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GOURMET NEWS DECEMBER 2014 www.gourmetnews.com Specialty Distributors & Brokers SPECIALTY DISTRIBUTORS & BROKERS 1 3 BRIEFS Innovative Food Holdings Acquires Organic Food Brokers LLC Innovative Food Holdings Inc., a national provider of specialty foods, gourmet spe- cialty meals, gluten-free foods and direct- from-source artisanal foods, recently announced it has launched a retail channel offering for new and emerging food brands via the acquisition of Organic Food Brokers LLC, a Boulder, Colorado-based company. Organic Food Brokers focuses on launch- ing and growing retail sales for small and emerging organic and specialty food brands nationwide. Organic Food Brokers works closely with emerging food brands to develop and exe- cute sales, marketing and distribution plans via its nationwide network of retail- related food broker relationships while pro- viding emerging food brands distribution and shelf placement access in all of the major metro markets in the food retail in- dustry. Organic Food Brokers has been in- strumental in the launch and nationwide growth of many highly recognizable spe- cialty food brands over the past several years. As a result, the company has estab- lished a nationwide network of retail deci- sion makers and buyers representing key retail shelf space for thousands of super- markets and other food retailers across the United States. Innovative Food Holdings plans to lever- age synergies related to its specialty and ar- tisanal food capabilities to further accelerate the growth and conversion rate of OFB's pipeline. Expected synergies in- clude the ability to offer nationwide food- service distribution opportunities for new and select existing and potential OFB clients with retail products, which can po- tentially cross over and succeed in the foodservice space. In addition, foodservice- oriented offerings within the company's core foodservice markets will have the po- tential to successfully and efficiently cross over to retail shelves. GN International Foodservice Manufacturers Association Names Top Distributors in Foodservice The International Foodservice Manufac- turers Association recently announced the winners of the 8th Annual Distribu- tor Awards. The prestigious awards ac- knowledge distributor leadership and overall excellence within the foodser- vice industry. The winners were cele- brated at the IFMA Presidents Conference in November. Gordon Food Service received the IFMA Excellence in Distribution Award. This award recognizes a corporate or independ- ent distribution organization that has demonstrated excellence in the categories of management and leadership, customer relations, supplier relations and industry/community contributions. Gor- don Food Service started out as a butter- and-egg delivery business more than a century ago. Today, they are the largest fam- ily-owned broadline foodservice distributor in North America and one of the largest pri- vately held companies in the United States. Reinhart Foodservice was awarded the IFMA Distributor Sales & Marketing Per- formance Award, which recognizes a single independent distributor or an individual operating company of a distributor with multiple locations that has demonstrated successful planning and execution of cre- ative sales and marketing. At close to the half century mark, Reinhart Foodservice has grown from its first 8,000-square-foot distribution center in La Crosse, Wisconsin to become the fifth largest foodservice dis- tributor in the country. Malcolm Sullivan, CEO of Pate Dawson Company, was named winner of IFMA's Distinguished Industry Achievement Award, which recognizes an individual who has brought about positive change in the foodservice distribution community and has been a pioneer in the areas of management, marketing and operations. Much like the company he leads, Pate Dawson, Malcolm Sullivan demonstrates great leadership, continuous improve- ment, willingness to embrace change for betterment and superior execution. These values guide his leadership and relation- ships with trading partners. The Distributor Awards enable IFMA and its membership, which includes lead- ing foodservice manufacturers and industry resources, to share their sincere apprecia- tion for the integral role distributors play in the foodservice channel. "Strong distrib- utor partnerships are paramount for oper- ator success in the foodservice industry," said Larry Oberkfell, President and CEO of IFMA. "This year's Distributor Award recip- ients are among the best in the business, and we are proud to honor them." GN Sysco Announces 2014 Top Suppliers; Devi Seafood Earns Highest Honor Sysco Corporation, leading North Ameri- can foodservice distribution company, re- cently honored its top suppliers as part of the 2014 Sysco Supplier Excellence Awards program. The awards, presented at an in- dustry dinner in Houston, recognize Sysco suppliers' commitment, service and mar- ketplace support by category and area of accomplishment. Devi Seafood was named Supplier of the Year, Sysco's top supplier recognition, for the highest level of performance in areas such as sales growth, profitability, Sysco Brand sales and overall support of Sysco and its customers. This marks the first time in the program's 20-year his- tory that a seafood supplier earned top honors. Devi Seafood's Managing Director, Potru Brahmanandam, accepted the award. "Our supplier partnerships are critical to Sysco's ability to deliver on our com- mitments of superior quality, service, competitiveness and innovation to our customers," said Tom Bene, Sysco Execu- tive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer. "These top suppliers are some of Sysco's strongest strategic partners, each of whom aligned with our vision to be our customers' most valued and trusted busi- ness partner." In addition to Devi Seafood, the 2014 Top Supplier Award recipients included Alpha Baking Company, Ecolab, General Mills, Hormel, McCain, Pacific Coast Producers, Saputo Dairy, S&D Coffee and Tea, Sunkist, Tyson Foods and Tyson Fresh. Additional suppliers were recog- nized in the areas of supply chain part- nership, diversity and sustainability, and these included General Mills, Bigelow Tea and Red Gold Inc. Award recipients were chosen from more than 1,400 eligible suppliers world- wide and based on key business perform- ance measures as prescribed by Sysco's U.S.-based distribution companies and the company's corporate merchandising, sourcing, quality assurance and supply chain departments. Sysco is the global leader in selling, mar- keting and distributing food products to restaurants, healthcare and educational fa- cilities, lodging establishments and other customers who prepare meals away from home. Its family of products also includes equipment and supplies for the foodservice and hospitality industries. The company operates 194 distribution facilities serving approximately 425,000 customers. For more information, visit www.sysco.com, or- connect with Sysco on Facebook at www.facebook.com/syscocorporation. GN Nuts About Granola Joins Forces with C.O. Nolt & Sons Nuts About Granola recently announced a new partnership with C.O. Nolt & Sons' new specialty foods distribution division. C.O. Nolt & Sons is a family-owned distributor serving Pennsylvania for over 65 years with a full line of dry ingredients, frozen items and bulk goods. The company's expertise in top notch delivery, customer service and innovation, along with a growing industry trend, sparked its desire to create a specialty foods division to harness the company's relationships with local food purveyors and the retail customers they serve. C.O. Nolt & Sons' mission is to bring the food that consumers love to the stores they love at a price they can afford. To start working with the distributor today, contact Mike Fry by email at mike.fry@noltspecialty.com, or call 717.371.0276. WhiteWave Foods Company Acquires So Delicious Dairy Free The WhiteWave Foods Company, a leading consumer packaged food and beverage company in North America and Europe, recently announced that it has agreed to acquire So Delicious ® Dairy Free for approximately $195 million in cash. Best known by consumers for its plant- based beverages, creamers, cultured products and frozen desserts, So Delicious was founded in 1987 by Mark Brawerman. Based in Eugene, Oregon, So Delicious' products are 100 percent plant-based, and its entire product offering is non-GMO verified. So Delicious had net sales of $115 million for the 12 months ending June 30, 2014 and is expected to experience continued strong growth in the second half of 2014. The company has a proven track record of growth and innovation and is strongly associated with organic and non-GMO integrity, nutritious products, environmental stewardship and sustainable agricultural practices. Dream Foods International Acquires Casa Mexicana Brand Dream Foods International LLC, a specialist in organic juices and natural ethnic foods, is pleased to announce that it has acquired the Casa Mexicana brand from Hispanic Specialty Brands LLC. The Casa Mexicana brand has exceeded growth expectations by generating sales above category average with its all-natural and authentic Mexican made easy products. The convenient Casa Mexicana lines of taco seasoning mixes, boxed rice and dry soups are easy to prepare and made from authentic recipes of Mexico with mouthwatering flavors and aromas. Unlike any other seasoning mixes on the market, Casa Mexicana makes it easy for anyone to get the robust, true flavors of Mexico without the guesswork of mixing spices and the labor of all-day cooking. The synergies with Dream Foods International's existing brands will make a stronger and better operation for existing and future business partners.

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