HOUSTON, TX - Global foodservice distributor Sysco Corporation announced the winners of its 2018 Supplier Excellence Awards—celebrating Sysco customers' most valued and trusted business partner. The produce pack was loaded with companies committed to quality, but only one could take home the Gold Supplier Award; that award went to Church Brothers Farms.

“Our customers are at the center of all that we do, so it’s important that we partner with suppliers and brokers who can help us improve our customers’ overall experience,” said Brian Todd, Sysco’s Senior Vice President of Merchandising, in a press release. “It’s equally important for us to recognize them for all the hard work and dedication they put forth to help us make our customers successful.”

According to that press release, award recipients were selected based on sales growth and support, operational excellence, and other key business performance metrics laid out by Sysco’s merchandising, quality assurance, and supply chain departments.

Winners in the fresh produce category included:

Gold Supplier Award Winner

• Church Brothers Farms

Silver Supplier Award Winner

• D’Arrigo California

Bronze Supplier Award Winners

• Mann’s, a Del Monte Fresh Company
• Driscoll’s
• Onions 52, Inc.

Additionally, the field of Frozen/Canned Fruits & Vegetables winners included a number of fresh-focused suppliers, including J.R. Simplot Company. And Sysco’s Cutting Edge Solutions award went to plant-based meat substitute maker Beyond Meat—a company that made headlines, recently, for reportedly pursuing an IPO.

For a complete list of winners, read Sysco’s press release here.

Congratulations, from the ANUK team, to the much deserving winners. Stay tuned for more fresh-focused news.

Sysco