AUSTIN, Texas (May 1, 2015) – Whole Foods Market has awarded the winners of its annual Supplier Awards, to recognize and celebrate the company’s supplier partners who best embody its mission and core values.
Of Whole Foods Market’s thousands and thousands of suppliers, fewer than 60 have received one of these distinguished awards to date. This year, two cream-of-the-crop producers earned the company’s top “Supplier of the Year” award for outstanding overall performance:
· Alaffia (non-perishables)
· American Homestead (perishables)
“At Whole Foods Market, offering our shoppers the highest quality products possible starts by partnering with suppliers who share our core values and our commitment to creating higher industry standards wall-to-wall,” said Edmund LaMacchia, Whole Foods Market’s global vice president of procurement, perishables. “With these awards, we are proud to honor and celebrate the industry pioneers who are helping us to reshape the way people think about and enjoy food.”
In addition to its two “Supplier of the Year” top honorees, Whole Foods Market recognized its other star supplier partners in 15 categories that highlight several areas of achievement, including product innovation, environmental stewardship, ethical sourcing and excellence in quality standards and assurance.
“We ask a lot of our suppliers and they go to great lengths to deliver the highest quality products possible from sources we can trust,” said Jim Speirs, global vice president of procurement, non-perishables. “This year’s Supplier Award winners represent the very best in our industry. We’re grateful for their drive, true partnership and commitment to growing their business with Whole Foods Market.”
Category winners include:
· Environmental Stewardship: Butternut Mountain Farm (non-perishables)
· Product with a Purpose: Panorama Organic Grass-Fed Beef (perishables)
· Outstanding Innovation: Kedem (non-perishables).
· Best New Product: Alaffia (non-perishables); Bellaflor (perishables)
· Excellence in Cheese: Cypress Grove Chevre (non-perishables)
· Non-GMO Commitment; Abbotsford Farms (non-perishable and perishable)
· Standards: Abbotsford Farms (non-perishable and perishable)
· Partnership: Demeter (non-perishables)
· Excellence in Product Quality: Clements Pappas (non-perishable); Bornstein Seafoods (perishables)
· Dedication to Responsible Sourcing: Farmer Direct Co-Op/Agricultural Justice Project (co-recipients; non-perishables)
· Quality Assurance: The IPM Institute (perishables); FoodLogiQ (perishables)
· Commodity Ingredients: Florida Crystals (non-perishables)
· Outstanding Exclusive Brand Product: VIP Soaps (non-perishable)
· Outstanding Beverage Partner of the Year: Republic-National Distributing Company (non-perishables)
· Distinguished Service Award: Heath & Lejeune (perishables)
· Special Recognition: Mineral Fusion (non-perishables); Blue Circle Foods (perishable)
