Whole Foods has announced the winners of its annual Supplier All-Star Awards, recognizing 15 brands that raise the industry bar for quality, innovation, value, and social responsibility, and are aligned with Whole Foods Market’s core values, such as caring for local communities and practicing win-win partnerships, according to the company.
The retailer's leaders, category experts, and merchants selected winners across all departments and product categories. Suppliers are also nominated by the company’s local foragers, regional buyers who are responsible for finding new and emerging local producers within the grocery’s communities.
This year’s recipients, who are being honored for their contributions throughout 2022, include both new and legacy businesses. They are:
• Abbot’s Butcher, a plant-based meat company with Whole 30-approved offerings.
• Athletic Brewing Co., a maker of non-alcoholic beer and sparkling hop water.
• Blue Stripes Urban Cacao, a maker of cacao bars, snacks, and infused water.
• Ciruli Brothers, a producer of fresh fruits and vegetables.
• Eel River Organic Beef, a brand specializing in grass-fed beef.
• FRIAL, a frozen private label product manufacturer.
• Jasper Hill Farm, a Vermont-based cheesemaker.
• Kettle Cuisine, a food business consisting of five food brands that specialize in soups and entrees.
• New Chapter, a vitamin supplement company.
• Organic Valley, a maker of dairy products.
• Pangea Shellfish Company, a producer and farmer of shellfish.
• Patagonian Lamb, an animal welfare certified, halal, organic lamb producer.
• SIMPLi, a brand that sources ingredients that are regeneratively farmed.
• The Elite Flower, a brand that produces floral arrangements.
• Vital Farms, a producer of dairy and egg products.
“We are proud to recognize this dedicated group of suppliers and the work they do to serve our customers, advance our mission and propel the industry forward every day,” said Sonya Gafsi Oblisk, chief merchandising and marketing officer at Whole Foods Market, in a statement. “From emerging local brands to longstanding partners beloved by our team members and customers, these suppliers are essential to our business and continue to raise the bar for excellence within the grocery space.”
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