consistently, simply, and directly – with the people who run their business every day.

goHappy didn’t replace HR: it amplified the HR team’s ability to listen, respond, and build trust at scale.

And in Sandy’s words:

Ready to Build a Culture People Stay For?

Your frontline deserves communication that feels human, clear, and personal.

Roskam proved what happens when you really get through.