Yum! Brands and the Unified Foodservice Purchasing Co-op recently hosted their ninth annual STAR Awards gala to honor top suppliers to the system. The event was held on May 8 at the Marriott Legacy Town Center Hotel in Plano, Texas.
Yum! and UFPC rewarded multiple-year winner CTI Foods by naming them U.S. Food Supplier of the Year for 2007. McCormick and Company, also a multi-year winner, received prominent recognition as the International Food Supplier of the Year. McNairn Packaging earned U.S. Packaging Supplier of the Year, while Winston Industries achieved the International Equipment Award.
“We are honored to have this group of suppliers in our system,” said Dan Woodside, president and CEO of UFPC. “Their passion for superior execution and drive for continual improvement raises the performance level of our entire system.”
Tomato concentrate supplier Kagome, Inc. captured the 2007 Asia Franchise STAR, while packaging firm Huhtamaki received the Australia/South Pacific Award. Seasoning partner McCormick Canada Flavour Division was crowned with Canada’s STAR, and marinade creator Griffith Colombia South America received the Caribe/Latin America Award. International Meat Ingredients picked up Europe’s honor. Chicken supplier CPF & Westbridge Foods were named Great Britain’s Supplier of the Year, and another chicken provider, Tyson de Mexico was the choice for Mexico. Securing the Middle Eastern/North Africa/Pakistan/Turkey STAR was Love and Quiches Desserts. South Africa’s award went to McCormick South Africa (Pty) Limited.
“We view our supplier network as a competitive advantage worldwide,” said Harmit Singh, SVP and CFO of Yum! Restaurants International. “Our STAR Award winners exemplify the dedication necessary to enable Yum! to drive growth on a global scale. The innovation and investment these suppliers have made in supporting our worldwide restaurant system is worthy of recognition. I personally want to congratulate all our winners.”
U.S. Pizza Hut’s Food Supplier of the Year was won by General Mills Bakeries and Foodservice, and CTI Foods was designated U.S. Taco Bell’s Food Supplier of the Year. Top honors went to Griffith Laboratories, USA as KFC’s Food Supplier of the Year, while the Long John Silver’s Food Supplier STAR was given to Trident Seafoods Corporation. Stoelting Foodservice Equipment was chosen as A&W’s Supplier of the Year.
With ground-breaking products, Pitco Frialator, Inc. won not only the U.S. Pizza Hut Equipment Award, but also the Equipment STAR for Long John Silver’s and A&W. The Howard Company, Inc. with its Menuboard project took home the U.S. Taco Bell Equipment STAR, while APW Wyott, a long time partner and winner, received the U.S. KFC Equipment prize. Corpack, Inc. snapped up Pizza Hut’s packaging honors, and Berry Plastics Corporation earned Taco Bell’s STAR packaging award, after which McNairn Packaging took KFC’s packaging trophy. Genpak finished up with the U.S. Long John Silver’s/A&W STAR for packaging.
