When Amazon, Seattle, Wash., acquired Whole Foods Market, Austin, Texas, in 2017, it was the shock heard round the world. An online retailer dabbling in the food arena? How does this even work?
Not only did it work, but it’s also providing a sneak peek into the future of the food and beverage industry, as many of today’s food and beverage processors begin looking beyond the traditional grocery aisle and into the nuances of the world wide web to tap into unchartered territory.
Foodservice distribution is no exception to this industry transformation. Foodservice distributors are responsible for bringing product from Point A to Point B in the safest, quickest and most energy efficient manner possible, all while maintaining product temperature and integrity.
That’s why this year, Refrigerated & Frozen Foods named our first ever Foodservice Distributor of the Year. While we received a number of wonderful nominations, this year’s winner, Sysco Corp., Houston, Texas, displayed continued efforts in fleet optimization, energy efficiency and sustainable distribution. From working to incorporate fully electric semi tractors into its fleet to integrating pest management solutions to removing recyclables from its solid waste stream, Sysco delivers on both food and service.
Even more, as of press time, Sysco was still making the news, with its new tagline introduction and releasing of Q4 2018 earnings.
Refrigerated & Frozen Foods also revamped our online nominations page, making it more user-friendly and easier to complete the online nomination form. Remember, anyone—food companies, A/E and design-build firms, suppliers or others qualified to provide a detailed rationale for a particular company or facility—can submit a nomination for one of our cover story awards.
So, congratulations to Sysco and our soon-to-be-released 2018 Frozen Foods Processor of the Year (November 2018 issue), 2019 Refrigerated Foods Processor of the Year (January 2019 issue) and the four Processors to Watch in 2019 (December 2018 issue). The refrigerated and frozen foods and beverage industry is experiencing a handful of noteworthy changes—improvements designed to better people, products and the future. Stay tuned …
