HOUSTON – Sysco Corporation recently honored its supplier that met or exceeded the company's exacting standards as part of the 2013 Sysco Supplier Excellence Awards program. Presented at an industry dinner in Houston, the awards recognize the commitment, support and partnership of suppliers by category and area of accomplishment. This marks the 19th year that Sysco has honored its top suppliers.
Minneapolis-based Ecolab Inc. was named Supplier of the Year, Sysco's top supplier recognition, and awarded for the highest level of performance in areas such as sales growth, profitability, Sysco Brand sales and overall support of Sysco. Doug Baker, Ecolab's chairman of the board and chief executive officer, accepted the award.


Gold Supplier Award recipients include Sanderson Farms Inc., poultry; OSI Group LLC, beef; Cargill (Pork), pork; among others. Cardinal Meat Specialists Ltd., a Canadian meat company, won the 2013 Innovation Award in the Gold Award Supplier category for its Revolution Burger, recognized by Sysco as the most innovative product developed and launched during Fiscal Year 2013.
Silver Supplier Award recipients included Renaissance Man, poultry; Cargill, beef; and Sara Lee Foodservice (Pork), pork; among others.

Bronze Supplier Award recipients for beef included American Foods Group; IBP (Tyson); Holten Meat, Inc.; Lower Foods Inc.; and Dan's Prize Inc. (Hormel Foods Group). Bronze Supplier Award recipients for pork included Tyson-TPFG; Clemens Food Group; Smithfield Foods; Fresh Mark Inc. (Sugardale); and JBS USA. Bronze Supplier Award Winners for poultry included Koch Foods Inc.; Mar-Jac Poultry Inc.; Case Farms; Butterball; and McCain Foods.