Distributor’s Choice Awards
Overview
IFDA distributor’s choice awards bring accolades to manufacturers from their distributor customers
The awards program allows foodservice distributors to vote for manufacturer partners that exhibit excellence in strategy, supply chain, product innovation, and sales and marketing support.
Voting Categories
- Strategic Partners: Understands the unique needs of my business, and clearly articulates their company strategy. Engages in executive-level joint planning.
- Product Innovator: Creates products that meet the needs of the foodservice operator and consumer. Is committed to developing new products that sell, coupled with their willingness to share their new product innovation strategy.
- Sales Leader: Has established relationships with distributor sales managemant. Engages in joint-sales planning and collaboration.
- Supply Chain Leader: Demonstrates leadership in data integrity for all of their products. Is a leader in supply chain initiatives.
- Overall Winner: Based on the number of overall total votes across all categories.
IFDA Partners Program
Build business, improve profitability, and engage with leading companies in foodservice
The IFDA Partners Program provides an important opportunity for foodservice manufacturer companies (traditionally over $100M in foodservice sales) to interact with IFDA’s distributor membership. In addition to the “basic” Partners Program, IFDA’s MVP program provides leading supplier companies with enhanced recognition and the opportunity to support important IFDA distributor programs throughout the year. The MVP Partners Program provides three levels of participation including Platinum, Gold, and Silver.
In addition to participation in the IFDA Partners Executive Forum, foodservice manufacturers also participate in other IFDA programs including the IFDA Solutions Conference, the IFDA SMart Conference, and the IFDA National Championship.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can vote?
Representatives from foodservice distribution companies that are IFDA members will be invited to participate via email. The votes are individual, so several individuals from the same foodservice distribution company may cast their votes, though each person may only vote once. We’re looking for YOUR professional opinion on doing business with these manufacturers.
How does voting work?
Casting your vote is easy: simply pick one exceptional IFDA Partner for each of the four categories. You may select the same company for multiple categories, but only one company per category. If you don’t have an opinion on a specific category, you may skip it by selecting N/A.
What are the award categories?
There are four categories: Strategic Partners, Product Innovator, Sales Leader and Supply Chain Leader, plus an overall winner based on the total number of votes across categories. See the expanded criteria for details.
When will winners be announced?
The winners will be announced and honored at the IFDA’s Partners Executive Forum.
For questions about the program or to receive a voting link, email IFDA’s Heidi Weiss.
The 2024 Winners
Sugar Foods
Total Overall Winner, 2024
This award is given to the IFDA Partner who receives the most overall votes.
“We are thrilled to recognize and honor these top-performing manufacturer partners that excel at meeting the needs of our distributor members,” said Mark S. Allen, President and CEO of IFDA. “Receiving strong affirmation from your customers is the ultimate positive feedback for any business. These awards bring much-deserved recognition to those manufacturer partners that go above and beyond.”
Hormel Food Sales, LLC.
Strategic Partner of the Year: Committed to service, reliability, and excellence.
This award is given to the IFDA Partner who understands the unique needs of their distributors’ business, and clearly articulates its company strategy. They engage in executive-level joint planning.
“We are thrilled to recognize and honor these top-performing manufacturer partners that excel at meeting the needs of our distributor members,” said Mark S. Allen, President and CEO of IFDA. “Receiving strong affirmation from your customers is the ultimate positive feedback for any business. These awards bring much-deserved recognition to those manufacturer partners that go above and beyond.”
The 2023 Winners
Sugar Foods
Supply Chain Leader: Committed to service, reliability, and excellence.
Product Innovator: Creates products that meet operators’ and customers’ needs.
Sales Leader: Engages in joint sales and marketing planning.
Total Overall Winner: This award is given to the IFDA Partner who receives the most overall votes.
Smithfield Culinary
Not-for-profit organization providing research and information to foster support for the belief that producing healthy, affordable food using fewer resources through responsible production, processing and distribution is the ethical choice that is right for people, animals and the planet.
The 2022 Winners
Sugar Foods
Strategic Partner: Approaches business with the unique customer relationship in mind.
Product Innovator: Creates products that meet operators’ and customers’ needs.
Total Overall Winner: This award is given to the IFDA Partner who receives the most overall votes.
IFDA Partner of the Year winners
2020 Partner of the Year
2019 Partner of the Year
2018 Partner of the Year
